Nala – King of Nishadas

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Character	Relation	Notable Qualities
Nala	King of Nishadas, son of Virasena	Handsome, skilled in horsemanship, virtuous
Damayanti	Princess of Vidarbha	Known for her divine beauty and unwavering devotion to Nala

The Swayamvara of Damayanti and the Test of Divine Fidelity

When the Swayamvara (self-choice ceremony) of Damayanti was held, many suitors gathered to win her hand, including the celestial gods Indra, Agni, Varuna – The Waters, and Yama. These gods, each powerful and illustrious, desired Damayanti and traveled to Vidarbha, intending to marry her. When they learned of Damayanti’s unwavering love for Nala, they decided to test her fidelity. Each of the gods assumed the form of Nala and entered the ceremonial hall, making it impossible for Damayanti to distinguish the real Nala from the gods.

In her devotion and desperation, Damayanti prayed to the gods to reveal their true forms. Moved by her devotion and faithfulness, the gods relinquished their claim on her and blessed the couple, allowing Damayanti to choose Nala as her husband. This divine test not only underscored Damayanti’s unwavering love but also highlighted the gods’ respect for human devotion and the sanctity of true love.

God	Role in Swayamvara	Outcome
Indra	Desired to marry Damayanti	Tested her devotion to Nala
Agni	Another suitor	Assumed Nala’s form
Varuna	Suitor for Damayanti	Blessed her choice of Nala
Yama	God of Death, desired Damayanti	Ultimately respected her decision

Kali’s Curse and Nala’s Downfall

However, not all the gods were benevolent in their reaction to Damayanti’s choice. Kali, the deity of the fourth (and malevolent) era, felt slighted and sought revenge. He resolved to ruin Nala, but was unable to harm him as long as the king adhered to the path of virtue. Over time, Nala and Damayanti had twin children: a boy named Indrasena and a girl, also named Indrasena.

One day, when Nala went to perform his evening prayers without properly purifying himself, Kali saw his opportunity and entered Nala’s body, corrupting his mind. Under Kali’s malevolent influence, Nala developed a compulsion for gambling, a vice that led him to lose his entire kingdom to his cousin Pushkara. Pushkara, taking advantage of Nala’s misfortune, banished him and Damayanti to the forest, allowing them only a single piece of cloth each. Meanwhile, Damayanti sent their children to her father’s kingdom for safety. In the forest, still under the influence of Kali, Nala abandoned Damayanti, leaving her alone to face the hardships of the wilderness.

Character	Role in Nala’s Downfall	Impact
Kali	Entered Nala’s body, causing his gambling addiction	Led to Nala’s loss of his kingdom
Pushkara	Nala’s cousin who won the kingdom through gambling	Exiled Nala and Damayanti to the forest

Damayanti’s Trials and Nala’s Transformation

Alone in the forest, Damayanti underwent many hardships before she found asylum in the court of the Princess of Chedi, where she took on the role of a handmaiden, concealing her true identity. Meanwhile, Nala continued his wanderings until he encountered Karkotaka, a Naga (serpent) who had been cursed by sage Narada to suffer in a fire. When Nala rescued the serpent from the flames, Karkotaka repaid his kindness by biting him. However, the venom did not harm Nala but instead afflicted Kali, who had been residing in Nala’s body, forcing him to depart. As a result, Nala was freed from Kali’s influence but was transformed into an ugly dwarf, making it easier for him to move about unnoticed.

In his new guise as Vahuka, Nala sought employment with King Rituparna of Ayodhya, known for his expertise in dice. While serving as Rituparna’s charioteer, Nala bided his time, learning the secrets of dice from the king in exchange for sharing his own profound knowledge of horses.

