The second part of the saga of Nala Damayanti

[00:00:00] In the first part of the love story of Nala and Damyanti, we found out how Damyanti had fallen in love with King Nala after hearing about him from the swan in her garden.

[00:00:13] She picked up Nala as her groom despite the presence of Gods in the Swamvar assembly.

[00:00:19] God blessed the couple and left for their divine abode.

[00:00:24] What happened next?

[00:00:25] In this part 2 of the story, we will find out about the events following their wedding.

[00:00:32] When Indra and other Gods were returning from Damyanti's swamvar, they met Kalyug and Dwapar on the way.

[00:00:40] Indra asked, where are the two of you headed?

[00:00:44] Kalyug answered,

[00:00:45] Oh Devraj, King of Vidarb has organized the swamvar for his daughter Damyanti.

[00:00:53] We have heard tales of her divine beauty and we believe only a God can be worthy of her.

[00:01:00] So we were on our way to Kundinagar to marry her.

[00:01:04] Indra laughed and replied,

[00:01:06] You are a little late for that. Damyanti's swamvar is over.

[00:01:11] In fact, we are coming from there only.

[00:01:13] Damyanti picked King Null over us for her life partner.

[00:01:18] Kalyug got angry hearing this and said,

[00:01:22] How could she insult Gods by choosing a man over them?

[00:01:26] We must teach them a lesson.

[00:01:28] Indra tried to calm Kalyug down and said,

[00:01:32] There was no insult met.

[00:01:34] She asked for our permission before choosing Null.

[00:01:37] We believe Null is the right match for her and bless their union.

[00:01:41] At the end of this conversation, they parted ways and went to their respective abodes.

[00:01:49] After Indra left, Kalyug told Dwapar,

[00:01:53] Oh brother, I am not convinced with Indra's argument.

[00:01:57] Null and Damyanti must be punished for their action.

[00:02:01] I will possess his body and prompt him for a game of dice.

[00:02:05] You fix the game by possessing the dice.

[00:02:08] Together we will ensure they lose everything and suffer.

[00:02:13] Dwapar agreed to this plan proposed by Kalyug and they both started living in the capital of Nishad.

[00:02:20] Kalyug waited for 12 years for Null to make a mistake and get a chance to possess his body.

[00:02:27] Finally, one day Kalyug got his opportunity when Null forgot to wash his hands and feet before evening prayer.

[00:02:36] At that moment, Kalyug possessed Null and decided to put his plan in action.

[00:02:43] Dwapar went to Null's cousin Pushkar and cursed him into challenging Null for a game of dice.

[00:02:50] He said, You deserve to rule over the kingdom of Nishad and I will help you in winning it.

[00:02:56] You challenge Null for a game of dice.

[00:02:59] I will possess the dice and make sure Null loses everything to you.

[00:03:05] Pushkar accepted this offer and challenged Null for a game of dice.

[00:03:10] Null refused initially.

[00:03:13] However, when Pushkar insisted, Null under the influence of Kalyug accepted his challenge.

[00:03:19] Because Null was possessed by Kalyug, he started betting recklessly and Rick Dice possessed by Dwapar ensured he lost all his bets.

[00:03:29] Null's advisors and ministers requested Damyanti to somehow convince Null to stop this game but Null didn't listen to anyone.

[00:03:38] The game between Null and Pushkar went on for many days and Null kept losing everything he owned one by one.

[00:03:46] When Damyanti could not convince Null into abandoning this unfortunate game, she asked her maid Vrihatsena to call their trusted charioteer Varshanaya.

[00:03:57] She told Varshanaya,

[00:04:00] Oh Varshanaya, you are very dear to your king.

[00:04:04] The truth is not hidden from you.

[00:04:07] We are in deep trouble now because of this unfortunate game.

[00:04:11] I want you to take our kids to their grandfather in Kundin Nagar and leave the kids and the horses in their care.

[00:04:20] Varshanaya followed the instructions of Damyanti and dropped the kids and the horses at Kundin Nagar in the care of their grandfather King Bhimak.

