The love story of Nala and Damayanti is one of the famous episodes from Hinduism. When the Pandavas were in exile in Kamyaka forest, many rishis visited them to provide support. Rishi Brihadashva was one such visitor who cheered Yudhistira that hardships were faced by many kings and like them, he would also come out successful. 

The rishi then narrated the story of Nala and Damayanti, which also has the dice game as a catalyst for trouble. In the end, Rishi Brihadashva taught Yudhistira the secrets to playing and winning the game of dice so that he wouldn’t yet again end up disadvantaged. 

A long time ago, King Bhima of Vidharba was growing old without a child. No matter how many donations he gave or yagnas he conducted, he couldn’t have an offspring. One day, a Brahmin named Damana visited the king who treated him with the utmost respect and honor. Pleased, Damana gave a boon to Bhima and his wife that they would have the best daughter and three efficient sons as children. 

Soon, the couple had four children – Damayanti, Dama, Danta, and Damana. Damayanti was the most beautiful and loving girl in the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Nala was a Nishada king, the son of Virasena. He was a handsome man loved by his citizens for his goodness and kind nature. He was also a terrific cook and loved to prepare feasts. He was devoted, truthful, and a wholesome king in every way. 

One day, a flock of swans flew from Vidharba to the Nishada kingdom and were exploring the inner gardens of the palace when Nala caught one of them. The swans asked him not to harm them and in return, they would tell him about Damayanti and tell her about him. Thus, the swans acted as matchmakers and messengers between Nala and Damayanti. The duo fell in love even without meeting or seeing each other once. 

Nala and Damayanti Get Married 

King Bhima decided to organize a swayamwara for his daughter and invited all the kings of the earth. Narada and his nephew Parvata were traveling and carried this news to Indra who wondered why the kings were busy. Hearing Narada praise Damayanti’s beauty and qualities, the gods also decided to attend the swayamwara. 

Meanwhile, Nala was also on his way to the swayamwara. The gods saw him and thought he was a good man to send as a messenger. After paying his respects, Nala asked if there was anything he could do. The gods introduced themselves as Indra, Varuna, Yama, and Agni and asked him to take a message to Damayanti that she should choose one of them as her husband. Nala requested them to send someone else since he was attending the same event. They reminded him that he promised. Disappointed but unable to argue, Nala reached Vidharba and snuck into the palace without difficulty. He met Dayamati and informed her about the message from the gods after introducing himself. She said that she loved him and wouldn’t marry anyone else. Nala didn’t want to anger the gods but she said they could get married without causing any disturbance and asked him to attend the swayamwara as he planned. Nala returned to the gods and shared the same information with them. 

When the day of the swayamwara arrived, all the kings gathered at the sabha. Damayanti saw that the five men looked alike and the same as Nala. She guessed the gods had transformed themselves to look like Nala to test her. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t be sure. Damayanti bowed to the gods and said that she had only loved Nala and requested to help her if her love was pure. The gods accepted her request. Damayanti could see the shimmer of the gods’ real appearances and noticed that they were the only ones with a drop of sweat. The real Nala had sweat on his body like other humans in the sabha.

She walked to Nala and put the garland around his neck, indicating her choice of groom. The gods were happy to be a part of the celebrations and blessed Nala by giving him eight boons. Indra said Nala would see him at every yagna. Agni said he would appear whenever Nala called for him and gave him rich worlds. Yama gifted him the capacity to taste the essence of food and to always follow supreme dharma. Varuna gave Nala a fragrant garland and to appear whenever called. The gods then left the kingdom to return to heaven. Nala and Damayanti were married in a grand ceremony, and the couple went to the Nishada kingdom. 

However, when the gods were returning to heaven, they came across Kala who said that he was going to attend Damayanti’s swayamwara. The gods said that they were returning from the same and she had chosen Nala as her husband. Unlike the gods, Kala was not pleased with the news. He was angry that she chose a mortal over the gods. Kala then decided to spy on Nala. He wanted to ruin Nala but didn’t get a chance for twelve years. Nala had no weaknesses nor did he do anything wrong. Nala and Damayanti had a loving marriage and two children (twins). 

