Damayanti, ever after--she the swan's sweet speech had heard--
With herself she dwelt no longer--all herself with Nala dwelt.
Lost in thought she sate dejected--pale her melancholy cheek,
Damayanti sate and yielded--all her soul to sighs of grief.
Upward gazing, meditative--with a wild distracted look,
Wan was all her soft complexion--and with passion heart-possessed,[23]
Nor in sleep nor gentle converse--nor in banquets found she joy;
Night nor day she could not slumber--Woe! oh woe! she wept and said.
Her no longer her own mistress--from her looks, her gesture, knew
Damayanti's virgin handmaids--to Vidarbha's monarch they
Told how pined his gentle daughter--for the sovereign of men.
This from Damayanti's maidens--when the royal Bhima heard,
In his mind he gravely pondered--for his child what best were done.
"Wherefore is my gentle daughter--from herself in mind estranged?"
When the lord of earth his daughter--saw in blooming youth mature,
Knew he for the Swayembara[24]--Damayanti's time was come.
Straight the lord of many peasants[25]--summoned all the chiefs of earth,
"Come ye to the Swayembara--all ye heroes of the world!"
Damayanti's Swayembara--soon as heard the kings of men,
All obeyed king Bhima's summons--all to Bhima's court drew near;
Elephants, and steeds, and chariots--swarmed along the sounding land;
All with rich and various garlands[26]--with his stately army each--
All the lofty-minded rajas--Bhima with the arm of strength,
As beseemed, received with honour--on their thrones of state they sate.
At this very hour the wisest--of the sages, the divine,
Moving in their might ascended--up from earth to Indra's world.[27]
Great in holiness and wisdom--Narada and Parvata[28]
Honoured entered they the palace--of the monarch of the gods.
Them salutes the cloud-compeller[29]--of their everlasting weal,
Of their weal the worlds pervading--courteous asks the immortal lord.

NARADA _spake_.

Well it fares with us, Immortal--in our weal the world partakes--
In the world, O cloud-compeller--well it fares with all her kings.

VRIHADASVA _spake_.

He that Bali slew and Vritra--asked of Narada again--
All earth's just and righteous rulers--reckless of their lives in fight--
Who the shafts' descending death-blow--meet with unaverted eye--
Theirs this everlasting k