In the evening Rituparna arrived in Vidharbha. Arrangements were made for him to stay. Damayanti heard the chariot pulling in and was convinced that Vahuka was Nala. In the meanwhile, when Rituparna ment the king and when asked for the erason of his visit, he was about to say that he had come for the swayamvara, but he saw there were no arrangements. So he said he had come to pay his respects. Hearing this, the king Bhima was taken aback. He asked Rituparna to take rest.
Vahuka took the horses to the stables. Damayanti was not seeing Nala anywhere, so she asked a maid to go and find out who was this Vahuka.
Vahuka said he was the charioteer of Rituparna and his master had come to attend a swayamvara. he said he used to be the chasrioteer of Nala, and after Nala had gone to the forest, he had joined Rituparna.
The maid asked Vahuka if he knew where Nala was. She repeated what the brahmana had said in Rituparna's court and wanted to hear Vahuka's reply. Vahuka repeated what he had said there.
The maid came and repeated what she had heard from Vahuka, to Damayanti.
Damayanti asked the maid to then describe Vahuka to her.
The maid said, Vahuka had been sent a pot with meat and spices and he cooked that without lighting a fire. All he did was, look at the wood, and it burst into flames.
Damayanti then asked the maid to get some food cooked by Vahuka for her.
Tasting that, Damayanti was convinced that this was Nala. She sent the maid again, this time with her children. The moment, Vahuka saw the children, he hugged them with tears in his eyes. Then realizing what he had done, Vahuka said he had children at home, and seeing these two children, he was reminded of his own, which is why he had hugged them.
When Damayanti heard this, she said she wanted to meet this person.
Vahuka took the horses to the stables. Damayanti was not seeing Nala anywhere, so she asked a maid to go and find out who was this Vahuka.
Vahuka said he was the charioteer of Rituparna and his master had come to attend a swayamvara. he said he used to be the chasrioteer of Nala, and after Nala had gone to the forest, he had joined Rituparna.
The maid asked Vahuka if he knew where Nala was. She repeated what the brahmana had said in Rituparna's court and wanted to hear Vahuka's reply. Vahuka repeated what he had said there.
The maid came and repeated what she had heard from Vahuka, to Damayanti.
Damayanti asked the maid to then describe Vahuka to her.
The maid said, Vahuka had been sent a pot with meat and spices and he cooked that without lighting a fire. All he did was, look at the wood, and it burst into flames.
Damayanti then asked the maid to get some food cooked by Vahuka for her.
Tasting that, Damayanti was convinced that this was Nala. She sent the maid again, this time with her children. The moment, Vahuka saw the children, he hugged them with tears in his eyes. Then realizing what he had done, Vahuka said he had children at home, and seeing these two children, he was reminded of his own, which is why he had hugged them.
When Damayanti heard this, she said she wanted to meet this person.
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