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me here to look at you. When I saw you, I said to myself : “There is a vast difference between an exceedingly ugly hunchback and Nala, who was handsome in all his limbs and lineaments. Who would compare the crane, that destroys the families of fish, with the moon that delights men ?” When I was coming near this place where you are, I met with a multitude of favourable omens, but they have proved fruitless, since you are not Nala.' Then the hunchback, being overpowered with affection for Davadanti, took the Bráhman to his house : for
Even a crow, coming from the place where a beloved person lives, Produces pleasure, much more & man sent by the beloved. The hunchback said: 'How can I welcome you, Bráhman, by way of showing my gratitude for making me hear a song about the chaste Davadanti and the great hero Nala ? When he said this, he made preparations for giving him food and other refreshments. Then he gave to the Bráhman all the ornaments that Dadhiparna had given him. Then Kuçala reached the city of Kundina in safety. He told King Bhímaratha the whole story of the hunchback, beginning with his taming of the mad elephant, Davadanti said: 'Father, surely that must be Nala himself, and he must have become deformed owing to some bad food or some evil action in a previous state of existence, for such cleverness in managing elephants, and skill in preparing food by means of the sun, and such a magnificent gift-all these are characteristic of no person except Nala. So bring that hunchback here by means of some device, that I may test him myself.' King Bhímaratha said : “My dear child, if the hunchback comes quickly on hearing of a pretended svayamvara, we may be sure that he is Nala. Then he will be discovered by his driving rapidly the chariot and horses. I will name a near day. If the hunchback comes to the svayamvara quickly, no doubt he is Nala. Even an ordinary man would not endure the disgrace of his wife, much less Nala, that king of men.' Then Bhímaratha sent a messenger to Dadhiparņa. He announced the svayamvara of Davadantí on the fifth day of the white fortnight of Chaitra.
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