r the deed, nor spake in vain:
"Well thou know'st the full reliance--that in thee the king hath placed,
In his fatal hour of peril--wilt not thou stand forth to aid?
As by Pushkara is worsted--ever more and more the king,
More and more the fatal frenzy--maddens in his heart for play.
As to Pushkara obedient--ever fall the lucky dice,
Thus those dice to royal Nala--still with adverse fortune fall.
Nor the voice of friend or kindred--as beseems him, will he hear;
Even to me he will not listen--in the madness of his heart.
Of the lofty-minded Nala--well I know 'tis not the sin,
That my words this senseless monarch--in his frenzy will not hear.
Charioteer, to thee my refuge--come I, do thou my behest;
I am not o'er calm in spirit--haply he may perish thus.
Yoke the much-loved steeds of Nala--fleet of foot, as thought, are they,
In the chariot place our children--to Cundina's city go.[61]
Leave the children with my kindred--and the chariot and the steeds;
Then or dwell there at thy pleasure--or depart where'er thou wilt."
When the speech of Damayanti--heard king Nala's charioteer,
He, the chief of Nala's council--thus in full divan addressed,
Weighed within their solemn conclave--and their full assent obtained,
With the children in the chariot--to Vidarbha straight he drove.
There he rendered up the horses--with the chariot there he left.
That young maiden Indrasena--Indrasen, that noble boy.
To king Bhima paid his homage--sad, for Nala's fall distressed,
Thence departing, to Ayodhya[62]--took the charioteer his way.
In his grief to Rituparna--that illustrious king, he came,
As his charioteer, the service--entered of the lord of earth.

BOOK IX.

Scarce Varshneya had departed--still the king of men played on,
Till to Pushkara his kingdom--all that he possessed, was lost.
Nala then, despoiled of kingdom--smiling Pushkara bespake:
"Throw we yet another hazard--Nala, where is now thy stake?
There remains but Damayanti--all thou hast beside, is mine.
Throw we now for Damayanti--come, once more the hazard try."
Thus as Pushkara addressed him--Punyasloka's inmost heart
By his grief was rent asunder--not a single word he spake.
And on Pushkara, king Nala--in his silent anguish gazed.
All his ornaments of splendour--from his person stripped he off,
With a single vest, scarce c