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forest-trees with streams of tears, not being able to find rest without Nala anywhere, either on land or on water, at last she saw the letters on the border of her robe, and she began to read them with expanding countenance. She said:
Truly I am deserted by my beloved, but only in body, not in mind; otherwise, how could I have been favoured with instructions ? So if I fulfil the command of my husband as that of a spiritual superior, the world here will be pure for me. So, I will go to the house of my father; as for the house of my husband, such an abode, in the absence of a husband, is a place of reproach for women.' Having thus determined, she went by the path to the right of the banyantree, looking at Nala's characters, as if they were Nala himself at her side. Owing to the might of her spotless chastity, no harmful things had power to molest her. The lion, which, through wrath, had its spring prepared, displaying its crooked teeth, was not able to attack Davadanti. Even the herd of elephants that deafened the whole horizon with the bees that followed their scent, that had their trunks extended like poles, though angry, fled far away, owing to the might of Davadantí's chastity. The forest fire, that with the blowing of its smoke defiled the whole horizon, and with its vast size touched the heaven, did not come near her or scorch her, but went away to a distance. The serpents, extending their broad hoods, and discharging, with hissing sound, jets of poison, disturbed with increasing anger, were not able to strike her. Then Davadantí, when her limbs were exhausted with perspiration produced by the fatigue of the journey, when blood was streaming from the soles of her feet pierced with thorns, when her body was defiled with dust, saw a caravan approaching. She thought: 'Heavens! it must be owing to the development of my merit that I have beheld this blessed caravan, which will be the means of taking me out of this forest.' At the very moment that she felt a little consoled, a number of bandits, terrible with various weapons, enclosed the caravan on all sides. The travellers were terrified; Davadantí cried out: 'Do not be afraid! do not be afraid!" Then she addressed
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