The Game of Dice 

After twelve years, Kala got his chance. Nala forgot to wash his feet after relieving his bladder. In the evening, he rushed to perform the evening prayers. Kala quickly entered Nala’s body and took possession. Kala went to Pushkara, Nala’s brother, and advised him to play a game of dice with Nala. With Kala’s help, Pushkara could win the kingdom from his brother and get all the riches. A greedy Pushkara agreed immediately and sent an invitation to Nala.

Nala went. However, with Kala in his body, he lost his wealth, riches, kingdom, and everything. A messenger rushed to Damayanti to update her about the developments. She sent a message to Nala about an emergency but possessed by Kala, he didn’t respond. Afraid for her children, Damayanti quickly sent for Varshneya, their trusted charioteer. She packed her children and sent them to her parents in Vidharba to ensure their safety. 

The dice game continued. Pushkara said Nala lost everything but he could stake Damayanti. This angered Nala. He removed his garments and jewelry and wrapped a small cloth around him. Nala walked out of the palace with Damayanti following behind attired in a single saree. 

Before the citizens could react, Pushkara announced that he was their king and anyone who tried to help Nala would be killed. Nala and Damayanti went to the nearby forest and spent three days there. A hungry Nala saw birds in the forest and decided to catch them for food. He threw his garment on them but the birds flew away with it, leaving him naked. The birds taunted him that they were the dice and came to take away the garment. 

Lamenting his state, Nala asked Damayanti to go to her parents while he found a way to overcome the troubles. However, she refused to leave him and said they would face the hardships together. Nala didn’t want to see his wife suffer in the forest. He reasoned that she would go to Vidharba if he left her. Tearing a piece of her saree, he wrapped it around him and walked away in the middle of the night. Thus began the painful parting of Nala and Damayanti.

Nala and Damayanti Go in Different Directions

The next morning, Damayanti was distraught and heartbroken to not find Nala anywhere. She realized he left her since she refused to leave him. However, Damayanti didn’t want to return to her parents. Instead, she decided to try and follow Nala or at least find him. Alas! The couple was not meant to meet for a long time. Damayanti went in a different direction. 

Damayanti was first captured by a large boa constrictor that wanted to eat her. As she called Nala for help, a hunter appeared on the scene. Though he saved her, Damayanti noticed the hunter lusting after her. She was furious and prayed that the hunter would fall dead. Seeing the hunter collapse, Damayanti resumed her search and walked through the forest. She was tired after many days of walking. Resting on a slab of stone, she cried her heart out and went northwards. After walking for another three days, Damayanti saw a beautiful garden and some rishis. It was an ashram. She greeted the rishis and shared her sad story with them. 

The rishis assured her that she would unite with her husband and they would regain their lost kingdom. They asked her to be brave and disappeared. Not knowing what to do, Damayanti resumed her walk. She soon arrived at a land with many trees, streams of lakes, mountain ranges, etc. She noticed a caravan and an assorted group of travelers. Seeing her, the people asked if she was the goddess of the forest, a yaksha, or an apsara and asked for her protection. 

Damayanti replied that she was neither and was a sad woman searching for her unfortunate husband. She found out that the caravan belonged to King Subahu of Cedi and would soon resume its travel. She decided to go with them, hoping to find Nala somewhere. They traveled for a while and stopped to rest near a water source. A disaster occurred here as the elephants went on a rampage and trampled everyone. The traveling party blamed Damayanti for their misfortune. She left them and walked at random to reach the kingdom of Cedi. She was dirty, pale, weak, and wearing just half a saree that covered her body.

Damayanti in Cedi Kingdom

Damayanti walked to the palace to ask for help. The king’s mother spied her from the terrace. She immediately noticed that Damayanti was of a high upbringing and suffered some misfortune. 

Damayanti replied that she was following the same vow as her husband and was hence a sairandhri, a maid. She said her husband lost everything in a game of dice and they have been separated. The king’s mother asked Damayanti to stay with her in the palace. Damayanti agreed but set three rules – she wouldn’t eat leftover food, she wouldn’t wash others’ feet, and she wouldn’t talk to other men. If any man behaves misappropriately, he would have to be punished. The king’s mother agreed immediately and told her daughter Sunanda to treat her new maid properly and spend a happy time with her. Damyanti finally had a place to stay where she was safe. 

