Nala Damayanthi

Nala Damayanthi

There was a very pretty princess called Damayanthi. All the princes and even Gods wanted to marry here. Her friend showed her a picture of king Nala. She liked him. Her father arranged for her swayamvara. In swayamvara all the eligible princes are invited and the bride was asked to choose whom she likes. She was not sure whether Nala would attend her swayamvara. So she asked a divine swan to go and tell him that she wanted to marry him. The swan flew to Nala’s place and told him about the swayamvara of Damayanthi. Meanwhile four gods also wanted to marry Damayanthi. They all assumed a similar form as Nala. But when Damayanthi saw that their eyes were not batting, she understood that they were Gods. She chose Nala and married him.

Though Nala was a very good king, he liked gambling. Unfortunately he was not an expert and most of the time lost whatever he waged for. On one occasion he lost his kingdom. He was forced to go out of his kingdom along with Damayanthi. He found that for his sake Damayanthi was suffering. So when Damayanthi was sleeping, he ran away. On the way he fell in a forest fire and was turned black. Meanwhile Damayanthi reached her father’s place. Nala traveling a lot reached the kingdom of Rithuparna. Nala was an expert in driving chariots. So he became the chariot driver to king Rithuparna.

Damayanthi’s father was searching for Nala everywhere. One of his messengers who came to Rithuparna’s kingdom could recognize Nala. He went and told Damayanthi’s father about it. Damayanthi’s father then sent word to only Rithuparna, that there is going to be a second Swayamvara on the next day. Though Rithuparna wanted to attend it, the time was not sufficient to reach Damayanthi’s place. But Nala promised him that he would be able to help him. Nala then drove Rithuparna to Damayanthi’s place. Damayanthi and her father recognized Nala. They promised help to Nala. Rithuparna who was an expert in gambling agreed to teach Gambling to Nala. Nala taught him the science of driving. With the new knowledge, Nala went to his kingdom, gambled and got back his kingdom. Damayanthi and Nala lived happily ever after