Faith!

Puskara completed winning Nala’s kingdom, along with all his possessions. Accomplishing this, wicked Puskara laughingly said: Let the play continue. O Nala, what more have you got to wager? I think only thing remaining with you is beautiful Damyanti, for all else has been won by me. Now if you so desire, you can bet your wife as we roll the dice one last time

 

Hearing these cruel words from his brother, Nala felt as though his heart would burst due to anger. He restrained himself & didn’t utter a single word in retaliation. Nala took off his royal garments & remaining dressed in a single piece of cloth, he left gambling arena as all his friends, relatives & admirers looked grief stricken. Damyanti wearing a single piece of cloth, followed her husband & they left the city in which they resided in royal luxury

 

They remained on the outskirts of the Nisāda capital for 3 days & nights. Puskara had made proclamation that any person who shows even the slightest attention to Nala & his wife will be immediately condemned to death. Because of this none of the citizens dared approach their former ruler. After sustaining their lives only by drinking water, Nala became very hungry & left the place to search for some roots & fruits, followed by his wife

 

Wandering about for many days, being on the verge of starvation, Nala spotted some unusual birds with golden feathers. Thinking that these’ll serve as my feast today, Nala deftly covered the birds with a cloth. But the birds unexpectedly rose up into the sky taking with them Nala’s last possession

 

Seeing Nala naked & grief stricken, head bowed in shame, the birds said-O foolish one, we’re the dice with which you played & lost your entire kingdom. We came here to take away your cloth as we were unhappy that you left the gambling arena with something in your possession

 

Unfortunate Nala told his wife: O faultless one! They who have deprived me of my kingdom & have now taken everything from me. I’ve become greatly disturbed & practically deprived of my senses. Since I’m your lord, please hear what I say for your welfare. Here is the road leading south & passing by the city of Avānti. The other road leads to Vidarbha Kingdom & that one goes to Kosalās

 

Damyanti with tearful eyes said-O king! When I think of your intention, my heart trembles. How can I go away leaving you here in such a state? As you stay here, famished & weary, if you think about your former opulence, your heart will certainly break. In such times, I shall be able to comfort you, for in times of distress a man can find no better shelter than his faithful wife

 

Nala said- What you said is true. I don’t want to denounce you. I would give up my life but can’t forsake you. Damyanti said-then why are you pointing out the road that leads to my parent’s home at Kundina? If we need to go, we go together. Nala said-He can’t go to Kundina in present miserable condition as formerly he had gone in a very splendorous manner. Damyanti then shared the cloth with Nala to cover him & they wandered together aimlessly hungry & tired

 

When bad time comes, we may agonize over many things that may have gone wrong, the many people who’ve dealt unfairly with us & many stupid acts we ourselves have done. But we should remain faithful to people, to cause & the relationships thro’ thick & thin. Our mind feels fearful for the future & can cower us down as victims, leading us to take a shortcut out of the situation. Let us overcome fear & instability by faith

 

We need to believe that Supreme Lord is always in control & our greatest well-wisher. Bolstered by spiritual knowledge & faith, we can rectify the situation & pave way for future possibilities

 

Thoughts? #gameoflife