Nala’s Trials and Difficulties

Meanwhile, Nala had his share of adventures after leaving Damayanti alone in the forest. He walked deep into the woods and saw high flames. Hearing cries of anguish that seemed to be calling him for help, Nala rushed to the spot. The voice urged him to enter the center of the fire, which he did. There, he saw the king of snakes coiled and lying on the ground. The snake said it was Karkotaka, cursed by a rishi to burn in the fire. Nala could free it from the curse, and in return, the snake would help him. The snake shrunk to the size of a thumb. Nala picked it up and brought it out of the flames. 

The snake said it would ensure Nala’s welfare and bit him. Nala instantly transformed into an ugly man with a hunched back. The snake took Nala’s form and informed him that his new avatar would protect him. Also, its venom would hurt the Kala inside him who was responsible for all his troubles. Additionally, no other snake or similar creature will ever harm him. Karkotata advised Nala to take the name of Bahuka and become a charioteer. It said he should go to King Rituparna’s kingdom (Ayodhya), impress the king with his knowledge of horses, and become his personal charioteer. The king was renowned for his proficiency in math and dice games. At the right time, Nala should exchange his knowledge with the king. The snake also gave him a few clothes to cover his body. 

Nala thanked the snake and went towards Ayodhya. He sought an audience with King Rituparna and said that there was no one equal to him in horsemanship, artisanship, and cooking, and the king could use all his talents in exchange for a livelihood. The king hired Bahuka (Nala) immediately and assigned two men, Varshneya and Jivala, as his assistants. Nala spent the next few months in Ayodhya. While he was great at his job, he couldn’t stop thinking about Damayanti and was always sad. One day, the king asked for the reason, and Nala explained that he was separated from the woman he loved and considered himself evil for abandoning her. 

Damayanti’s Message for Nala 

Meanwhile, King Bhima sent search parties with Brahmins to different kingdoms to find his daughter and son-in-law. His grandchildren were safe in his kingdom, but he wanted to ensure the safety of his daughter. A Brahmin named Sudeva finally reached Cedi and spied Damayanti in the palace. He went to meet her and said he was her brother’s friend and her family was worried about her. 

Damayanti recognized Sudeva and inquired about her people and her children (twins – a son and a daughter). She was so overwhelmed that she cried loudly. Sunanda saw this and informed her mother. The king’s mother stepped out to meet Sudeva. He told her everything. 

Sunanda immediately ordered water and washed Damayanti’s face to reveal the birthmark between her eyebrows. She and her mother also wept. The king’s mother said that Damayanti was her sister’s daughter. They were the daughter of King Sudamna of Dasharna. She said that she saw Damayanti as a newborn. The king’s mother asked her to stay and live like a princess. 

Damayanti thanked her for her kindness and said she was well-treated despite being a maid and would go back to Vidharba to see her children. The king’s mother arranged for chariots and gifted Damayanti clothes and jewelry. Sudeva accompanied her. In Vidharba, Damayanti was lovingly welcomed and taken care of by her parents and brothers. She reunited with her children. However, none of them still had any information about Nala, so the king ordered the search to continue. Damayanti asked the Brahmins to include a message from her when they searched for Nala. She said that anyone who responded to this would be her husband. 

Her message was something like this –

“O gambler! O loved one! The one who sliced off half my garment! Where are you? You abandoned your beloved wife and she is still awaiting you, clad only in half a garment. She is tormented by grief and repeatedly weeps because of that sorrow. O brave one! Reply to her words. The husband is bound to protect his wife. You are learned in dharma. Why do you ignore these duties? You are wise and kind, born to a noble lineage. But I fear that you have now become cruel. O great archer! Show compassion towards me. You have often said compassion is the supreme dharma.”

(Note: Excerpt taken and edited from The Mahabharata translated by Bibey Debroy)

The Brahmins did as asked. They went to every city, every village, and said the words aloud. However, no one replied. After many weeks, they reached Ayodhya. Here, a deformed charioteer named Bahuka (Nala) heard the words and spoke to a Brahmin named Parnada. He inquired about their welfare and replied that women shouldn’t be angry with their husbands. Hearing this, Parnada returned to Vidharba to inform Damayanti. She thanked him and gave him many gifts, saying she would give even more once she united with her husband. 

