Nala and Damayanti

Nala and Damayanti - The King Who Lost Everything

In the kingdom of Nishadha, there ruled a king named Nala. He was handsome, skilled, virtuous, and loved by his people. He was also a master of horses and cooking - an unusual combination that would prove useful in ways he could not imagine.

Damayanti was the princess of Vidarbha, renowned for her beauty and wisdom. When she heard descriptions of Nala from traveling bards, she fell in love with him without ever seeing his face. She sent a message: “I have chosen Nala. No one else.”

The Wedding of the Heart

The gods themselves - Indra, Agni, Varuna, and Yama - heard of Damayanti’s beauty and desired her. They came to her swayamvara (the ceremony where a bride chooses her husband) in the form of Nala, each disguised as the king. Damayanti looked at the five identical figures - four gods and one mortal - and prayed:

“O gods, I have given my heart to Nala. If you have any compassion, reveal yourselves so I may choose my husband.”

The gods, touched by her devotion, showed their true forms - Indra with his thousand eyes, Agni with his radiance, Varuna with his noose, Yama with his staff. Damayanti turned to the remaining figure and placed the garland around Nala’s neck.

Indra smiled. “Nala, you are blessed. But be warned: Kali, the spirit of this dark age, was not invited to your wedding. He will try to destroy you.”

The Curse

Kali, enraged by his exclusion, waited for Nala to make a mistake. For years, he found no opening. Nala was too pure, too vigilant.

Then, one day, Nala performed his evening prayers without washing his feet first. It was a small oversight - but it was enough. Kali entered Nala’s mind.

Possessed by Kali, Nala challenged his brother Pushkara to a game of dice. Nala was a skilled player, but with Kali clouding his judgment, he lost everything in a single night - his kingdom, his wealth, his honor.

Damayanti, seeing what had happened, sent their two children away with trusted servants. She then persuaded Nala to flee the kingdom with her before Pushkara could humiliate them further.

The Separation

In the forest, Nala and Damayanti wandered without food or shelter. Nala, still under Kali’s influence, became desperate. One night, he left Damayanti sleeping under a tree and fled, hoping she would find refuge with her family.

When Damayanti woke and found herself alone, she did not despair. She wandered through the forest, facing wild animals and harsh weather, until she reached the kingdom of Chedi. The queen of Chedi recognized her and gave her shelter.

Months passed. Damayanti never stopped believing that Nala would return.

The King Without a Kingdom

Nala, meanwhile, wandered in a daze. He found a forest fire and saved a serpent named Karkotaka from the flames. The serpent, grateful, bit Nala - not to harm him, but to transform him. The poison burned away Kali’s influence, leaving Nala’s body twisted and ugly. No one would recognize him now.

“You will be ugly,” Karkotaka said, “but you will be free. Go to King Rituparna of Ayodhya. Offer to be his charioteer and cook. There, you will learn the art of dice - because Rituparna is a master of numbers. When the time is right, you will recover everything you have lost.”

Nala did as instructed. He became Bahuka - the hunchbacked charioteer - and served Rituparna with skill and humility.

The Second Swayamvara

Meanwhile, Damayanti, now living in Vidarbha, had not given up. She announced a second swayamvara - a trick to lure Nala out of hiding. She knew that if Nala heard she was choosing another husband, he would come - or die trying.

Rituparna heard of the swayamvara and decided to attend. He took Bahuka (Nala in disguise) as his charioteer.

On the journey, Rituparna demonstrated his skill with numbers, calculating the leaves on a tree at a glance. Nala, in turn, showed Rituparna his skill with horses, controlling the chariot with supernatural precision. In the exchange, Nala learned the secret of numbers - the key to winning at dice.

When they arrived at Vidarbha, Damayanti saw the hunchbacked charioteer and, with the eyes of love, recognized Nala. She sent servants to test him - asking him to cook a meal (only Nala could cook without fire, a divine skill). When the meal was prepared without flame, Damayanti knew.

The Reunion

Nala and Damayanti were reunited. The poison wore off, and Nala’s handsome form returned. Using the knowledge he had gained from Rituparna, Nala returned to Nishadha and challenged Pushkara to a rematch.

This time, Nala won everything back in a single throw.

Pushkara, humbled, bowed to his brother. “I was possessed by greed,” he said. “Forgive me.”

Nala forgave him and gave him half the kingdom. He was crowned king again, and he ruled with Damayanti for many happy years.

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Source & Further Reading

The story of Nala and Damayanti is one of the most beautiful sub-stories in the Mahābhārata (Vana Parva).

Reflection

Nala’s story is about losing everything and finding what truly matters. He lost his kingdom, his wife, his beauty, his identity - all through no fault of his own. But he did not despair. He served as a charioteer, learned what he needed to learn, and waited for the right moment. And Damayanti’s unwavering love - her refusal to believe that Nala was gone - is one of the most powerful portrayals of faith in all literature.