By thy guidance, skilled in horses!--to Vidarbha I would go: I in thee have placed reliance--interrupt not then our course: Willingly will I obey thee--Vahuca, in what thou ask'st, If this day we reach Vidarbha--ere the sun hath sunk in night." Vahuca replied, "No sooner--have I numbered yonder fruit, To Vidarbha will I hasten--grant me then my prayer, O king." Then the raja, all reluctant--"Stay then, and begin to count; Of one branch one part, O blameless--from the tall Vibhitak tree, Man of truth, begin to number--and make glad thine inmost heart." From the chariot quick alighting--Nala tore the branch away. Then, his soul possess'd with wonder--to the raja thus he said; "Having counted, an thou sawest--even so many fruits there are, Marvellous thy power, O monarch--by mine eyes beheld and proved, Of that wonder-working science--fain the secret would I hear." Then the raja spake in answer--eager to pursue his way, "I of dice possess the science--and in numbers thus am skilled." Vahuca replied; "That science--if to me thou wilt impart, In return, O king, receive thou--my surpassing skill in steeds." Then the raja Rituparna--by his pressing need induced, Eager for that skill in horses--"Be it so," thus 'gan to say; "Well, O Vahuca, thou speakest--thou my skill in dice receive, And of steeds thy wondrous knowledge--be to me a meet return." Rituparna, all his science--saying this, to Nala gave. Soon as he in dice grew skilful--Kali from his body passed: He Karkotaka's foul poison--vomiting from out his mouth, Went from forth his body Kali[125]--tortured by that fiery curse. Nala, wasted by that conflict--came not instant to himself, But, released from that dread venom--Kali his own form resumed: And Nishadha's monarch, Nala--fain would curse him in his ire. Him addressed the fearful Kali--trembling, and with folded hands; "Lord of men, restrain thine anger--I will give thee matchless fame; Indrasena's wrathful mother--laid on me her fatal curse,[126] When by thee she was deserted--since that time, O king of men, I have dwelt in thee in anguish--in the ecstacy of pain. By the King of Serpents' poison--I have burned by night, by day; To thy mercy now for refuge--flee I, hear my speech, O king: Wheresoe'er men, unforgetful--through the world shall laud thy name, Shall the awful dread of Kali[126]--never in their soul abide. If thou wilt not curse me, trembling--and to thee for refuge fled." Thus addressed, the royal Nala--all his rising wrath suppressed, And the fearful Kali entered--in the cloven Vibhitak tree:[127] To no eyes but those of Nala--visible, had Kali spoken. Then the monarch of Nishadha--from his inward fever freed, When away had vanished Kali--when the fruits he had numbered all, Triumphing in joy unwonted--blazing in his splendour forth,