ering loud cries some fell down on the
ground, and some in fear climbed on trees, and some dropped down on
uneven ground. And, O king, thus accidentally attacked by that large herd
of elephants, that goodly caravan suffered a great loss. And there arose
a tremendous uproar calculated to frighten the three worlds, "Lo! a
great fire hath broken out. Rescue us. Do ye speedily fly away. Why do
ye fly? Take the heaps of jewels scattered around. All this wealth is a
trifle. I do not speak falsely, I tell you again, (exclaimed some one)
think on my words, O ye distracted one!" With such exclamation they ran
about in fright. And Damayanti awoke in fear and anxiety, while that
terrible slaughter was raging there. And beholding slaughter capable of
awaking the fear of all the worlds, and which was so unforeseen, the
damsel of eyes like lotus leaves rose up, wild with fright, and almost
out of breath. And those of the caravan that had escaped unhurt, met
together, and asked one another, "Of what deed of ours is this the
consequence? Surely, we have failed to worship the illustrious
Manibhadras, and likewise the exalted and graceful Vaisravana, the king
of the Yaksha. Perhaps, we have not worshipped the deities that cause
calamities, or perhaps, we have not paid them the first homage. Or,
perhaps, this evil is the certain consequence of the birds (we saw). Our
stars are not unpropitious. From what other cause, then hath this
disaster come?" Others, distressed and bereft of wealth and relatives,
said, "That maniac-like woman who came amongst this mighty caravan in
guise that was strange and scarcely human, alas, it is by her that this
dreadful illusion had been pre-arranged. Of a certainty, she is a
terrible Rakshasa or a Yaksha or a Pisacha woman. All this evil is her
work, what need of doubts? If we again see that wicked destroyer of
merchants, that giver of innumerable woes, we shall certainly slay that
injurer of ours, with stones, and dust, and grass, and wood, and cuffs."
And hearing these dreadful words of the merchants, Damayanti, in terror
and shame and anxiety, fled into the woods apprehensive of evil. And
reproaching herself she said, "Alas! fierce and great is the wrath of
God on me. Peace followeth not in my track. Of what misdeed is this the
consequence? I do not remember that I did ever so little a wrong to any
one in thought, word, or deed. Of what deed, then, is this the
consequence? Certainly, it is on account of the