yous mountain king.
O thou tree with pleasant aspect--from my sorrow set me free.
Vitasoca, hast thou seen him--hast the fearless raja seen,
Nala, of his foes the slayer--Damayanti's lord beloved?
Hast thou seen Nishadha's monarch--hast thou seen mine only love,
Clad in half a single garment--with his soft and delicate skin;
Hast thou seen th' afflicted hero--wandering in the forest lone.
That I may depart ungrieving--fair Asoca, answer me.
Truly be thou named Asoca[90]--as the extinguisher of grief."
Thus in her o'erpowering anguish--moved she round the Asoca tree.
Then she went her way in sadness--to another region dread.
Many a tree she stood and gazed on--many a river passed she o'er;
Passed she many a pleasant mountain--many a wild deer, many a bird;
Many a hill and many a cavern--many a bright and wondrous stream,
Saw king Bhima's wandering daughter--as she sought her husband lost.
Long she roamed her weary journey--Damayanti with sweet smile,
Lo, a caravan of merchants--elephants, and steeds, and cars,
And beyond, a pleasant river--with its waters cool and clear.
'Twas a quiet stream, and waveless--girt about with spreading canes;
There the cuckoo, there the osprey--there the red-geese clamouring stood;
Swarmed the turtles, fish and serpents--there rose many a stately isle.
When she saw that numerous concourse--Nala's once all-glorious wife,
Entered she, the slender-waisted--in the midst of all the host;
Maniac-like in form and feature--and in half a garment clad,
Thin and pallid, travel-tainted--matted all her locks with dust.
As they all beheld her standing--some in terror fled away;
Some stood still in speechless wonder--others raised their voice and cried;
Mocked her some with cruel tauntings--others spake reproachful words;
Others looked on her with pity--and enquired her state, her name.
"Who art thou? whose daughter. Lady--in the forest seek'st thou aught?
At thy sight we stand confounded--art thou of our mortal race?
Of this wood art thou the goddess?--of this mountain? of that plain?
Who art thou, O noble Lady--thee, our refuge, we adore.
Art thou sylvan nymph or genius--or celestial nymph divine?
Every-way regard our welfare--and protect us, undespised:
So our caravan in safety--may pursue its onward way,
So ordain it, O illustrious!--that good fortune wait o