thus sweetly speak?
Lo, with fourfold tusks before me--and with wide and gaping jaws,
Stands the forest king, the tiger--I approach him without fear.
Of the beasts art thou the monarch--all this forest thy domain,
For the daughter of Vidarbha--Damayanti, know thou me,
Consort of Nishadha's sovereign--Nala, slayer of his foes--
Seeking here my exile husband--lonely, wretched, sorrow-driven,
Thou, O king of beasts, console me--if my Nala thou hast seen;
Or, O lord of all the forest--Nala if thou canst not show,
Best of savage beasts, devour me--from my misery set me free.
Hearing thus my lamentation-now does that fell king of beasts
Go towards the crystal river--flowing downward to the sea.'--
To this mountain then the holy--crowned with many a lofty peak,
In its soul-exalting splendour--rising, many-hued, to heaven;
Full within of precious metal--rich with many a glowing gem,
Rising o'er the spreading forest--like a banner broad and high,
Ranged by elephants and lions--tigers, bears, and boars, and stags;
And of many birds the voices--sweetly sound o'er all its cliffs;
All the trees of richest foliage[76]--all the trees of stateliest height,
All the flowers and golden fruitage--on its crested summits wave,
Down its peaks in many a streamlet--dip the water-birds their wings:
This, the monarch of all mountains--ask I of the king of men;
'O, all-honoured Prince of Mountains, with thy heaven-ward soaring peaks,
Refuge of the lost, most noble--thee, O Mountain, I salute;
I salute thee, lowly bowing--I, the daughter of a king;
Of a king the royal consort--of a king's son I the bride.
Of Vidarbha the great sovereign--mighty hero is my sire.
Named the lord of earth, king Bhima--of each caste the guardian he;
Of the holy Aswamedha--of the regal sacrifice,[77]
He the offerer, best of monarchs--known by his commanding eye,
Pious, and of life unblemished--true in word, of generous speech,
Affable, courageous, prosperous--skilled in every duty, pure.
Of Vidarbha the protector--conqueror of a host of foes;
Know me of that king the daughter--lowly thus approaching thee.
In Nishadha, mighty Mountain! dwelt the father of my lord.
High the name he won, the illustrious--Virasena was he called.
Of this king the son, the hero--prosperous and truly brave,
He who rules his father's kingdom--by here