Riddle of Nala

7/22/2019 Riddle of Nala

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D A V I D S H U L M A N

O N B E I N G H U M A N I N T H E S A N S K R I T E P I C :T H E R I D D L E O F N A L A

M a g a u c h d i e S p i e g lu n g i m T e i c hof t uns ve rschwi rmnaen:

W i s s e d a s B i l dE r s t i n d e m D o p p e l b e r e ic h

w e r d e n d i e S t i m m e ne w i g u n d m i l d . 1

O n e n i g h t K a b i r w a s d r e am i n gH i s b e i n g s e e m e d t o b r e a k :

T w o p e o p l e w h e n h e ' s s le e p in gB u t j u s t o n e w h e n a w a k e. 2

A l l i n a l l , o n e w o u l d p r o b a b l y p r e f e r t o h a v e a s e l f . S o m e t h i n gm i n i m a l l y i n te g r a t e d a n d n o t w h o l l y d i s c o n t in u o u s , w h e r e m e m o r y , o ri t s m o r e p o w e r f u l a n d p e r s o n a l m u l t i f o r m , f o r g e t t i n g , c o u l d r e s i d e .S o m e t h i n g t o h i d e a n d v e il , i f n e e d b e , i n th e i n t e r e s t s o f p r e s e r v i n gu l t i m a c y i n s o m e r e s i d u a l , in d i v i d u a l f o r m . E v e n a f ic t iv e s e lf m i g h t d o

f o r h o w e v e r q u i x o t ic t h e i n v e s t m e n t in t h is n e b u l o u s e n t it y , t h ea n x i e t y a t t e n d a n t o n d e n y i n g it s e x is t e n c e is , f o r m o s t o f u s, s u r e l yw o r s e .

B u t t h e r e m a y b e o t h e r p o s s i b il it ie s , s e e m i n g l y e x o t ic c o n c e p t u a l i z a -t i o n s o f w h a t li e s a t t h e c o r e o f a n y li v in g , a c t i v e s u b j e c t. T h i s i s a ne s s a y a b o u t a s t o r y a b o u t a m a n w h o l o s t h is s e l f - - a l o n g w i t he v e r y t h i n g e l s e t h a t w a s h i s . F o r i t s o w n t i m e a n d p l a c e , i t i s , i n f a c t , ap a r a d i g m a t i c s t o r y , w h i c h t o u c h e s o n f u n d a m e n t a l i s s u e s r e l a t i n g t ot h e u s e s a n d l i m i t s o f l i n g u i s t i c e x p r e s s i v i t y , f o r e x a m p l e , a n d a l s o o nn o t i o n s o f p e r s o n a l f a t e i n r e l a t i o n t o c h a n c e . F o r t h is m a n s p e a k sm a i n l y in r i d d l e s , a n d h e l o v e s t o p l a y d i c e .

H i s n a m e is N a l a - - t h e h e r o o f m a n y , i f n o t m o s t , fi rs t -y e a rS a n s k r i t s t u d e n t s i n t h e W e s t o v e r t h e l a s t 1 5 0 y e a r s - - a n d t h e s t o r yis b y n o m e a n s o n l y a b o u t h i m b u t a t le a s t e q u al ly a b o u t h i s f a m o u sw i f e a n d s a vi or , D a m a y a n t i , o n e o f th e g r e a t m o d e l s o f H i n d u w o m a n -J o u r n a l o f I n d i a n P h i l o s o p h y 2 2 : 1 - - 2 9 , ~ 9 9 4 .9 1 9 9 4 K l u w e r A c a d e m i c P u b l is h e r s P r i n t e d i n t h e N e t h e r la n d s


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DAVID SHULM AN

h o o d . W e k n o w t hi s ta l e fi rs t f r o m t h e c l a ss ic v e r s io n e m b e d d e d i nB o o k 3 , t h e F o r e s t B o o k , o f th e M a h d b h d r a t a ; a n d i t i s b o t h t h eexp l ic it dec la ra t io n o f the s to ry te l l e r the re , w i th in the na r ra t ive f r am e ,a n d t h e c o m m o n p l a c e c o n c l u s i o n o f m o d e r n s c h o la r s hi p t h a t t h e s to r yi ll u m i n a t e s f r o m i t s o w n p e r s p e c t i v e c e r t a i n o f t h e c e n t r a l t h e m e s a n de v e n t s o f t h e m a i n e p i c n a rr a ti v e . O n e S o u t h I n d i a n f o l k r e te l li n g o ft h e s t o r y - - o n e o f a n a s t o u n d i n g n u m b e r o f la t e r v er s io n s o f t hi sm o s t p o p u l a r a n d g e n e r a t i v e o f I n d i a n t a le s - - b o l d l y a n d s i m p l y d e-sc r ibes i t s e l f a s the s d r a t h e e s s e n c e o r p i th , o f t h e M a h d b h d r a t a . 3I p ropose to t ake th i s s t a temen t s e r ious ly , i f no t en t i r e ly l i t e r a l ly ,a l t h o u g h i ts i m p l i c a ti o n s w i ll n o t b e s y s t e m a t i c a ll y se t o u t h e r e . T h e r ei s, i n d e e d , a s tr ik i ng s e r ie s o f r e c a p i t u l a t e d m o t i fs : b o t h s t o r ie s p r o c e e dt h r o u g h s v a y a m v a r a - - t h e I n d i a n r o y a l b r i d e ' s r i t u a l c h o i c e o f h u s b a n d- - t o a d i s a s t r o u s d i c e - g a m e a f t e r w h i c h t h e h e r o o r h e r o e s , b e r e f t o fw e a l t h a n d s t a t u s , m u s t d e p a r t f o r t h e w i l d e r n e s s ; i n b o t h t h e r e i s ac r u c i a l p e r i o d o f h i d i n g a n d d i sg u i se ; b o t h s p e a k o f r e c o g n i t i o n a n dr e s t o r a t i o n i n a n a g o n i s t ic m o d e ( t h e h o l o c a u s t o f b a t t l e f o r t h e E p i cas a who le ; ano the r , c l imac t ic d ice -game fo r Na la ) . In f ac t , theses u r f a c e s i m i la r it ie s a r e , i n m y v i e w , e p i p h e n o m e n a , e x p r e s s i o n s o f am u c h m o r e d e e p l y r o o t e d a ff in it y i n m e a n i n g a n d i n t e rn a l d e b a t e . A n dt h e r e a r e a l s o i m p o r t a n t c o n t r a s t s a n d a p p a r e n t i n v e r s i o n s i n s h a r e do r s i m i la r n a r r a t i v e m o t i f s. B u t f o r t h e p r e s e n t , h a v i n g p o s i t e d , w i t h t h et e x t it se l f, a h y p o t h e t i c a l r e l a t i o n o f p a r a l le l i sm o r , m o r e p r o f o u n d l y ,o f e n c a p s u l a t i o n , w e m u s t l i m i t o u r s e l v e s t o p u r s u i n g t h e i n n e r l o g i c o ft h e s h o r t e r , e m b e d d e d t a le ; p e r h a p s a t t h e e n d o f t hi s a t t e m p t t ou n d e r s t a n d N a l a i n h is o w n t e r m s w e w il l s e e a p a t h o p e n i n g u pt o w a r d m o r e d i s t a n t g o a l s .I s t a rt f r o m t h e S a n s k r it t e x t o f t h e M a h d b h d r a t a ( f rom the vu lga te ,n o t t h e B O R I c r it ic a l e d i ti o n ). T h e N a l o p g ~ k h y d n a as the s to ry i sk n o w n t h e r e , t e ll s u s a l l t h a t w e r e a l l y n e e d t o k n o w ; t h is e s s a y w i lln o t a t t e m p t t o t r a c e i t s d e v e l o p m e n t t h r o u g h t h e I n d i a n l i t e r a r y t r a d i -t i o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , I h a v e c o n s u l t e d , a n d w i l l o c c a s i o n a l l y q u o t e , an u m b e r o f o t h e r v e r s i o n s , e a c h o f w h i c h s h e d s i ts o w n li gh t o n t h ec e n t ra l , s h a r e d t h e m e s . L e t m e l i st th e s e v e r s i o n s b r ie f ly , i n r o u g hc h r o n o lo g i c a l s e qu e n c e : (1 ) N a n n a y a ' s l l t h - c e n t u r y T e l u g u v e rs io n ,f r o m t h e T e l u g u M B h ; ( 2 ) t h e w e l l - k n o w n S a n s k r i t c o u r t l y k d v y aN a i s . a d h i y a c a r i t a b y t h e m e d i e v a l p o e t g r ih a r sa ; 4 ( 3 ) t h e e x q u i s it e