Character	Role	Outcome
Damayanti	Endured trials in the forest	Became a handmaiden, concealing her identity
Karkotaka	Naga whom Nala saved	Freed Nala from Kali’s influence, transformed him into Vahuka
Rituparna	King of Ayodhya, skilled in dice	Nala learned dice skills from him, gaining a way to reclaim his kingdom

Damayanti’s Plan and the Reunion of Nala and Damayanti

Meanwhile, Damayanti’s father, King Bhima of Vidarbha, sent out messengers in search of his daughter and son-in-law. Eventually, Damayanti was discovered in the kingdom of Chedi and brought home. To find Nala, Damayanti devised a clever plan: she announced a second Swayamvara, hoping to draw Nala back to her. When the news reached Ayodhya, King Rituparna, along with his charioteer Vahuka (Nala), set out for Vidarbha to attend the ceremony. Along the journey, Rituparna taught Nala the art of playing dice skillfully, while Nala shared his knowledge of horses. This exchange proved pivotal, as it expelled the last remnants of Kali’s influence from Nala’s body.

Upon reaching Vidarbha, Nala did not immediately reveal himself, as he believed that Damayanti had moved on from him. However, with the help of her trusted servant Keshini, Damayanti discovered that Vahuka was, in fact, her husband Nala. The two were finally reunited, and their love and devotion to each other remained undiminished despite the trials they had endured.

Character	Role in Reunion	Contribution
Damayanti	Devised a second Swayamvara as a ruse	Drew Nala back to Vidarbha
Rituparna	Shared the art of dice with Nala	Freed Nala from Kali’s lingering influence
Keshini	Damayanti’s trusted servant	Helped identify Vahuka as Nala

Nala’s Victory Over Pushkara and the Restoration of His Kingdom

With his newfound skill in the art of dice, Nala returned to his kingdom and challenged Pushkara to a game. This time, Nala played with confidence and strategy, thanks to the knowledge he had acquired from Rituparna. Nala won back his kingdom from Pushkara, reclaiming his throne and restoring peace and prosperity to his people. In a gesture of forgiveness and magnanimity, Nala spared Pushkara’s life, embodying the ideals of mercy and compassion despite the hardships Pushkara had caused him.

Nala and Damayanti lived happily together, enjoying a life of mutual respect, love, and wisdom. Their trials and eventual reunion symbolize the power of true love and the resilience of dharma, as they overcame adversity with virtue and devotion. The story of Nala and Damayanti is a testament to the strength of love, the importance of steadfastness in the face of suffering, and the value of redemption and forgiveness.

Event	Outcome	Significance
Challenge to Pushkara	Nala wins back his kingdom	Restoration of justice and dharma
Forgiving Pushkara	Nala spares his cousin’s life	Symbolizes compassion and forgiveness
Reunion with Damayanti	Nala and Damayanti live happily together	Represents the triumph of love and resilience

Legacy of Nala and Damayanti’s Story

Their narrative teaches that true love can withstand trials, that righteousness and self-control lead to eventual victory, and that forgiveness is a virtue that restores peace. This is reflected in other stories from Hindu mythology, such as Bhishma’s unwavering commitment to dharma, even at great personal cost.

Their story has been narrated in the Mahabharata – The Great Epic and retold alongside divine figures like Vasudeva – The Father of Krishna, Krishna – An Incarnation of Vishnu’s father, whose devotion and moral strength shaped crucial moments in Krishna’s early life. It is also thematically echoed in tales such as Durga’s legendary feats, where divine strength is wielded in service of justice and righteousness.

Theme	Other Comparable Stories	Lesson
Love and Loyalty	Rama and Sita, Savitri and Satyavan – Husband of Savitri	True love endures adversity
Self-Transformation	Nala’s journey from king to Vahuka	Strength found in humility and self-discovery
Resilience and Forgiveness	Nala’s compassion towards Pushkara	The power of forgiveness and resilience in overcoming karma

Through the trials of Nala and Damayanti, Hindu mythology reveals the cyclical nature of human experiences, the inescapable influence of karma, and the strength that comes from enduring adversity with virtue. Their story continues to inspire and remind us that dharma and devotion ultimately lead to redemption and fulfillment.

Sources & further reading

These themes are explored in greater depth across the following authoritative resources:

• Britannica, Asura
• Britannica, Naga
• Mythopedia, Hindu Mythology
• Internet Sacred Text Archive, Mahabharata
• Wendy Doniger, Hindu Myths (Penguin Classics, 1975)

External resources for further reading. Apam Napat is not affiliated with these publishers; citation does not imply endorsement.