iled.
Now springs up the desolate princess--now falls down in prostrate grief;
Now she pines in silent sorrow--now she shrieks and wails aloud.
So consumed with inward misery--ever sighing more and more,
Spake at length king Bhima's daughter--spake the still devoted wife:
"He, by whose dire imprecation--Nala this dread suffering bears,
May he far surpass in suffering--all that Nala suffers now,
May the evil one, to evil--who the blameless Nala drives,
Smitten by a curse as fatal--live a dark unblessed life."
Thus her absent lord lamenting--that high-minded raja's queen,
Every-where her lord went seeking--in the satyr-haunted wood.[72]
Like a maniac, Bhima's daughter--wandered wailing here and there;
And "alas! alas! my husband"--every-where her cry was heard.
Her beyond all measure wailing--like the osprey screaming shrill,
Miserably still deploring--still renewing her lament.
Suddenly king Bhima's daughter--as she wandered near his lair,
Seized a huge gigantic serpent--in his raging famine fierce.
In the grasp of that fierce serpent--round about with terror girt,
Not herself she pities only--pities she Nishadha's king.
"O my guardian, thus unguarded--in this savage forest seized,
Seized by this terrific serpent--wherefore art not thou at hand?
How will't be, when thou rememberest--once again thy faithful wife,
From this dreadful curse delivered--mind, and sense, and wealth returned?
When thou'rt weary, when thou'rt hungry--when thou'rt fainting with fatigue,
Who will soothe, O blameless Nala--all thy weariness, thy woe."
Then a huntsman as he wandered--in the forest jungle thick,
As he heard her thus bewailing--in his utmost haste drew near.
In the grasp when he beheld her--of that long-eyed serpent fell,
Instant did the nimble huntsman--rapidly as he came on,
Pierce that unresisting serpent--with a sharp and mortal shaft:
In her sight he slew that serpent--skill'd in slaughter of the chase.
Her released he from her peril--washed he then with water pure,
And with sylvan food refreshed her--and with soothing words address'd:
"Who art thou that roam'st the forest--with the eyes of the gazelle;
How to this extreme of misery--noble lady, hast thou fallen?"
Damayanti, by the huntsman--thus in soothing tone addressed,
All the story of her misery-told him, as it all befell;
Her,