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THE RIDDLE OF NALA

1 4 t h - c e n t u r y Nal .av@pd, b y t h e T a m i l p o e t P u k a l e n t i p p u la v a r ; ( 4) a n1 8 t h - c e n t u r y K a t h a k a l i s c r i p t f r o m K e r a l a , Nal.acarita, b y U n n f i y iV firiy ~r; ( 5 ) a n u n d a t a b l e T a m i l fo l k - v e r s i o n p r i n t e d i n c h a p b o o k f o r mas the Nalaccakk i ravar t t i ka ta i . E a c h o f t h e s e t e x ts , l ik e s o m a n y o t h e rr ew ork ing s o f th is s to ry , m er i t s ind iv idua l a t t en t ion and ana lysi s ; m ya t t e m p t t o d r a w f r o m t h e m s y n th e t ic a l ly , i n t h e in t e r e s ts o f p r o b i n gb a s i c i s s u e s i n v o k e d b y t h e s t o r y t h r o u g h o u t i t s n a r r a t i v e h i s t o r y , i sn o t m e a n t t o s u b s t i t u t e in a n y w a y f o r s u c h i n d i v id u a l s t u d i e s.

N o w , a f t e r t h e s e o p e n i n g r e m a r k s , l e t m e t e l l y o u t h e s t o r y o f N a l a :T h e r e w a s o n c e a k i n g , a p e r f e c t m a n , n a m e d N a l a , e n d o w e d w i t he v e r y v ir t u e, e x p e r t in h a n d l i n g h o r s e s , f o n d o f d i c e ( o r b e l o v e d o f t h ed i c e - - aksapriya . A n d t h e r e w a s a n e q u a l l y p e r f e c t y o u n g w o m a n ,D a m a y a n g , b o r n t h r o u g h t h e g i ft o f a s ag e . T h e y h e a r d a b o u t o n ea n o t h e r a n d f e l l i n l o v e s e c r e t l y , f r o m a f a r . A g o l d e n g o o s e b e c a m et h e i r l o v e - m e s s e n g e r ; t h r o u g h t h e m e d i a t i o n o f t h i s g o o s e , t h e y d e t e r -m i n e d t o w e d . D a m a y a n t i s f a t h e r a n n o u n c e d h e r svayam, vara, and allt h e k i n g s a n d p r i n c e s o f t h e e a r t h c a m e t o t a k e p a r t . S o d i d f o u r g o d s ,Ind ra , Agn i , Varu .na , and Yama, who had a l so f a l l en in love w i th th i sl o v el ie s t o f w o m e n . O n t h e w a y th e y m e t N a l a a n d m a d e h i m t h e i rm e s s e n g e r , t o p l e a d t h e i r c a s e w i t h D a m a y a n t ~ ; b y t h e i r m a g i c , h ee n t e r e d D a m a y a n t i s p a l a c e u n s e e n a n d d e l i v e re d t h e g o d s m e s s a g e ,b u t s h e i n d i g n a n t l y r e j e c t e d i t a n d a f f i r m e d h e r l o v e f o r h i m , N a l a ,w h i c h s h e w a s d e t e r m i n e d t o f u l f i l a t a n y c o s t . A t t h e svayamvara , t h ef o u r g o d s a p p e a r e d i n N a l a s f o r m , s o t h a t f iv e i d e n t ic a l i m a g e s o fN a l a s t o o d b e f o r e D a m a y a n t ~ . O r n e a r l y i d e n ti c al : d i s ce r n in g , b y v i r t u eo f h e r f a i th f u ln e s s , th a t t h e f o u r d i v i n e N a l a s d i d n o t b l i n k o r s w e a t ,t h a t t h e ir g a r l a n d s r e m a i n e d p e r f e c t l y f re s h , a n d t h a t t h e i r f e e t d i d n o tq u i t e to u c h t h e g r o u n d , s h e w a s a b l e t o c h o o s e t h e h u m a n N a l a f o rh e r h u s b a n d a f t e r a l l . T h e y m a r r i e d , h a d t w i n s , a n d l i v e d h a p p i l y f o rt w e l v e y e a r s .

B u t t h e r e w a s o n e m o r e g o d , a f i f t h , w h o h a d f a l l e n i n l o v e w i t hD a m a y a n t i - - K a li , t h e s p ir it o f st ri fe a n d o f o u r p r e s e n t m o m e n t o ft i m e , t h e K a r l A g e . ( T h e T a m i l f o l k - t e x t r e p l a c e s K a l i w i t h t h e i n -ausp ic ious p lane t gan i ) . Ka l i was l a t e to the svayam, vara, a n d h ec o n t i n u e d t o r e s e n t i t s o u t c o m e ; h e w a i t e d f o r t h e m o m e n t w h e n h ec o u l d r e v e n g e h i m s e l f o n N a l a . O n e d a y t h a t m o m e n t c a m e : w h e n


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4 D VID SHULM NN a l a f a i l e d t o w a s h h i s f e e t b e f o r e p r a y e r ( a c c o r d i n g t o t h e f o l k - t e x t ,o n l y a ti n y s p o t t h e s iz e o f t h e t i p o f a t h o r n r e m a i n e d d r y o n h isa n k l e) , K a l i s l i p p e d i n t o h i m ; a t t h e s a m e t i m e h e i n c i t e d N a l a sb r o t h e r , P u s k a r a , t o c h a l l e n g e N a l a t o a g a m e o f d ic e , w h i le D v f ip a r a ,t h e s p i r it o f th e p r e v i o u s e r a , l o a d e d t h e d i c e a g a i n s t hi m .

