Chapter 72

“Vrihadaswa said, ‘Like a bird coursing through the sky, Nala sooncrossed rivers and mountains, and woods and lakes. And while the car wascoursing thus, that conqueror of hostile cities, the royal son ofBhangasura, saw his upper garment drop down on the ground. And at soon ashis garment had dropped down the high-minded monarch, without loss oftime, told Nala, ‘I intend to recover it. O thou of profoundintelligence, retain these steeds endued with exceeding swiftness untilVarshneya bringeth back my garment.’ Thereupon Nala replied unto him,’The sheet is dropped down far away. We have travelled one yojana thence.Therefore, it is incapable of being recovered.’ After Nala had addressedhim thus, O king, the royal son of Bhangasura came upon a Vibhitaka treewith fruits in a forest. And seeing that tree, the king hastily said toVahuka, ‘O charioteer, do thou also behold my high proficiency incalculation. All men do not know everything. There is no one that isversed in every science of art. Knowledge in its entirety is not found inany one person, O Vahuka, the leaves and fruits of this tree that arelying on the ground respectively exceed those that are on it by onehundred and one. The two branches of the tree have fifty millions ofleaves, and two thousand and ninety five fruits. Do thou examine thesetwo branches and all their boughs.’ Thereupon staying the car Vahukaaddressed the king, saying, ‘O crusher of foes, thou takest credit tothyself in a matter which is beyond my perception. But, O monarch, I willascertain it by the direct evidence of my senses, by cutting down theVibhitaka. O king, when I actually count, it will no longer be matter ofspeculation. Therefore, in thy presence, O monarch, I will hew down thisVibhitaka. I do not know whether it be not (as thou hast said). In thypresence, O ruler of men, I will count the fruits and leaves. LetVarshneya hold the reins of the horses for a while.’ Unto the charioteerthe king replied, ‘There is no time to lose.’ But Vahuka answered withhumility, ‘Stay thou a short space, or, if thou art in a hurry, go then,making Varshneya thy charioteer. The road lies direct and even.’ And atthis, O son of the Kuru race, soothing Vahuka, Rituparna said, ‘O Vahuka,thou art the only charioteer, there is none other in this world. And, Othou versed in horse lore, it is through thy help that I expect to go tothe Vidarbhas. I place myself in thy hands. It behoveth thee not to causeany obstacle. And, O Vahuka, whatever thy wish. I will grant it if takingme to the country of the Vidarbhas to-day, thou makest me see the sunrise.’ At this, Vahuka answered him, saying, ‘After having counted (theleaves and fruits of the) Vibhitaka, I shall proceed to Vidarbha, do thouagree to my words. Then the king reluctantly told him, ‘Count. And oncounting the leaves and fruits of a portion of this branch, thou wilt besatisfied of the truth of my assertion.’ And thereupon Vahuka speedilyalighted from the car, and felled that tree. And struck with amazementupon finding the fruits, after calculation, to be what the king had said,he addressed the king, saying, ‘O monarch, this thy power is wonderful. Idesire, O prince, to know the art by which thou hast ascertained allthis.’ And at this king, intent upon proceeding speedily, said untoVahuka. ‘Know that I am proficient at dice besides being versed innumbers. And Vahuka said unto him, ‘Impart unto me this knowledge and, Obull among men, take from me my knowledge of horses.’ And king Rituparna,having regard to the importance of the act that depended upon Vahuka’sgood-will, and tempted also by the horse-lore (that his charioteerpossessed), said, ‘So be it.’ As solicited by thee, receive this scienceof dice from me, and, O Vahuka, let my equine science remain with thee intrust.’ And saying this, Rituparna imparted unto Nala the science (hedesired). And Nala upon becoming acquainted with the science of dice,Kali came out of his body, incessantly vomiting from his mouth thevirulent poison of Karkotaka.

And when Kali, afflicted (by Damayanti’s curse) came out (of Nala’sbody), the fire of that curse also left Kali. Indeed, long had been thetime for which the king had been afflicted by Kali, as if he were ofunregenerate soul. And Kala the ruler of the Nishadhas, in wrath, wasbent upon cursing Kali, when the latter, frightened, and trembling, saidwith joined hands, ‘Control thy wrath, O king! I will render theeillustrious. Indrasena’s mother had formerly cursed me in anger when shehad been deserted by thee. Ever since that time undergoing soreaffliction I resided in thee, O mighty monarch, O unconquered one,miserably and burning night and day with the venom of the prince ofsnakes. I seek thy protection. If thou dost not curse me who amaffrighted and seek thy protection, then those men that will attentivelyrecite thy history, shall be even free from fear on my account.’ And thusaddressed by Kali, king Nala controlled his wrath. And thereupon thefrightened Kali speedily entered into the Vibhitaka tree. And while theKali was conversing with Naishadha, he was invisible to others. Anddelivered from his afflictions, and having counted the fruits of thattree, the king, filled with great joy and of high energy, mounted on thecar and proceeded with energy, urging those fleet horses. And from thetouch of Kali the Vibhitaka tree from that hour fell into disrepute. AndNala, with a glad heart, began to urge those foremost of steeds whichsprang into the air once and again like creatures endued with wings. Andthe illustrious monarch drove (the car) in the direction of theVidarbhas. And after Nala had gone far away, Kali also returned to hisabode. And abandoned by Kali, O king, that lord of earth, the royal Nala,became freed from calamity though he did not assume his native form.'”