n--to bewail her fate began,
The deserted Damayanti--with these sad and bitter words;
With some Veda-reading Brahmins--that survived that scattered host,
Then she went her way in sadness--like the young moon's sickle pale,
And ere long a mighty city--that afflicted queen drew near:
'Twas the king of Chedi's city--truth-discerning Subahu.
Scantly clad in half a garment--entered she that stately town;
Her disturbed, emaciate, wretched--with dishevelled hair, unwashed,
Like a maniac, onward-moving--saw that city's wondering throng;
Gazing on her as she entered--to the monarch's royal seat;
All the boys her footsteps followed--in their curious gamesome play;[98]
Circled round by these she wandered--near the royal palace gate.
From that palace lofty terrace--her the mother of the king
Saw, and thus her nurse addressed she--"Go, and lead that wanderer in!
Sad she roves, without a refuge--troubled by those gazing men;
Yet in form so bright, irradiate--is our palace where she moves.
Though so maniac-like, half-clothed--like Heaven's long-eyed queen she
seems."
She those crowding men dispersing--quickly to the palace top
Made her mount--and in amazement--her the mother-queen addressed:
"Thus though bowed and worn with sorrow--such a shining form thou wear'st,
As through murky clouds the lightning--tell me who thou art and whence:
For thy form is more than human--of all ornament despoiled:
Men thou fear'st not, unattended--in celestial beauty safe."
Hearing thus her gentle language--Bhima's daughter made reply,
"Know me like thyself a mortal--a distressed, devoted wife;
Of illustrious race an handmaid--making where I will mine home;
On the roots and wild-fruits feeding--lonely, at the fall of eve.
Gifted with unnumber'd virtues--is my true, my faithful lord,
And I still the hero followed--like his shadow on the way.
'Twas his fate, with desp'rate fondness--to pursue the love of play,
And in play subdued and ruined--entered he yon lonely wood;
Him, arrayed in but one garment,--like a madman wandering wild,
To console my noble husband--I too entered the deep wood;
He within that dreary forest--for some cause, to me unknown,
Wild with hunger, reft of reason--that one single robe he lost.
I with but one robe, him naked[99]--frantic, and with mind diseased,
Following through the boun