N a l a l o s t , a n d k e p t o n l o s i n g ; c r a z y w i t h t h e d i c e , o b l i v i o u s o fD a m a y a n t i s p l e a s t o h i m t o s t o p , h e s t a k e d h i s w h o l e k i n g d o m , a n dl o s t t h a t , t o o . O n l y w h e n P u s k a r a d e m a n d e d t h a t h e s t a k e D a m a y a n t id i d N a l a d e si st . E x c o m m u n i c a t e d b y o r d e r o f P u s k a r a , t h e n e w k in g ,N a l a a n d D a m a y a n t i l e f t f o r t h e f o r e s t . F o r t h r e e d a y s t h e y a t e n o t h i n g .O n t h e f o u r t h d a y , N a l a t r i e d t o t h r o w h i s c l o a k - - h i s l a s t p o s s e s s i o n- - o v e r s o m e b ir d s, i n th e h o p e o f t r a p p in g t h e m f o r fo o d ; b u t t h e yf le w u p w i th t h e c l o a k in t o t h e s k y a n d a n n o u n c e d f r o m t h e r e t h a tt h e y w e r e t h e d i c e a k s d h . ) c o m e t o s t r i p h i m n a k e d , s i n c e s o l o n g a sh e r e t a i n e d e v e n a s in g l e g a r m e n t t h e i r j o y w a s in c o m p l e t e . T h e c o u p l en o w w a n d e r e d t o g e t h e r , c l o t h e d i n D a m a y a n t i s s in g le c lo t h . N a l au r g e d D a m a y a n t i t o l e a v e h im , t o r e t u r n t o h e r f a t h e r s c o u r t , w h e r et h e t w i n s h a d a l r e a d y b e e n s e n t . S h e r e f u s e d ; b u t w h e n s h e f e l l a s l e e pi n a n e n c l o s u r e s a b h d ) i n t h e f o r e s t , N a l a t o o k a s w o r d t h a t w a sf o r t u i t o u s l y l y i n g t h e r e , u s e d i t t o c u t h e r d r e s s i n t w o , a n d , c o v e r e dw i t h t h a t h a l f a c l o t h , h is h e a r t d i v i d e d b u t d r i v e n b y K a rl f r o m w i th i n ,a b a n d o n e d h e r t o h e r f a t e .

D a m a y a n t i a w o k e t o f i n d h e r s e l f a l o n e i n t h e f o r e s t ; a n g u i s h e d a n da n g ry , s h e c u r s e d t h e e v il b e i n g w h o h a d c a u s e d h e r h u s b a n d s u c hs o r r o w . ( T h e c u r s e i m m e d i a t e l y b e g a n t o b u r n K a l i , e m b o d i e d i n h e ra b s e n t h u s b a n d ) . A g r e a t s e r p e n t s e i z e d h e r , b u t s h e w a s s a v e d b y ap a s s in g h u n t e r ; w h e n t h e l a t te r t r i e d t o t a k e h e r f o r h i m s e lf , s h e k il le dh im wi th a cu r se . Even tua l ly a r r iv ing a t the Ced i k ingdom, s t i l l d i s -h e v e l l e d , d i r t y , a n d c l o t h e d i n o n l y h a l f a g a r m e n t , s h e b e c a m e ah a i r d r e s s e r s a i r a n d h r f ) t o t h e q u e e n . T h e r e s h e w a s re c o g n i z e d b y aB r a h m i n s e n t b y h e r f a t h e r a n d b r o u g h t b a c k t o h is c o u r t a t V i d a rb h a .

N a l a , m e a n w h i l e , w a n d e r e d i n t h e f o r e s t , w h e r e h e s a v e d t h e s e r p e n tK a r k o t a k a f r o m d e a t h i n a f i r e . I n r e c o m p e n s e t h e s e r p e n t b i t h i m :f r o m t hi s m o m e n t o n , p o i s o n b u r n t K a l i c o n ti n u o u s l y w it h in N a la ,w h i l e t h e l a t t er s f o r m w a s c h a n g e d t o t h a t o f a n u g ly , s h o r t - a r m e dd w a r f. K a r k o t a k a a l so g a v e N a l a a p a ir o f g a rm e n t s a n d p r o m i s e d t oc h a n g e h i m b a c k t o h i s o r i g i n a l f o r m w h e n e v e r N a l a d e s i r e d t h i s .


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THE RIDDLE OF NALA

Following the snake's advice, Nala took service, under the name ofBfihuka, as cook and charioteer to Rtupar.na, king of Ayodhyfi.Damayanti sent out Brahmins to scour the land for Nala, with ariddling verse with which to elicit his response: Where are you,gambler that you are, still loved, who left a beloved and devotedwoman asleep in the wilderness after cutting her dress in half? ...One of the messengers, Parnfida, came to Ayodhyfi, sang the verse,and was addressed by the dwarf Bfihuka: Even in the face of disaster,women of good family save themselves by themselves, thereby con-quering heaven. Even if they are bereft of their husbands, they arenever angry . . . And if such a woman was deserted by her fool of ahusband, fallen into trouble, she will not be angry at him, for he wasseeking a way to survive, burning with anxiety, after losing his clothesto the birds. This was enough: when the speech was reported toDamayanff, she sent word to Ayodhyfi that a second svayam vara wasto be held for her on the next day. Rtuparna demanded that Nala takehim there in time, despite the vast distance; superb horseman that hewas, Nala accomplished this great feat. On the way, .Rtuparna demon-strated to Nala his skill at numbers by enumerating at a ~ance theleaves and fruits of an enormous vibhitaka tree. 5 Nala offered to teachthe king the science of controlling horses in exchange for this skill incounting, which was the secret of the dice-game. No sooner was thisexchange accomplished than Kali, vomiting snake-poison, issued forthfrom Nala's body.

At Vidarbha, the charioteer continued to arouse Damayanffssuspicions that he was none other than Nala in disguise. She devised aseries of tests: her servant observed his miraculous skill in cooking,and Damayanff recognized the flavor of his food; she sent theirchildren to him and heard, through her servant, of his tearful reaction:I, too, have twins, just like these two. Finally she confronted Bfihuka

in the palace with another verse: What man would abandon a wifewho is guiltless, beloved, exhausted -- except Punyailoka-Nala? Nalahad to confess his identity; he resumed his old form, was reunited withhis family, and returned to his kingdom to challenge his brother toone final throw of the dice. This time he staked Damayanff, too, onthe throw; and this time Nala won and was reinstated on his throne.