Then, Damayanti went to her mother and told her that she would ask for Sudeva’s help to bring Nala to Vidharba but that her father shouldn’t know about her plan. Her mother agreed. Damayanti asked Sudeva to go to Ayodhya and inform the king that her father was organizing another swayamwara for her to choose her second husband since no one knew if Nala was even alive and that this event would take place the next day. 

The Second Swayamwara 

Sudeva rushed to Ayodhya and announced in the court. King Rituparna decided to attend the swayamwara. However, the distance between the kingdoms was almost impossible to cover in a single day. He asked Bahuka if he could make it happen. Bahuka (Nala) was heartbroken when he heard the news. He wondered if his wife had truly forgotten his love and decided the best way to find out the truth was to go to Vidharba and see things for himself. He assured the king they could reach the kingdom in a day and selected the best horses for the ride. He also made Varshneya the second charioteer. 

Yoking four horses to the chariot, they set out from Ayodhya to Vidharba. Seeing Bahuka handle the horses, Varshneya was amazed at his skill. He wondered if Bahuka was Matali or Salihotra in disguise or if it was King Nala who was known for his horsemanship. The old charioteer considered that Bahuka must have learned from Nala. But then, he wasn’t sure as his heart said Bahuka was Nala. After all, Varshneya was Nala’s charioteer before he lost the kingdom. 

King Rituparna was also impressed by his charioteer’s skills and hoped to reach the swayamwara in time. They sped through the mountains, rivers, fields, etc. as if the chariot was flying in the air. At one point, the king’s upper garment fell to the ground. The king asked Bahuka to slow down the horses to retrieve the cloth. Bahuka replied that they had already traveled a yojana distance and it would take too much time to go back and bring it. 

Kala Leaves Nala’s Body

Soon, they entered a forest and the king got distracted by a vibhitika (baheda) tree laden with fruit. The king said that he knew exactly how many fruits were on the tree. He confidently said the number of leaves and fruits on the tree was a hundred and one (101) more than the ones that fell on the ground. There was one more leaf and a hundred more fruits. Additionally, two branches had five crores of leaves. The fruits on it would be two thousand and ninety-five. 

Hearing this, Bahuka stopped the chariot and got down saying he would count to confirm. The king replied that they didn’t have the time to delay and would give him anything he asked for if he took them to Vidharba by sunrise. Bahuka was determined to count, so the king told him to get it done quickly. Once he finished counting, Nala (Bahuka) praised the king and asked him to teach the skills. King Rituparna wanted to rush to his destination. Nala made a deal with him. He would give the king his knowledge of horses in return for the knowledge about math and dice games. 

The king accepted the deal. Kala left Nala’s body. He was throwing up, sick from Karkotaka’s venom in him. Nala felt his weakness reduce. Kala took his original form to avoid being poisoned. Nala was angry and wanted to curse Kala. However, Kala asked him to control his anger. He said that Damayanti had already cursed him when Nala left her and the snake’s venom made his presence painful. Kala said that anyone who read Nala’s story would face no danger from him (Kala). He then quickly entered the vibhitika tree, which ended up with a bad reputation due to Kala’s presence in it. 

Though Nala was freed of the fever in the form of Kala, he still had a deformed body instead of his original. They rode hard to reach Vidharba by evening. King Rituparna entered the capital city of Kundina, and the news reached King Bhima. 

The sound of the chariot echoed throughout. Damayanti heard it too and knew it was Nala since his chariot made similar sounds when he drove. She rushed out of the palace to see the king and his two charioteers descend. Rituparna was greeted by Bhima who had no idea why the king of Ayodhya arrived without intimation. 

Rituparna also noticed there were no decorations or indication that a swayamwara would take place the next day. So, he simply said he visited to pay his respects to the old king. Bhima welcomed him warmly, though he wasn’t sure of the reason. 

Nala in Damayanti’s Paternal Kingdom

Bahuka (Nala) took the horses to the stables in the city. Damayanti didn’t know what to do when she didn’t spot Nala. For a while, she wondered if Varshneya rode the chariot. She decided to investigate further and sent her maid to the stables. Keshini, the maid went as ordered by her princess. She spoke to Bahuka and inquired about his health and other details. Damayanti had said she thought this deformed man was Nala. It was the maid’s job to find out. 

