King Nisadh of Ayodhya had two sons Nala and Kuvara. Nala wanted to marry Damayanti, the beautiful daughter of king Bhima. Damayanti did not know him, so Nala sent his swan to her. The swan flew to Damayanti's palace and finding her alone in the garden, sang praises of Nala. Meanwhile, King Bhima arranged for her swayamvara, where many princes gathered from whom Damayanti could chose her husband. Damayanti chose Nala and they got married.
When
King Nishadh died, Nala became king. He conquered many other kingdoms and
became famous. This made his brother Kuvara jealous. He knew gambling was
Nala's weakness. Kuvara challenged Nala to a game of dice in which Nala lost
everything. Kuvara became the king and banished Nala from his kingdom. Nala
went to the forest and Damayanti, who loved him very much followed him. As they
walked in the forest, Damayanti injured her feet. Nala did not want the
delicate Damayanti to go through hardships with him, so when she was sleeping
he left her and went ahead. Further into the forest, he found a snake on the
top of a tree that had caught fire from below. As he tried to bring it down,
the snake bit him and Nala turned dark and developed a hunchback. Nala asked
the snake, "Why did you bite me? I was trying to save your life." The
snake said, "I am your father Nisadh. The next twelve years will be full
of difficulties for you. I changed your appearance to protect you from your
enemies. Whenever you want to get back your original looks wear this
ornament."
Nala
proceeded to another kingdom. Meanwhile, when Damayanti woke up she found a
note from Nala asking her to go to her parents. As she moved ahead, she met a
demon that threatened to eat her. Impressed with her fearlessness he came into
his real form. He was actually a god, who told her that she would unite with
her husband after twelve years. Damayanti proceeded to Achalpura kingdom where she became the
queen's maid. Nala went to the kingdom of Samsumara and became a servant of the
king. Many years passed.
One
day, King Bhima's men found Damayanti in Achalpura and brought her back to her
father. King Bhima tried to find Nala but failed, so he made a plan. He
arranged the swayamvaar of Damayanti knowing that when Nala came to know about
the second marriage of his wife, he would certainly come to her. King Bhima was
right. Nala came with his master, the king of Samsumara. A day before the
swayamvara Damayanti saw the dark hunch back servant. She immediately
recognised him. Nala also put on the ornament given by his father and regained
his original looks. But the swayamvara had been arranged to Damayanti asked him
to be present there. On the day of swayamvara she put the garland around Nala's
neck and they were united. The twelve-year period was also over. With the help
of King Bhima's army, Nala won his kingdom back and again became the king of
Ayodhya.
One
day, a monk visited Nala's palace and told him the reason why he had to undergo
the twelve-year exile. In their previous birth also Nala and Damayanti were
king and queen and they had thrown an innocent monk in prison. Their exile was
a punishment for their karma of a previous birth.
Eventually,
Nala and Damayanti had a son Pushkara. After making him the king, they
renounced the world in search of spiritual enlightment.