So -- a happy ending after all to this tale of separation, exile, and


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6 D A V I D S H U L M A Nd i sg u i se . A n d w e m a y a s w e l l r e m a r k a t t h e o u t s e t t h at , g e n e t ic a l ly ,t h e s t o r y i s c l e a r l y a M / i r c h e n , a f a i r y t a l e , i n t h e a n a l y t i c , c r o s s -c u l t u r a l c l a s s i f i c a t io n o f t h e f o l k lo r i s ts . A l l t h e m a j o r i n d i c a t o r s - - t h ef e a t u re s o f ti m e a n d s p a c e ( c h r o n o t o p o s , i n t h e B a k h t in i a n u s a g e ) a n dt h e i m p l i c i t c l a i m o n r e a l i t y - - p l a c e t h e alopgtkhydna s q u a r e l y i nt h i s s l o t . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , I w i l l a r g u e t h a t o u r s t o r y i s a l s o a s a l i e n te x a m p l e o f t h e l i m i t s o f t h is k i n d o f a n a l y t ic d e f i n i t i o n - - f o r i f t h is i sa f a i rl y t a le , h a p p y e n d i n g a n d a ll , i t i s s u r e l y a s o m e w h a t u n u s u a l , a n dw h o l l y In d i a n , v e r s i o n o f t h e g e n r e . T h i s i s a f a ir l y ta l e w i t h a st in g t oi t , a s t i n g t h a t t w i s t s b a c k t o p o i s o n i t s o w n b o d y . L i k e i t s h e r o , t h es t o r y w e a r s a m a s k , a n i c o n i c d i s g u i s e w h i c h a l l t o o r e a d i ly d e c e i v e si ts l is t e n e rs , lu l li ng t h e m i n t o a d a n g e r o u s c o m p l a c e n c y . I n d e e d , w ec a n w i t n e s s p r e c i s e l y t h i s e f f e c t u p o n t h e p r o t o t y p i c a l l i s te n e r t o t h i sp a r t i c u l a r s t o r y , w i t h i n t h e n a r r a ti v e c o n t e x t o f t h e E p i c w h i c h c o n -t a i n s it : Y u d h i s t h i r a , t h e h e r o o f t h e e p i c , w h o , a s w e h a v e s e e n , is t o l do f N a l a ' s s u f fe r in g s b y t h e s a g e B r h a d a g v a a s a k i n d o f d i d a c t i ct h e r ap y , i s i n d e e d s o m e w h a t c h e e r e d b y t h e s to r y ; h e is c o n s o l e d b yt h e s i m i la r it y i n h i s a n d N a l a ' s f a te , a n d e n c o u r a g e d b y N a l a ' s e v e n t u a lr e s t o r a ti o n . Y e t h o w p o i n t e d l y i r o n i c is t h is c o n s o l a t i o n , h o w f a l s e lyc o n s t i t u t e d t h e a n a l o g y - - f o r Y u d h i s t h i ra , t o o , w il l b e r e s t o r e d t o h isk i n g d o m , b u t o n l y a t t h e c o s t o f a n e a r - t m i v e r s a l d e s t r u c t i o n , i n w h i c hh i s o w n c h i l d r e n , a l o n g w i t h t h e r e s t o f h i s f a m i ly , w il l b e c o n s u m e d .

A c t u a l l y , t h e N a l a m a t e r i a l s t h e m s e l v e s p o i n t t o t h i s i r o n y , t o t h ep r o b l e m a t i c a n d u n f i n i s h e d q u a l i ty o f t h e fa i r y -t a l e r e s o l u ti o n . T h e r ea r e v e r s i o n s o f t h e s t o r y w h i c h t e ll u s u n a m b i g u o u s l y t h a t N a l a ' sd e p r e s s i o n w a s n o t c u r e d b y h is r e s to r a t io n , t h at , i n d e e d , i t d e e p e n e da n d b e c a m e m o r e t h r e a te n in g . A l w a y s s o m e fu r th e r m o v e m e n t i sr e q u i r e d - - a p i l g r i m a g e t o t h e T a m i l s h r i n e o f T iru na ~..fi_ ru , f o re x a m p l e - - b e f o r e t hi s h e r o c a n b e c o m e h i m s e l f a ga in .

T H E R I D D L E SW h e r e , t h e n , d o w e s t a rt ? T h e r e i s a l w a y s t h e d a n g e r t h a t, i n c u t ti n gt h e s t o r y o p e n , r e a c h i n g i n t o w a r d t h is s t r a n d o r th a t , w e sh a ll s im p l yd i s e m b o w e l i t t o n o p u r p o s e : t h e s t o r y , a f t e r a l l , d o e s s p e a k f o r i t s e l f ,c e r ta i n l y m o r e c l e a rl y a n d w i s e l y t h a n w e c a n . O u r t a s k i s t o l is t en t oi t, n o t t o d i s p l a c e i t. I n t h e i n t e r e s t s o f f u r t h e r i n g t h i s a c t o f l i st e n i n g , I


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THE RIDDL E OF NALA 7

w a n t t o t a k e u s b a c k i n t o t h e s t o ry s o m e w h a t o b l i q u e l y b y r e f e rr in g t ot h r e e m o r e g e n e r a l , q u a s i - p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m s a b o u t w h i c h N a l am i g h t h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o s a y - - t h e b o u n d a r i e s o f t h e s e l f ( a n d , w i th i nt h is a r e n a , t h e p r o b l e m o f t h e lo c u s o f e vil); t h e m e a n i n g o f h u m a na g e n c y a n d a u t o n o m y ( t h e i s s u e o f f a te ) ; a n d t h e p o s s i b il it ie s a n dimp l ica t ions o f r ea l s e l f -knowledg e .

I b e g i n w i t h t h e l a t e r , w h i c h a t f i r s t g l a n c e m i g h t s e e m t o b e t h em o s t o p t i m i s ti c t h e m e a r o u s e d b y o u r s t o r y. N a la , w e m a y w e l l a s s u m e ,makes ga ins p rec i s e ly in th i s a r ea , indeed , on ly in th i s a r ea . How e l s e ,i n d e e d , a r e w e t o u n d e r s t a n d h i s d r e a d f u l t r i a l s ? C o u l d h e u n d e r g o h i se x p e r i e n c e s o f l o ss a n d d e s p a i r w i t h o u t e m e r g i n g w i s e r an d m o r ew h o l e ? S u r e ly h e s w i s e r a t t h e e n d - - h a s h e n o t l e a r n e d t o m a s t e rt h e d i c e , s o t h a t h e c a n c h a l l e n g e a n d d e f e a t h i s b r o t h e r P u s k a r a i no n e f in a l, a l l- o r- n o th i n g t h r o w ? A n d o b s e r v e h o w g e n e r o u s l y a n dc o m p a s s i o n a t e l y h e t r e a t s h i s d e f e a t e d r i v al , w h o i s se n t a w a y w i t hh o n o r a n d w e a l t h . W e i n s t i n c t i v e l y r e j o i c e i n t h i s n e w N a l a , n o l o n g e rv i c t im o f hi s o w n o r o t h e r s ' p a s s i o n s . W e a d m i r e h is r e g a i n e d c o n -f i d e n c e a n d c o u r a g e . W e c a n r e j o ic e , t o o , c o n f i r m e d i n o u r r o m a n t i ch o p e t h a t s u c h s u f fe r in g a s h is h a s m e a n i n g , a t l e a s t i n t e r m s o f k n o w l -e d g e g a i n e d , c o n s o l i d a t e d , e n l a r g e d .

