Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/68

62 that she is to choose her husband in a Swayamvara, I am going to Vidarbha to win her." "Lord Kali," laughed Indra, "I fear you will be late. The Swayamvara is over. For we were present at it, hoping also to win her as the bride of one of us. But she scorned us and chose King Nala as her husband." Then Kali grew angry and with gleaming eyes he cried, "Shall she who has scorned Immortals and chosen a mortal not suffer for her crime?" "No, Lord Kali," said Indra, "we pitied her and gave her leave to choose Nala, and indeed none could blame her. For he is the loveliest youth in all the land of the Aryas." With these words Indra and the three gods with him went on, leaving Kali and Dwapara silent. But the fury of Kali burnt fiercely within him and a few moments later he said, "O Dwapara, I cannot suffer that Nala enjoy the beauty of Damayanti. I shall enter into him and possess him. And I shall drive him forth from his kingdom, and from the arms of his bride. Thus all men shall know that it is evil to slight the Immortals."

Then Kali turned from Vidarbha and went to the country of the Nishadas. But so pure was Nala's life and so strict were his observances that Kali, watching day and night, saw no chance to enter into him and possess him. Thus for twelve years Nala and Damayanti lived together without a break in their joy. And Damayanti bore her lord a son whom she called Indrasena and a daughter whom she also called Indrasena. But in the thirteenth year their happiness perished. For King Nala, hearing grave news of state, hastened to consult his ministers, and in his haste he forgot, before doing homage to the Immortals, to wash his feet. Thus impure he entered the presence of the pure. Instantly Kali saw that his time had come, and entering the body of King Nala, he possessed him.