daras_, and _Vilwas_, and banians, and _Piyalas_, and
palms, and date-trees, and _Haritakas_ and _Vibhitakas_. And the
princess of Vidarbha saw many mountains containing ores of various
kinds, and groves resounding with the notes of winged choirs, and many
glens of wondrous sight, and many rivers and lakes and tanks and various
kinds of birds and beasts. And she saw numberless snakes and goblins and
_Rakshasas_ of grim visage, and pools and tanks and hillocks, and brooks
and fountains of wonderful appearance. And the princess of Vidarbha saw
there herds of buffaloes, and boars, and bears as well as serpents of
the wilderness. And safe in virtue and glory and good fortune and
patience, Damayanti wandered through those woods alone, in search of
Nala. And the royal daughter of Bhima, distressed only at her separation
from her lord, was not terrified at aught in that fearful forest. And, O
king, seating herself down upon a stone and filled with grief, and every
limb of hers trembling with sorrow on account of her husband, she began
to lament thus: "O king of the Nishadhas, O thou of broad chest and
mighty arms, whither hast thou gone, O king, leaving me in this lone
forest? O hero, having performed the _Aswamedha_ and other sacrifices,
with gifts in profusion (unto the Brahmanas), why hast thou, O tiger
among men, played false with me alone? O best of men, O thou of great
splendour, it behoveth thee, O auspicious one, to remember what thou
didst declare before me, O bull among kings! And, O monarch, it behoveth
thee also to call to mind what the sky-ranging swans spake in thy
presence and in mine. O tiger among men, the four Vedas in all their
extent, with the Angas and the Upangas, well-studied, on one side, and
one single truth on the other, (are equal). Therefore, O slayer of foes,
it behoveth thee, O lord of men, to make good what thou didst formerly
declare before me. Alas, O hero! warrior! O Nala! O sinless one being
thine, I am about to perish in this dreadful forest. Oh! wherefore dost
thou not answer me? This terrible lord of the forest, of grim visage and
gaping jaws, and famishing with hunger, filleth me with fright. Doth it
not behove thee to deliver me? Thou wert wont to say always, _Save thee
there existeth not one dear unto me_. O blessed one, O king, do thou now
make good thy words so spoken before. And, O king, why dost thou not
return an answer to thy beloved wife bewailing and bereft of sense,
although thou