Bu t pe rhaps a d i s t inc t ion i s , a f t e r a l l , i n o rde r , be tween two d i f f e ren ts o r t s o f k n o w l e d g e . T h e r e i s, i n d e e d , t h e s e c r e t h e a r t o f t h e d ic e , as e e m i n g l y t e c h n i c a l e x p e r t i s e t h a t N a l a a c q u i r e s i n a s y m m e t r i c a le x c h a n g e , s o o n p u t t o u s e i n t h e f i n a l m o m e n t o f c h a l l e n g e . W e w i l lh a v e m o r e t o s a y o f th is s e c r e t. B u t d o e s t h is k n o w l e d g e i m p i n g e u p o nh is und er s tan d ing o f h imse l f , h i s pas t , h i s f a t e? T he re is an easy w ayt o p r o b e t h is q u e s t i o n - - b y l is te n in g t o N a l a h i m s e l f a t th e m o m e n t o fh i s s e r f - reve la t ion , the ap par en t anagnor i s i s w hen the l aye r s o f d i sgu i s ea r e f in a ll y a b a n d o n e d . T h i s i s w h a t h e s a y s ( in t h e p r e s e n c e o f th etea r fu l and s t i l l accus ing Damayan t~ :It was not my fault that my kingdom was lost; Kali perpetrated that, and also causedme to abandon you. Moreover, that wretch was afflicted by the curse you set uponhim when in the forest, while, in your misery, you were sorrowing for me. Karl,hidden within my body, was burnt by your curse, like fire kindled in fire. He has bee ndefeated by my determination and my ascetic practice -- this, then, must be the endof our suffering 24.17--20).T h e g o o d n e w s a r r i v e s i n s l i p p e r y a n d p e r h a p s p a r a d o x i c a l f o r m : N a l a


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8 D A V I D S H U L M A N

w a s n o t t h e a c t o r , n o t r e s p o n s i b l e f o r h i s d e e d s w h i l e p o s s e s s e d ,a l t h o u g h h i s d e t e r m i n a t i o n a n d a s c e t i c i s m , tapas, are r e s p o n s i b l e f o rt h e f in a l t r iu m p h . S o w h e n w a s N a l a i n c o m m a n d o f h im s e l f a n d h i sa c t i o n s ? S u r e l y D a m a y a n t ~ m a y s til l h a v e s o m e q u e s t io n s , a s w e l lm i g h t w e . L e t u s a l s o n o t e t h e i m a g e N a l a h a s o f h i s r e c e n t i n n e r l if e- - 'Y ire k i n d l e d i n fi r e - - e v e n a s w e a s k o u r s e l v e s j u s t h o w f a r w ec a n a c c e p t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n . A t t h e v e r y l e a s t , w e h a v e a l o a d e d a n dp r o b l e m a t i c s t a t e m e n t o f p e c u f ia r d i s e m b o d i m e n t a n d d i s lo c a t e dc o n s c i o u s n e s s . M o r e o v e r , a s i f t o a d d t o o u r d o u b t s , N a l a , a t t h isa w k w a r d m o m e n t , a t t e m p t i n g t o d e f e n d h is s e e m i n g l y i n d e f e n si b lec o n d u c t , v o i c e s h i s o w n c o m p l a i n t :H o w c a n a w o m a n c a s t o f f a d e v o t ed a n d t r u e h u s b a n d a n d c h o o s e a n o t h e r , a s y o us e e m t o b e d o i n g ? 2 2 )T h i s m o r e o r l es s e x tr ic a te s N a l a f r o m h i s e m b a r r a s s m e n t b y t ra n s -f e r ri n g th e m o r e i m m e d i a t e g u i lt to D a m a y a n t i . S h e w il l n o w h a v e t oe x p l a i n t h a t t h e s e c o n d svayam, vara w a s o n l y a r u s e u p d y a ) t o g e tN a l a h i m s e l f t o r e tu r n , a n d t h a t s h e n e v e r i n t e n d e d t o c h o o s e a n o t h e rh u s b a n d - - a l t h o u g h t h e p e r s o n s t a n d i n g b e f o r e h e r i s s t i l l , a t l e a s te x t e rn a l ly , a n o t h e r m a n , h a r d l y t h e N a l a s h e k n e w . I n f a c t, D a m a y -a n f f s g r e a t g i f t i s p r e c is e l y h e r e , i n r e f u s i n g to r e g a r d a s o t h e r a n y a )t h e d i s g u i s e d p e r s o n s h e s e e k s , 6 w h i l e N a l a ' s h o s t i l e q u e s t i o n r in g s ,l i k e s o m a n y o f t h e t h i n g s h e s a y s , a l i t t l e h o l l o w , o n t h e s u r f a c e l e v e l ,a n d , a s w e g o d e e p e r i n t o it , m o r e t h a n a li tt le ir o n i c a n d i n tr ig u i n g .H o w c a n a w i f e r e je c t h e r l o v in g h u s b a n d a n d c h o o s e a n o t h e rv a r a y e d a n y a m ) ? - - h e r e , a t t h e e n d o f t h e s t o r y , N a l a , h o p i n g t o s a v e

h i m s e l f a n d w h a t e v e r m i g h t b e l e ft o f h is g o o d n a m e , s t u m b l e s o v e r as t u b b o r n t h e m a t i c f i g m e n t th a t h a s b e e n l yi n g i n w a i t f o r h i m a l m o s tf r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g .

I d o n o t m e a n t o m y s t if y , o r t o b e o v e r l y l it e ra l w i th t h e t e x t, o r t oo v e r l o a d i n n o c e n t s t a t e m e n t s w i t h d u b i o u s m e a n i n g s; a n d t h e r e i s a ls on o n e e d t o f o l l o w a n y o f t h e s e f u t il e c o u r se s . T h e l it tl e e x c h a n g e ju s tq u o t e d s i m p l y r e s u m e s a c r it ic a l d i s c o u r s e t h a t i n f o r m s t h e e n t i r ee p i s o d e o f N a l a ' s d i s g u i se a n d u n v e i l i n g , a n d t h a t r e a c h e s f a r t h e r b a c kt o t h e e a r li e r, r o m a n t i c o p e n i n g o f th e t a le . D a m a y a n t i , a f t e r al l, h a ss e a r c h e d f o r h e r l o s t h u s b a n d b y m e a n s o f a q u e s t i o n , w h i c h I s e e a s ak i n d o f ri d d le , a s k e d r e p e a t e d l y i n t h e v a r i o u s c o u r t s a n d h o u s e h o l d s


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T H E R I D D L E O F N A L A 9o f I n d i a u n t i l o n e d a y i t e li ci ts a r e s p o n s e , a n o b s c u r e a n d s t r a n g e l yo b l i q u e s o l u t i o n . H e r e i s D a m a y a n t i ' s i n s i s t e n t q u e s t i o n :W h e r e a r e y o u , g a m b l e r t h a t y o u a r e , st il l l o v e d , w h o l e f t a b e l o v e d a n d d e v o t e dw o m a n a s l e e p i n t h e w i l d e r n e s s a f t e r c u t ti n g h e r d r e s s i n h a l f? S h e i s w a i t in g f o r y o ua s c o m m a n d e d , o n f ir e , c o v e r e d o n l y b y h a ft a d r e s s. H a v e m e r c y o n h e r a s s h e w e e p si n t h a t g ri e f: g i v e h e r a r e s p o n s e ( 1 7 . 3 7 - - 3 9 ) .