[00:04:31] After completing the task, he went to Ayodhya and became a charioteer to the king Ritu Pandeya.

[00:04:38] Here at Nishat, Null had lost everything he owned to Pushkar including his kingdom and all his worldly possessions.

[00:04:48] Pushkar laughed and said,

[00:04:51] Do you want to play more? Maybe this time you will be lucky. What have you left to bet though? I propose you bet your wife and play one more round.

[00:05:02] Null was really hurt hearing these words. His heart was aching.

[00:05:07] He got her from the game, took off his clothes and started walking away from the city in a single cloth on his body.

[00:05:14] Damyanti followed her husband. All the friends and well-wishers of Null felt very bad for him. However, they could not do anything about it.

[00:05:26] Pushkar who was now king of Nishat kingdom after winning it from Null in the game of dice made an announcement that anyone found helping Null will be punished by death.

[00:05:39] Due to fear, nobody came forward to help Null and Damyanti.

[00:05:44] They lived in the city for three days and eventually on the fourth day decided to leave the city and went into the jungle.

[00:05:52] They started living in the jungle eating whatever fruits and vegetables they could find.

[00:05:58] One day while bathing in a lake, Null spotted some beautiful golden birds.

[00:06:03] Their wings were made of literal gold. Null thought if he can catch one of these birds and sell her wings maybe he can get enough money to get by.

[00:06:14] When they approached the birds, they picked up the only cloth he possessed and flew away. The bird said,

[00:06:22] Oh Null, we are the dice from the game. When you left the game with one piece of cloth on your body, we felt bad that we could not relieve you of all your possessions.

[00:06:34] Now we have taken away that cloth also from you. Now we are happy.

[00:06:39] Null naked and ashamed of his condition went to Damyanti and told her everything. Damyanti felt very bad for Null and covered him from a part of her sari.

[00:06:51] Few more days passed and both Null and Damyanti kept roaming around in the jungle covering them with a single sari.

[00:06:59] One day they reached a spot where multiple paths were crossing. Null started telling Damyanti,

[00:07:05] Oh Beloved, see this path here goes to Avanti. This second path leads to southern kingdom via Rikswana mountain.

[00:07:16] This mountain in front of us is Vindhyachal which is home to many great riches and scholars.

[00:07:23] This is the way to Kaushal Kingdom and this other path leads to your father's kingdom, Vidarbha.

[00:07:29] Hearing Null talk about the path leading to her father's place, Damyanti started crying.

[00:07:37] With tears in her eyes she said,

[00:07:41] My Lord, what is it that is going on in your mind? Why are you talking like this?

[00:07:48] You lost your kingdom and your wealth. You do not even have any clothes on you.

[00:07:53] Do you think in such a situation I will leave you alone in this gaurd for a second jungle?

[00:07:59] I will stay with you and keep you company in this despair.

[00:08:04] In situations like these, the company of a beloved works like a medicine.

[00:08:09] Null held Damyanti with both his hands and said,

[00:08:14] Oh dear, what you say is completely true. Wife is the best friend for her husband.

[00:08:21] Wives company is the best medicine. Wife is the only true companion in sorrow.

[00:08:27] I do not want to leave you. What made you think so?

[00:08:32] Damyanti said,

[00:08:34] If you do not want to leave me, then why are you showing me the path to Vidarbha?

[00:08:40] I know that in your right mind, you should never want to leave me.

[00:08:45] However, right now you are troubled. Your mind is not thinking straight.

[00:08:51] If you really want me to go to my father, then so be it. We will go together.

[00:08:58] Null said,

[00:09:00] My love, your father is a king and he married his daughter to a king.

[00:09:07] I do not think it is appropriate for me to seek his help in the first sign of trouble.

[00:09:13] We must find a way out of this situation on our own.

[00:09:17] They decided to stick together and face the hardships thrown their way as a couple.

[00:09:24] Once such days tired and hungry, they took shelter in an inn.

[00:09:30] What happened next devastated Damyanti. We will find out in the third part of our story.