Damayanti

Damayanti
Damayanti and the swan-messenger (Painting by Raja Ravi Varma)
Information
Spouse(s)	Nala

Damayanti(दमयंती) Telugu (దమయంతీ), a character in a love story found in the Vana Parva book of the Mahabharata, and other Hindu texts by many authors in numerous Indian languages. She was the princess of Vidarbha Kingdom, who married king Nala of Nishadha Kingdom. Her other lesser known name is Bhaimi.

Damayanti was a princess of Vidarbha Kingdom. She was of such beauty and grace that even the gods could not stop from admiring her. She fell in love with Nala simply by hearing of his virtues and accomplishments from a golden swan. When it was time for her to choose her husband at a swayamvara, gods, princes and kings came to seek her hand. The Gods Indra, Agni, Varuna and Yama were on their way to the swayamvara, when they met Nala. They ask him to be their messenger and to go inform Damayanti that she must choose one of them as her husband. Nala at first refused, saying he was himself interested in her, but he finally accepted the mission. On seeing him, Damayanti agreed to pay her respect to the gods, but she insisted on choosing only Nala for her husband. The Gods then each disguised themselves as Nala and asked Damayanti to choose amongst them. Damayanti saw through them each time. The demon Kali, the personification of Kali yuga, also wanted to marry Damayanti. On his arrival, he was unaware and was late for the swayamvara. He ran into the gods and was told how she chose Nala in their place. Kali then angrily vows to cause the fall of Nala's kingdom through his propensity for gambling.

Damayanti and Nala are happily married and have two children. Once Nala loses his kingdom in a game of dice, forcing Nala and Damayanti to live in poverty in the forest. Nala starts worrying for Damayanti, resolves to abandon her in order to protect her from his bad luck. Nala leaves, meanwhile on his way, finds and rescues the Snake King Nāga Karkotaka from a fire, who bites him. Nala survives the bite, but the venom turns him into an unrecognizable dwarf named Bahuka.