T h i s is th e m e s s a g e t h a t th e B r a h m i n s c a r r y f r o m c o u r t t o c o u r t . L i k eN a l a ' s s t a t e m e n t , t h is o n e , t o o , h a s i t s f i e r y i m a g e ; h e r e i t is D a m a y a n t iw h o is o n f i re , a s s h e w a i ts , h a l f - c l o t h e d , u n w a s h e d , c o n t i n u a l l yw e e p i n g , f o r N a l a t o r e a p p e a r . A n d i t is th i s s a m e m e s s a g e , s li g h tl ye x p a n d e d , t h a t D a m a y a n t i u t te r s h e r s e lf a t t h e m o m e n t o f d 6 n o u m e n t ,b e f o r e t h e s t i l l d i s g u i s e d a n d a l t e r e d N a l a , a s t h e f i n a l t e s t o f h i si d e n t i t y :B f i hu k a , h a v e y o u e v e r s e e n a m a n w h o k n e w d h r m f o r s a k e a s l ee p i n g w o m a n i nt h e w i l d e r n e s s ? W h a t m a n w o u l d a b a n d o n a w i fe w h o i s g u i lt le s s, b e l o v e d , e x h a u s t e d- - e x c e p t P u n y a g l o k a - N a la ? ( 2 4 . 1 0 - - 1 1 ) .S h e i s t a u n t i n g h i m w i t h a q u e s t i o n t h a t h a s o n l y o n e a n s w e r , a l t h o u g he n f o l d e d w i t h i n t h i s a n s w e r i s t h e o t h e r , p e r h a p s u n a n s w e r a b l e q u e s -t io n : w h y ? O n l y N a l a w o u l d a c t a s h e h a s a c t e d - o n t h a t l e v el t h ei d e n t i f ic a t i o n is u t t e r l y s e c u r e - - b u t , s h e w o n d e r s , d o e s t h e f a t a lm o m e n t o f h is a b a n d o n m e n t h a v e a n y m e a n i n g ? D i d s h e o f f e n da g ai ns t h i m i n a n y w a y ( 1 2 )? H o w c o u l d th a t o n e m a n w h o m s h ec h o s e after rejecting the gods h a v e d e s e r t e d h e r , t h e m o t h e r o f h isc h il d re n , t h e w o m a n w h o l o ve d a n d d e s ir e d h i m ( 1 3 )? W h a t h a p p e n e dt o t h e v o w t h a t h e t o o k b e f o r e t h e f ir e, th e v o w t o b e t h e re , w i t h h e r o rf o r h e r - - o r , p e r h a p s , s i m p l y t o b e bhav isydm ft i satyam tu prat i~rutyakva tad gatam, 1 4 ) ?

T h e s e a r e t h e q u e s t i o n s w h i c h e l ic i t N a l a ' s d e f e n s i v e c o n f e s s io n ,w h i c h w e h a v e q u o t e d , w i t h i t s a t t e m p t t o t r a n s f e r t h e b l a m e t o K a l iw h i l e s ti ll c l a i m i n g c r e d i t f o r t h e v i r tu e s o f p e r s e v e r a n c e a n d a s c e ti cp r a c t i c e . I t is d i f fi c u l t n o t t o s e e t h e a n s w e r a s s l ig h t l y a s k e w , a l t h o u g hi t d o e s , a t l e a s t i m p l i c i tl y , c a r r y a n a s s e r t i o n o f t h e s p e a k e r ' s s e lf : I a mN a l a , i t i s t r u e ; y o u h a v e d i s c o v e r e d m e a t l a s t ; b u t I a m n o t t h e o n ew h o l e f t y o u - - K a l i d i d t h a t; I d id , h o w e v e r , s u b d u e K a l i, l a r g e ly b ym y o w n e f f o rt s . ( N o t e t h a t h e r e N a l a i s d i s t o r ti n g a l i tt le ; K a l i 's d e f e a t


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1 0 D A V I D S H U L M A N

w a s , a f t e r a l l , a c o l l e c t i v e e f f o r t , w i t h D a m a y a n f f ' s c u r s e , K a r k o t a k a ' sb i te , a n d N a l a ' s k n o w l e d g e o f h o r s e s a ll p l a y i n g t h e i r p a r t i n p e r s u a d i n gK a l i t o d e p a r t . H e a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e f i rs t o f t h e s e f a c t o r s b u t s ti ll c l a im st h e m a j o r s h a r e o f c r e d i t f o r hi m s el f.) A n d , a n y w a y , y o u , D a m a y a n t i ,s h o u l d h a r d l y a c c u s e m e , s i n c e y o u a r e a b o u t t o c h o o s e a n o t h e rh u s b a n d - - h o w c a n y o u s p e a k o f f id e li ty i n th i s h i g h - h a n d e d m a n n e r ?I , t o o , a m a g g r i e v e d . . . a n d s o o n . A l w a y s , i t a p p e a r s , i n N a l a ' s e y e st h e e m p h a s i s a n d t h e o n u s a r e o n h e r a c t i o n s o r a w a r e n e s s .

S i m i la r ly i n t h e c a s e o f h is e a r l i e r a n s w e r t o D a m a y a n t i ' s r id d l e , a na n s w e r w h i c h , l ik e t h e r i d d l e , p e r f e c t l y p r e f i g u r e s t h e e v e n t u a l d i a l o g u ei n t h e c o u r t :E v e n i n t h e f a c e o f d i s a s t e r vais.amyam), w o m e n o f g o o d f a m i ly s a v e th e m s e l v e s b yt h e m s e lv e s , t h e r e b y c o n q u e r i n g h e a v e n . E v e n i f t h e y a r e b e r e f t o f t h e i r h u s b a n d s , t h e ya r e n e v e r a n g r y ; t h e y h o l d o n t o l if e, g u a r d e d b y t h e i r p r o p e r c o n d u c t . A n d i f s u c h aw o m a n w a s d e s e r t e d b y h e r f o o l o f a h u s b a n d , f a ll e n i n t o t r o u b le , s h e w ill n o t b ea n g r y a t h i m , f o r h e w a s s e e k i n g a w a y t o s u r v i v e prSnaydtrdm. pa riprepsu), b u r n i n gw i t h a n x i et y , a f t e r l o s in g h is c l o th e s t o t h e b i r d s . . . 1 8 . 8 - - 1 2 ) .T h e r e is c le a r ly e n o u g h h e r e f o r D a m a y a n t i t o m a k e a te n t a ti v ei d e n t if i c a ti o n - - e v e n t h e m e r e f a c t o f a r e s p o n s e m i g h t h a v e b e e ne n o u g h - - b u t a g a i n t h e a n s w e r it se l f e v a d e s t h e q ue s ti o n . W h e r e a r ey o u , b e l o v e d g a m b l e r ? - - s u c h w a s th e r i d dl e ; t o w h i c h N a l a a n s w e r s ,

