Damayanti said:-
1. O keshini, go and know who this charioteer is, sitting upon a seat of the chariot, deformed and with short arms.
2. o good and blamless one, approaching him and becoming calm, ask him his welfare in gentle tone and inquire everyting about this person.
3. I entertain a great doubt that person may be Nala himself; for my mind feels greatly satisfied and the heart has become greatly easy.
4. O one having beautiful hips, O blameless one, after you have finished your inquiry, you tell him the words of पर्णाद and understand his reply to them.
बृहदश्व said :-
5. Thereupon the female messenger cooly approached Bahuka and spoke to him; the blessed दमयन्ती also was looking on from her palace. s
6. “ O the best of men, O excellent person, welcome to you; I wish you your welfare; listen to the words of दमयन्ती well.
7. When did you start? why did you come here? Tell me the truth; for the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas wishes to hear all this."
Bahuka said :-
8. The high-souled king of the Koshala had learnt from a Brhamana that there would be a second Swayamvara ceremony of दमयन्ती.
9. Having heard this, the monarch and I myself ad his charioteer started with excellent horses, as swift as the wind itself, capable of running at a speed of hundred yojanas.
Keshini said :-
10. Whence is that third one amongst you? Whose is he? Whose are you? How was this work performed by you?
Bahuka said :-
11. He is the charioteer of Nala of holy fame, known as वार्ष्णेय; O good lady, when Nala fled away, he approached भाङगासुरि.
12. I am also skilled in managing horses and was appointed as a charioteer; the king ऋतुपर्ण himself appointed me as his charioteer and cook.
Keshini said :-
13. O Bhahuka, does वार्ष्णेय know where the king Nala has gone? He may have also told you about him.
Bahuka said :-
14. Having kept the ( two) children of the unfortunate Nala here, he went to wherever he liked. He, therefore, does not know where the king of the Nishadhas is.
15. O glorious one, no other person knows where Nala is; for the king wanders about in the world unknown and with an ugly appearance.
16. Nala himself and one who is his second self only know Nala: Nala never shows his own signs anywhere.
Keshini said :-
17. The Brahamanas, who had first gone to the city of Ayodhya, uttered repeatedly these words of a woman.
18. O you rogue, O beloved one, having torn off half of my cloth, where have you gone away, leaving your dear and devoted wife, who was asleep, in the forest?
19. As ordered by you, that lady, being burnt with grief and covered with half the piece of cloth, is expecting you.
20. O king, O warrior, give her an answer and show favour to her who is weeping continuously on account of sorrow.
21. Having heard these words, you formerly gave an answer to that Brahamna; the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas wishers to hear those words again from you.
बृहदश्व said :-
22. O descendant of the Kuru race, the heart of Nala, who was thus spoken by Keshini, became filled with grief and his eyes were filled with terars.
23. Having suppressed his grief, the lord of the earth, burning with sorrow, uttered these words again in a voice choked with tears.
24. “ Although fallen in a great calamity, virtuous women protect themselves by their own efforts; and undoubtedly they obtain heaven."
25. Such virtuous women, even if separated from their husbands. never become engry; they hold their lives shielded by virtuous behaviour.
26. She should not be angry, even though forsaken by a person, who is foolish, overcome by calamity and deprived of happiness.
27. That lady of unchanging youth should not be angry with a person, who was deprived of his garment by the birds while trying to obtain his maintenance and who is burning with anxiety.
28. O Bharata, while speaking these words, Nala, afflicted with great sorrow, could not check flow of tears and began to weep.
29. Then Keshini went and told everthing to दमयन्ती; she told दमयन्ती what he said to her and also the change of his feeling.