Prem Purana
Page 25
He took one step forward and then another and dimly heard Gagana’s voice talking still. ‘Perhaps I should give up my home in Manasarovar and come live with you both so that I can watch over you,’ he said. ‘I wonder though if my wife will agree to my plan. What sacrifices I have to make in order to help you helpless mortals!’
The mortals smiled at each other over the hamsa’s head, feeling as if they were parents to a noisy child who rarely stopped talking. Then, without knowing how, they were in each other’s arms. Damayanti buried herself in Nala’s embrace, sobbing. He lifted up her face between his tender hands and showered kisses on her brow, her eyes and then on her soft lips.
They heard some strange sounds then and realized that Gagana was singing: ‘His thirst grew greater as he drank the nectar of her lips!’
Nala renewed his vows of love, telling his queen that he would never leave her side again, whatever destiny might throw at him. And this time, he knew that he would keep his promise. Soon, King Bhima was informed of the happy reunion. Rituparna felt a pang of loss, but knowing that there was little he could do, he wished them well and left for his own land.
The devas rejoiced as the godlessness that had prevailed on earth now vanished with the defeat of Kali. Men offered worship to them again and the gods in turn restored the balance of nature. Indra blessed the earth with timely rains, and flowers and fruits sprang forth in lush abundance. Men and women were faithful to their vows, the weak and the voiceless were protected and the rulers enforced the law of the land.
But Nala had one more battle to fight—the final battle to reclaim his kingdom and his life.
Pushkara was angry and dismissive when Nala presented himself before him, seeking to play another game of dice to try and win back all that he had lost.
‘What is it you can stake when you have lost everything?’ he scoffed. ‘Unless you are ready to stake Damayanti this time!’
Nala bit his lip to control his anger and said calmly, ‘A single throw of the dice—that is all I seek, Pushkara. I stake my life this time and will gladly bare my neck to your sword if you should win again. Or perhaps you would prefer that we resolve our conflict by facing each other in single combat.’
Pushkara knew that his debauched life had made him far too weak to even give his brother a good fight. Instead, he would roll the dice one last time and put an end to him. He would then take Nala’s wife to his harem, forcing her to make love at his command. His eyes glinted as he accepted Nala’s challenge.
The gaming table was set up again, this time in the court. The brothers sat opposite each other. Pushkara cast the dice for Nala’s life and sat back, happy with the result. Nala took the dice in his hands and closed his eyes for a moment to invoke the gods. The dice rolled. The courtiers watched in rapt silence.
Pushkara’s smirk died on his lips as he saw that he had been defeated. He gasped and looked again. ‘Last time, Kali and Dwapara controlled the dice, but not this time!’ said Nala. ‘You will never utter Damayanti’s name again, nor will you look upon her face. I hereby reclaim my kingdom, but will treat you well, despite your sins. I grant you a share of the lands so that you may live the rest of your life in comfort and peace, far from here.’
His brother had no choice but to accept with a bowed head.
Nala took back the reins of his kingdom and brought Damayanti home from Vidarbha to rule by his side, like Vishnu with Shri, the goddess of good fortune. His people rejoiced under Nala’s noble rule and the loving tyranny of the swan with the golden plumes.
THE BEGINNING
Let the conversation begin…
Follow the Penguin Twitter.com@penguinbooks
Keep up-to-date with all our stories YouTube.com/penguinbooks
Pin ‘Penguin Books’ to your Pinterest
Like ‘Penguin Books’ on Facebook.com/penguinbooks
Find out more about the author and
discover more stories like this at Penguin.co.in
PENGUIN BOOKS
USA | Canada | UK | Ireland | Australia
New Zealand | India | South Africa | China
Penguin Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.
This collection published 2017
Copyright © Usha Narayanan 2017
The moral right of the author has been asserted
Jacket images © Ahlawat Gunjan
ISBN 978-0-143-44008-6
This digital edition published in 2017.
e-ISBN: 978-9-386-81576-7
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.