A g o o d w o m a n s h o u l d n o t b e a n g r y a t h e r h u s b a n d , e v e n i f h e h a sl e f t h e r . T h e s a m e o b l i q u i ty o b t a i n s th a t w e n o t e d a b o v e . T h i s c o u p l es p e a k s to o n e a n o t h e r i n a s tr a n g e ly d i sc o n n e c t e d w a y ( a n d n o t o n l ya t th i s s ta g e o f h e r l if e - - is n o t t h e i r c o u r t s h i p e q u a l l y o b l iq u e a n di n d ir e c t? ) . D a m a y a n t i h a s t h e m o r e p o w e r f u l a n d m o r e e x p li ci t q u e r ie s- - W h e r e a r e y o u ? W h o w o u l d d o s u c h a th i n g ? W h o , t h a t is , b u tN a l a - - a n d , p e r h a p s ( th e u n d e r l y i n g i ss u e ), w h o i s h e ? N a l a s p e a k s i ns h i ft y t o n e s , w o r r i e d a l w a y s a b o u t h e r r e s p o n s e : I t w a s n ' t I; he w h o -e v e r h e m a y b e , w a s j u s t t r y i n g t o f i n d h i s w a y ; th e r e i s a fi r e b la z i n gi n s i d e m e ; a n d , p e r h a p s ( t h e u n d e r l y i n g i m p l i c a ti o n ) , I a m n o t w h o l l ym y s e l f .

I t i s i m p o r t a n t f o r u s t o s e e t h a t t h i s b a s i c d i s j u n c t i o n i n th e c o u p l e ' sd i s c o u r s e is n o t h e a l e d b y t h e r e m o v a l o f N a l a 's m a s k . D a m a y a n t i ' sp o s i t iv e i d e n t i f i c a t io n o f h e r h u s b a n d , a f t e r a s e r i e s o f i n t e ll ig e n t l yc o n c e i v e d a n d p o i g n a n t t r i a l s , o n l y c o n f i r m s a n d e x t e r n a l i z e s t h e g a p


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i n t h e i r c o m m u n i c a t i o n . S h e w i ll , o f c o u r s e , d u t i f u l I n d i a n w i f e t h a ts h e is , b o w a t h is f e e t; s h e w i ll e v e n s h e d t e a r s o f j o y - - o r a r e t h e y o fj o y ? 7 - - a t h is r e c o v e r y , a t h e r r e c o v e r y o f h i m , a t t h e v i c t o r y o v e rK a r l . B u t h e r q u e s t i o n , r e p l e t e a s i t i s w i t h a n e x i s t e n t i a l c h a l l e n g e ,g o e s u n a n s w e r e d o r , a t b e s t, h a l f - a n s w e r e d . V e r b a l l y , a t l e a s t - - a n d , Ib e l ie v e , n o t o n l y v e r b a l l y - - t h e r e i s a s p a c e b e t w e e n t h e m t h a t isn e v e r c r o s s e d . I n t h i s s e n s e t h e r i d d l i n g - s p e e c h o f t h e p e r i o d o fs e a r c h in g a n d d i sg u is e is t h e p r o p e r p a r a d i g m f o r th e i r c o m m u n i c a -t io n . T h e r i d d le a ls o e m b o d i e s ju s t su c h a n o p e n s p a ce , a n o w h e r et h a t s h o u l d s o m e h o w b e b r i d g e d b y t h e a n s w e r , e v e n if t h e a n s w e r h a st h e p a r a d o x i c a l e f f e c t o f v e i li n g o r d i s g u i s in g a g a i n e v e n a s i t b r i n g st h e h i d d e n s o l u t i o n t o t h e f o r e . C o u c h e d i n c o d e , t h e r i d d l e r i n g s t r u e :D a m a y a n f f s q u e s t i o n is t h e r ig h t o n e f o r N a l a , n o t m e r e l y in t h el i t e r a l w a y i n w h i c h i t i s c o n c e i v e d b u t i n t h e m u c h m o r e p e r v a s i v es e n s e t h a t t h e s t o r y a s a w h o l e s e e m s t o s u g ge s t. I t is t h e a n s w e r t h a ti s t h e l o c u s o f d if f ic u l ty , f o r e v e r y o n e - - r i d d l e r , r e s p o n d e n t , t h ee a v e s d r o p p i n g a u d i e n c e o u ts i de . W h e r e a re y o u , b e l o v e d g a m b l e r ?T h e s i m p l e a n s w e r s h o u l d b e : H e r e . O r , r a t h e r , I a m h e r e . o r ,b e t t e r s ti ll ( th i s is t h e o a t h N a l a s w o r e , a s D a m a y a n t i r e m i n d s h i m ) : IalYl.

A l l t h e m o r e s tr ik i n g , t h e n , t h a t N a l a s h i rk s t h e s e a n s w e r s , t h a t h er e s o r t s t o o b l i q u e r e s p o n s e s u n t i l t h e v e r y e n d , w h e n h e s a y s , i n e ff e c t,

N o t I - - t h e a n t i th e s i s o f e v e r y t h i n g t h e c o n t e x t l e a d s u s to e x p e c t .G i v e n t h i s r e s p o n s e , w h a t r e m a i n s o f t h e r i d d l e i s th e n p r i m a r i l y it si n n e r c o r e , th e n o w u n b r i d g a b l e g a p . N a l a w o u l d a p p e a r t o h a v e f ai le dt h e t e s t , a s h e f a i l s s o m a n y o t h e r s i n t h e c o u r s e o f h i s s t o r y . B u t i t i sp e r h a p s t i m e f o r u s t o m o v e b e y o n d t h is s o m e w h a t h o st il e a tt i t u d e too u r h e r o , t o s t o p b a d g e r in g h i m ( a s D a m a y a n t i d o e s ) a n d c o m p l a in i n go f h is i n a d e q u a t e r e s p o n s e s , a n d , i n s t e a d , t o a s k o u r s e l v e s if , u n e x -p e c t e d l y , N a l a m i g h t n o t b e s p e a k i n g th e u n c o m f o r t a b l e t r u th .

