Open the gates wide, let the sunshine galore,
The vibrant hues of yesteryear kind,
The colours will bring solace to your troubled mind.
Strange were the days, the world a mystifying place,
Yet soon, it would feel similar, unveiling a familiar face,
The names, the customs, and the ways, they remain,
In shadows, the same vices linger, forever’s their domain.
The lands, back then, were a fruitful sight to behold,
Not just for fauna and flora's bloom, but the civilizations untold,
When virtue claimed its reign,
As Vices sneaked unseen, tightening their grip on forever's domain.”
The Vindhyas still stood, bowing in reverence to the Himalayas as they do today. They served as a natural boundary between the two kingdoms that ruled the lands to the north and the south. The amicable kings governed their countries with benevolent hearts and were loved by their countrymen. Both kingdoms were soon blessed with boons. Little did the two aging kings know that these two would be the two halves of a perfect soul in the years to come.
The world celebrated the downpour of benign golden sunrays on the day the princess was born to the king in the south. Bathed in golden radiance that illuminated the skies as far as the eye could see, the princess was endowed with every virtue as she grew from a child of nature to a proud mother's daughter. She embodied all that was beautiful. Like an ever-blooming lotus of a celestial orchid, her grace even envied the gentle winds. Her scent, like the fragrance of flowers, traveled for miles, enchanting every living being that breathed in her essence. The moon and stars seemed to have befriended her, as three of them took turns illuminating the night skies. Happily living among her maidens and friends, the princess was an ever-blooming flower in an orchid with jasmine, daisies, and all that is good. Damayanti, true to the essence of her name>3 , embodied calmness and serenity.
3 – Damayanti – a Sanskrit word that means one who’s calm and serene
The northern king also rejoiced, as he was blessed with a baby boy radiating a peculiar glow. Like his father, the prince grew up guided by the virtues of life. The boy transformed into a handsome and valiant young man, a physique that rivaled the chiseled marbles adorning the royal gardens. The prince amassed boundless knowledge and wisdom through years of penance. He was an astute marksman and the swiftest charioteer. Well-versed in ancient texts, he was a favorite pupil of revered sages and saints. He held a special place in his heart for animals, and it almost seemed as if he could communicate with them in their own language. Proficient in the arts of war and peace, the prince embodied greatness and humility. Every woman he passed by deeply admired him, enthralled by his presence. They would surrender their every sense to their beloved prince Nal.