"The King in the North, as you well know,
Exceeds his description, his love for you only grows.
Enamoured, he roams the fields with lovesick desire,
His heart filled with your image, a burning fire.
In his eyes, in the air he breathes, you reside,
He yearns for your presence, in his every thought.
For he loves you deeply, as you love him too,
If the peerless unite, love's reign will imbue.
In this union, our world shall find solace and grace,
As love conquers all, in its warm embrace."
The swan whispered in her ear, uttering the words she had longed to hear. And then, with a graceful departure, it flew away into the sunset, setting off an odyssey of trials, tribulations, and love.
That night, the moon and the stars refused to show up. That night, Damayanti wandered through the gardens, fields, orchids, and streets, adorned with a blissful smile, blushing and radiating with a captivating glow. Her beauty illuminated the dark sky, spreading its radiance as far as the eye could see. Occasionally, a falling star would greet the enamored princess. Perhaps Mother Nature was indulging herself in the celebrations.
Nal & Damayanti continued to live their lives with renewed excitement, always attentive to the signs of auspicious omens.
Earth's most beautiful woman had surrendered her innermost soul to her love for her king. Damayanti yearned for love through countless cycles of days and nights, succumbing to sighs of despair. Wrapped in misery and solitude, she withdrew from her friends and maids, forsaking the luxuries and necessities of life. Every waking moment was spent gazing towards the northern skies, even in the darkness that obscured her vision. And as she slipped into a shallow slumber, her closed eyelids concealed eyes that were fixated on the northern star.
Her maidens and friends grew increasingly worried and felt helpless, unable to bear witness to their princess's suffering. The news of Damayanti's distress eventually reached the royal corridors of her father, the aging Southern King. Consumed by concern for his beloved daughter, the king sought advice from his counsel, ministers, sages, and saints.
"My dear girl will soon come of age, yet her distress lingers. What can bring her solace?" – the noble king inquired, his heart weighed down by worry.