began to flow plentifully from her eyes.  And beholding her thus afflicted with grief, Nala also, shedding tears, black of those of the gazelle with extremities of reddish hue, said, “O timid one, neither the loss of my kingdom nor my desertion of thee was my act.  Both were due to Kali.  And, O foremost of virtuous women, lamenting for me day and night, and overcome with sorrow, thou hadst in the woods cursed Kali, and so he began to dwell in my body, burning in consequence of thy curse.  Indeed burning with thy curse, he lived within me like fire within fire.  O blessed girl, that our sorrows might terminate, that wretch have I overcome by my observances and austerities.  The sinful wretch hath already left me, and it is for this that I have come hither.  My presence here, O fair lady, is for thy sake.  I have no other object.  But, O timid one, can any other woman, forsaking her loving and devoted husband, ever choose a second lord like thee?  At the command of the king, messengers are ranging this entire earth, saying, ’Bhima’s daughter will, of her own accord, choose a second husband worthy of her.’  Immediately on hearing this, the son of Bhangasura hath arrived here.”  Hearing these lamentations of Nala, Damayanti, frightened and trembling, said with joined hand, “It behoveth thee not, O blessed one, to suspect any fault in me.  O ruler of the Nishadhas, passing over the celestials themselves, I choose thee as my lord.  It was to bring thee hither that the Brahmanas had gone out in all directions, even to all the sides of the horizon, singing my words, in the form of ballads.  At last, O king, a learned Brahmana named Parnada had found thee in Kosala in the palace of Rituparna.  When thou hadst returned a fit answer to those words of his, it was then, O Naishadha, that I devised this scheme to recover thee.  Except thee, O lord of earth, there is no one in this world, who in one day can clear, O King, a hundred yojanas with horses.  O monarch, touching thy feet I can swear truly that I have not, even in thought, committed any sin.  May the all-witnessing Air that courseth through this world, take my life, if I have committed any sin.  May the Sun that ever courseth through the sky take my life, if I have committed any sin.  May the Moon, that dwelleth within every creature as a witness, take my life, if I have committed any sin.  Let the three gods that sustain the triple worlds in their entirety, declare truly, or let them forsake me today.”  And thus addressed by her, the Wind-god said from the sky, “O Nala, I tell thee truly that she hath done no wrong.  O king, Damayanti, well guarding the honour of thy family, hath enhanced it.  Of this we are the witnesses, as we have been her protectors for these three years.  It is for thy sky that she hath devised this unrivalled scheme, for, except thee, none on earth is capable of travelling in a single day a hundred yojanas.  O monarch, thou hast obtained Bhima’s daughter, and she