“Vrihadaswa continued, ’Having thus reflected on these various circumstances and signs, the Brahmana, Sudeva, approached Damayanti, and addressed her, saying, “O princess of Vidarbha, I am Sudeva, the dear friend of thy brother.  I have come here, seeking thee, at the desire of king Bhima.  Thy father is well, and also thy mother, and thy brothers.  And thy son and daughter, blessed with length of days, are living in peace.  Thy relatives, though alive, are almost dead on thy account, and hundreds of Brahmanas are ranging the world in search of thee."’

“Vrihadaswa continued, ’O Yudhishthira, Damayanti recognising Sudeva, asked him respecting all her relatives and kinsmen one after another.  And, O monarch, oppressed with grief, the princess of Vidarbha began to weep bitterly, at the unexpected sight of Sudeva, that foremost of Brahmanas and the friend of her brother.  And, O Bharata, beholding Damayanti weeping, and conversing in private with Sudeva, Sunanda was distressed, and going to her mother informed her, saying, “Sairindhri is weeping bitterly in the presence of a Brahmana.  If thou likest, satisfy thyself.”  And thereupon the mother of the king of the Chedis, issuing from the inner apartments of the palace, came to the place where the girl (Damayanti) was with that Brahmana.  Then calling Sudeva, O king, the queen-mother asked him, “Whose wife is this fair one, and whose daughter?  How hath this lady of beautiful eyes been deprived of the company of her relatives and of her husband as well?  And how also hast thou come to know this lady fallen into such a plight?  I wish to hear all this in detail from thee.  Do truly relate unto me who am asking thee about this damsel of celestial beauty.”  Then, O king, thus addressed by the queen-mother, Sudeva, that best of Brahmanas, sat at his ease, and began to relate the true history of Damayanti.’”

SECTION LXIX

“’Sudeva said, “There is a virtuous and illustrious ruler of the Vidarbhas, Bhima by name.  This blessed lady is his daughter, and widely known by the name of Damayanti.  And there is a king ruling the Nishadhas, named Nala, the son of Virasena.  This blessed lady is the wife of that wise and righteous monarch.  Defeated at dice by his brother, and despoiled of his kingdom, that king, accompanied by Damayanti, went away without the knowledge of any one.  We have been wandering over the whole earth in search of Damayanti.  And that girl is at last found in the house of thy son.  No woman existeth that is her rival in beauty.  Between the eye-brows of this ever-youthful damsel, there is an excellent mole from birth, resembling a lotus.  Noticed by us (before) it seems to have disappeared, covered, (as her forehead is) with (a coat of) dust even like the moon hid in clouds.  Placed there by the Creator himself as an indication of prosperity and wealth, that mole is visible faintly, like the cloud-covered lunar crescent of the first day of the lighted fortnight.  And covered as her body is with dust, her beauty hath not disappeared.  Though careless of her person, it is still manifest, and shineth like gold.  And this girl—­goddess-like—­capable of being identified by this form of hers and that mole, hath been discovered by me as one discovereth a fire that is covered, by its heat!”