why dost thou not rush towards me, now that I am seized, without anybody to protect me, by this serpent in these desert wilds?  And, O Naishadha, how will it fare with thee when thou rememberest me?  O lord, why hast thou gone away, deserting me today in the forest?  Free from thy course, when thou wilt have regained thy mind and senses and wealth, how will it be with thee when thou thinkest of me?  O Naishadha, O sinless one, who will soothe thee when thou art weary, and hungry, and fainting, O tiger among kings?” And while she was wailing thus, a certain huntsman ranging the deep woods, hearing her lamentations, swiftly came to the spot.  And beholding the large-eyed one in the coils of the serpent, he pushed towards it and cut off its head with his sharp weapon.  And having struck the reptile dead, the huntsman set Damayanti free.  And having sprinkled her body with water and fed and comforted her, O Bharata, he addressed her saying, “O thou with eyes like those of a young gazelle, who art thou?  And why also hast thou come into the woods?  And, O beauteous one, how hast thou fallen into this extreme misery?” And thus accosted, O monarch, by that man, Damayanti, O Bharata, related unto him all that had happened.  And beholding that beautiful woman clad in half a garment, with deep bosom and round hips, and limbs delicate and faultless, and face resembling the full moon, and eyes graced with curved eye-lashes, and speech sweet as honey, the hunter became inflamed with desire.  And afflicted by the god of love, the huntsman began to soothe her in winning voice and soft words.  And as soon as the chaste and beauteous Damayanti, beholding him understood his intentions, she was filled with fierce wrath and seemed to blaze up in anger.  But the wicked-minded wretch, burning with desire became wroth, attempted to employ force upon her, who was unconquerable as a flame of blazing fire.  And Damayanti already distressed upon being deprived of husband and kingdom, in that hour of grief beyond utterance, cursed him in anger, saying, “I have never even thought of any other person than Naishadha, therefore let this mean-minded wretch subsisting on chase, fall down lifeless.”  And as soon as she said this, the hunter fell down lifeless upon the ground, like a tree consumed by fire.’”

SECTION LXIV

“Vrihadaswa continued, ’Having destroyed that hunter Damayanti of eyes like lotus leaves, went onwards through that fearful and solitary forest ringing with the chirp of crickets.  And it abounded with lions, and leopards, and Rurus and tigers, and buffaloes, and bears and deer.  And it swarmed with birds of various species, and was infested by thieves and mlechchha tribes.  And it contained Salas, and bamboos and Dhavas, and Aswatthas, and Tindukas and Ingudas, and Kinsukas, and Arjunas, and Nimvas, and Tinisas and Salmalas, and Jamvus, and mango