Chapter 66

“Vrihadaswa said, ‘O monarch, having deserted Damayanti, king Nala saw amighty conflagration that was raging in that dense forest. And in themidst of that conflagration, he heard the voice of some creature,repeatedly crying aloud, ‘O righteous Nala, come hither.’ And answering,’Fear not,’ he entered into the midst of the fire and beheld a mightyNaga lying in coils. And the Naga with joined hands, and trembling, spakeunto Nala, saying, ‘O king, that I am a snake, Karkotaka by name. I haddeceived the great Rishi Narada of high ascetic merit, and by him have Ibeen cursed in wrath, O king of men, even in words such as these: ‘Staythou here like an immobile thing, until one Nala taketh thee hence. And,indeed, on the spot to which he will carry thee, there shalt thou hefreed from my curse. It is for that curse of his that I am unable to stirone step. I will instruct thee in respect of thy welfare. It behoveththee to deliver me. I will be thy friend. There is no snake equal to me.I will be light in thy hands. Taking me up, do thou speedily go hence.’Having said this, that prince of snakes became as small as the thumb. Andtaking him up, Nala went to a spot free from fire. Having reached an openspot where there was no fire, Nala intended to drop the serpent, uponwhich Karkotaka again addressed him, saying, ‘O king of the Nishadhas,proceed thou yet, counting a few steps of thine; meanwhile, Omighty-armed one, I will do thee great good.’ And as Nala began to counthis steps, the snake bit him at the tenth step. And, lo! As he was bit,his form speedily underwent a change. And beholding his change of form,Nala was amazed. And the king saw the snake also assume his own form. Andthe snake Karkotaka, comforting Nala, spake unto him, ‘I have deprivedthee of thy beauty, so that people may not recognise thee. And, O Nala,he by whom thou hast been deceived and cast into distress, shall dwell inthee tortured by my venom. And, O monarch, as long as he doth not leavethee, he will have to dwell in pain in thy body with thee every limbfilled with my venom. And, O ruler of men I have saved from the hands ofhim who from anger and hate deceived thee, perfectly innocent though thouart and undeserving of wrong. And, O tiger among men, through my grace,thou shalt have (no longer) any fear from animals with fangs fromenemies, and from Brahmanas also versed in the Vedas, O king! Nor shaltthou, O monarch, feel pain on account of my poison. And, O foremost ofkings, thou shalt be ever victorious in battle. This very day, O prince,O lord of Nishadhas, go to the delightful city of Ayodhya, and presentthyself before Rituparna skilled in gambling, saying, ‘I am a charioteer,Vahuka by name.’ And that king will give thee his skill in dice for thyknowledge of horses. Sprung from the line of Ikswaku, and possessed ofprosperity, he will be thy friend. When thou wilt be an adept at dice,thou shalt then have prosperity. Thou wilt also meet with thy wife andthy children, and regain thy kingdom. I tell thee this truly. Therefore,let not thy mind be occupied by sorrow. And, O lord of men, when thoushouldst desire to behold thy proper form, thou shouldst remember me, andwear this garment. Upon wearing this, thou shalt get back thy own form.’And saying this, that Naga then gave unto Nala two pieces of celestialcloth. And, O son of the Kuru race, having thus instructed Nala, andpresented him with the attire, the king of snakes, O monarch, madehimself invisible there and then!'”