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Nala, being addicted to play, had lost his kingdom, and had entered a great forest with Davadanti; but it was not known whether he was alive anywhere or dead. When Pushpadantí heard that, she wept, deluging her heart with a copious flood of tears. Then King Bhímaratha sent off a young Bráhman, named Harimitra, who was clever in his lord's affairs, to look for them. As he was wandering about, he came, in course of time, to Achalapura, and went to see King Rituparna. Chandrayaças asked him : 'Is my sister Pushpadantí well ?' The Bráhman said: 'Pushpadantí continues in good health, but she is grievously afflicted in her mind at hearing that Nala and Davadantí have lost their throne.' Chandrayaças said : ‘Bráhman, why do you talk like this ?' Then the Bráhman Harimitra told the whole story of Nala and Davadantí from the , beginning. When Chandrayaças heard it, she wept very copiously. When they saw her weeping, all the courtiers wept also. When the Bráhman saw that every one was full of grief, being afflicted with hunger, he went to the almshouse, and entered to get something to eat; there he saw Davadantí superintending the distribution of alms and he was delighted. He rose up and bowed before Davadanti, and said: 'Queen, what is this miserable condition that has befallen you ? It is a happy thing that I have seen you yet alive.' Then he forgot the pangs of hunger, and went to Chandrayaças, and said to her:
Queen, you are fortunate; Davadanti is in your almshouse.' When Queen Chandrayaças heard that, she came there, and, seeing Davadantí, folded her in a close embrace. Chandrayaças said : Shame on me! shame on me! for not recognising you in this condition ! But, my dear child, how could you deceive me by disguising yourself? Alas! did you leave Nala, or did Nala leave you? If you could bring yourself to leave your husband, even when he had fallen into evil courses, then surely the sun must rise in the west. Alas! Nala, are you not ashamed of abandoning this treasury of virtues ? Why, Nala, did you show this want of discernment ? My darling, I sympathize with
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