Nala replied that they rode throughout the day when they got the news of Damayanti’s second swayamwara and said he was the king’s charioteer. Keshini asked about the third person. Nala replied it was Varshneya who was King Nala’s charioteer working for King Rituparna. He said no one except Nala knew where he was and that he was in a different form. He added that he never revealed his identity in any way. 

Keshini then asked him to repeat the words he said to the Brahmin (Sudeva) and that Damayanti had been yearning to listen to it again. Nala sighed and repeated his statements. He started to cry. Keshini left him crying and went to her mistress to share the information. Damayanti was sure Bahuka was Nala and told Keshini to observe him closely. Keshini was to spend maximum time around him and make note of everything. After a few hours, the maid returned to the palace to inform Damayanti that Bahuka was no ordinary man. When the entrance was low, he didn’t bend. Instead, the entrance stretched for him to walk through. The vessels were filled with water when he looked at them. A bunch of grass lit up in flames when he wanted fire to cook. 

Damayanti sent Keshini to steal some meat cooked by Nala. She tasted it and was even more confident that the deformed man was her husband. Then, she sent her children with Keshini. Nala saw them and rushed to hug his children who recognized him. He held them in his lap and cried. However, seeing Keshini, he handed over the twins to her and said that his children were the same age, and he missed them. He also asked her to leave since it was not appropriate for her to spend so much time around a stranger. 

Damayanti went to her mother and updated her about the developments. She asked to help her meet Bahuka or let him meet her with or without her father’s knowledge. The queen went to King Bhima and told him everything. He understood why King Rituparna rushed to Vidharba. Bhima agreed to let Bahuka into his daughter’s quarters so they could meet in private. 

Nala and Damayanti Reunite

Dayamati was in a red saree, with a dirt-streaked face and matted hair. She sobbed and asked if he ever knew a man who abandoned his wife in a forest. She said that she chose him over the gods and loved him so much but he left her. 

Nala replied that it was Kala who made him abandon his wife. However, Kala had finally left his body. He added that he came to Vidharba only for Damayanti and asked how she could agree to marry another man.

Damayanti responded that she wasn’t planning to marry anyone nor was there any swayamwara for her. She explained it was a ruse to make him come to her since he hadn’t revealed his true identity even when the Brahmins went searching for him. Vayu Deva spoke from the sky to stand by Damayanti’s truthfulness and ordered Nala to get back with his wife. He blessed the couple. Nala transformed into his original radiant form. Damayanti cried and hugged her husband. 

Later, the king and queen of Vidharba met the couple and were relieved to see them united. Bhima asked Nala to rest that night so they could discuss everything the next day. 

The couple cleaned up well and rested that day. The next morning, dressed in finery, they paid respects to Bhima. The news spread in the city, and the citizens were delighted to see Nala again. Even King Rituparna was happy with the news. He congratulated Nala and asked for his forgiveness in case his stay in the kingdom caused any discomfort. Nala replied there was nothing to forgive as Rituparna took good care of his employees. They exchanged their knowledge about horses and dice games. Rituparna hired another charioteer and returned to Ayodhya. 

Nala and Dayamanti stayed back in Vidharba for a month. Then, with Bhima’s permission, he went to his kingdom to win it back. Nala invited his brother, Pushkara, to a single game of dice staking Damayanti for the kingdom. Pushkara agreed immediately, hoping to win the beautiful woman. However, Kala was no longer around to cause trouble. Nala won the dice game and got back his kingdom. 

Nala told his brother that it was Kala who decided the fate of the previous game. However, greed made Pushkara evil. Nala said Pushkara wouldn’t ever be able to see Damayanti. Nevertheless, he didn’t want to act like Pushkara. Nala gave his brother half the kingdom to rule and warned him not to lust after others’ belongings or people. Pushkara apologized and thanked Nala before leaving the kingdom. 

King Nala of Nishada reclaimed the throne. The kingdom hosted a grand celebration. He went and brought his wife and their children to Nishada. Nala and Damayanti happily ruled the kingdom for a long, long time.