N o t I - - t h is is , p e r h a p s , a s t r o n g e r s t a t e m e n t t h a n w e m i g h tt h in k . It m a y e v e n e x p l a in w h y D a m a y a n f f c a n l o v e t hi s p e r s o n a s s h ed o e s , f o r a l l h e r r e s e n t m e n t a t h i s d e e d s . A n d i t i s n o t a c a s u a l a n s w e ro f f e r e d c a l l o u s ly , i n e x t re m i s , b u t s e e m s r a t h e r t o e x p r e s s s o m e t h i n go f N a l a 's o n g o i n g e x p e r i e n c e o f h i m s e l f. H e h a s h a d e x c e l l e n t r e a s o nt o w o n d e r a b o u t h i m s e l f d u r i n g t h e t h r e e y e a r s o f hi s d is g u is e . R e a s o n ,


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1 2 D A V I D S H U L M A Nt o o , t o a c c u s e h i m s e l f r e p e a t e d l y , i n t h e m i d s t o f h is l o n e l y e x ile .L i s t e n t o t h e q u e s t i o n h e a s k s - - n o t h i m s e lf , b u t t h e v o i d - - e a c hn i g h t o f h i s s e p a r a t i o n :W here is she ly ing to r tu red by hunger and th i rs t exhaus ted s t il l rem emb ering tha tfo o l? W h o m n o w d o e s s h e s e rv e?T h i s i s N a l a ' s r i d d l e , th e p r e c i s e e q u i v a l e n t o f D a m a y a n t F s , 8 a n d , l ik eh e r s , n e v e r r e a ll y a n s w e r e d . Y e t, i n k e e p i n g w i t h w h a t w e k n o w o f N a l a ,h e r e , t o o , w e f i n d a n i n d i r e c t io n . T h e v e r s e i s e n t i re l y in t h e t h i r dp e r s o n - - w h i le s h e a sk s , W h e r e a re y o u ? , N a l a 's q u e s t io n is W h e r ei s s h e . . . ? - - a n d , m o s t s tr ik i n g ly , t h e s p e a k e r h i m s e l f is d is t a n c e d ,a g a i n an o ther , t a sya mandasya , t h a t f o o l. E v e n w h e n N a l a 's c o m p a n i o nJ i v a l a , w h o h e a r s t h is v e r s e n i g h t a f t e r n i g h t , f i n a l l y b r i n g s h i m s e l f t oa s k N a l a f o r w h o m h e i s m o u r n i n g i n t hi s w a y k d m i m d m g o c a s en i t y a m ) - - a n i n ti m a t e l y d i r e c t q u e r y in t h e s e c o n d p e r s o n - - N a l a c a no n l y r e s p o n d a t o n e r e m o v e : S o m e f o o l h a d a w i fe , a n d h i s w o r d ,t o o , w a s i n c o n s t a n t; a n d , f o r s o m e r e a s o n o r o t h e r , t h a t fo o l b e c a m es e p a r a t e d f r o m h e r. N o w h e w a n d e r s a r o u n d m i s e ra b l y , b u r n i n g w i t hg r i e f d a y a n d n i g h t; a n d a s h e r e m e m b e r s h e r e a c h n i g h t, h e s in g s t h iso n e v e rs e . ( 1 5 . 1 3 - - 1 5 ) O n e v e r se , a n u n a n s w e r e d r i d d le , s u n g b y th eu n h a p p y m a n i t d es c ri b es , w h o m h i s c o m p a n i o n o b v i o u s l y r e c o g n iz e sa s s u c h , w h o y e t in s is ts o n s p e a k in g o f h i m s e l f a s a n a n o n y m o u s o t h e ra c t in g i n in d e t e r m i n a t e , s e e m i n g l y i n e x p l ic a b l e w a y s . N o t e v e n t h ee x i g e n c i e s o f h i s d i s g u i s e c a n e x p l a i n t h i s p e r s i s t e n t a l i e n a t i o n , w h i c h ,m o r e o v e r , a s w e s a w , su s t a in s i ts e lf p a s t t h e m o m e n t o f N a l a 's s e lf -d i s c l o s u r e .

I t is th i s t h e m e o f t h e a l i e n s e lf t h a t w e m u s t p u r s u e i f w e a r e t ou n d e r s t a n d N a l a ' s e x p e r i e n c e . O n e m i g h t , o f c o u r s e , t r y t o l i m i t i t ss c o p e t o t h a t p a r t o f th e s t o r y in w h i c h w e a r e e x p l ic i tl y t o l d t h a t N a l ai s in h a b i t e d b y a n o t h e r b e i n g , t h e v i n d i c ti v e K a l i. T h i s i s t h e a s p e c tt h a t N a l a h i m s e l f e v e n t u a l l y h ig h l ig h t s, t h a t h e w i ll u s e i n a t t e m p t i n gt o e x p l a i n h is p a s t . B u t h e r e t h e t e x t is f a r l es s c o n s t r a i n e d t h a n i tsh e r o . I f a n y t h in g , i t s e e m s t o r e g a r d t h e s t a te o f a l i e n p o s s e s s i o n a n dd i ff u se id e n t i ty a s a n i n te n s i fi c a ti o n o f a m u c h m o r e b a s ic a n d e n d u r i n gc o n d i t i o n , w h i c h a f f li ct s N a l a - - a n d n o t o n l y N a l a - - f r o m e a r l y i nt h e n a r r a t iv e . O n e m i g h t b e e x c u s e d f o r r e g a r d i n g t h e s t o r y n o t a s af a i r y - ta l e w i t h a h a p p y e n d i n g b u t a s a n i n t im a t e , s c h i z o i d n i g h t m a r e .


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T H E R I D D L E O F N A L A 3

N o t i c e , f o r e x a m p l e , t h e c o n s i s te n t w a y in w h i c h m a j o r e l e m e n t s o ft h e t e x t a r e r e p e a t e d . T h e r e a r e t w o d i c e -g a m e s , t w o svayarn, varas , tw or i d d l e s ( a n d t w o r i d d l i n g m o m e n t s ) , t w o s n a k e s i n t h e f o r e s t , t w oc h a r i o t e e r s , t w o s a b h d s ; N a l a a n d D a m a y a n t i n a t u r a l l y h a v e t w i n s ;a c c o r d i n g t o t h e T a m i l f o l k v e r s i o n , i n f e c t e d b y t h i s m a n i a f o r r e p l i c a -t io n , D a m a y a n t ~ i s h e r s e l f a t w i n ; 9 t h e r e a r e t w o c r it ic a l a p p e a r a n c e so f t h e h a m s a - b i r d s ( f i r s t a s love-messenger s , then as the d ice ) ; Na lap l a y s n o t a g a i n st a n o u t s i d e r b u t a g a i n s t h is o w n b r o t h e r , P u s k a r a , a n dt h e la t t e r i s a i d e d b y D v f tp a r a , t h e S e c o n d ( t h r o w ) ; K a r k o t a k a g i v e sN a l a a p a i r o f m a t c h e d g a r m e n t s ; e v e n o n t h e l e v e l o f n a m i n g , a sB i a r d e a u h a s r e c o g n i z e d , a~ t h e s t o r y s e e m s t o p l a y a t d o u b l i n g(Par1). ida a nd R tuparn . a ). A l m os t no th ing tha t the t ex t m en t io nsmanages to r emain in tac t , unsp l i t , o r s ingu la r , a l though themat ica l lythe re i s a l so a coun te rva i l ing d r ive toward un i ty - - th i s i s , a f t e r a l l , i nt h e m o s t g e n e r a l s e n s e , a l o v e s t o r y a b o u t t w o p e o p l e u n i t i n g a s o n e .P e r h a p s t h e m o s t t r e n c h a n t s y m b o l i c e x p re s s io n o f t hi s p r o b l e m ist h e a l m o s t o b s e s s i v e f o c u s o n t h e s i n g le g a r m e n t e k a v a s t r a ) - - t h eg a r m e n t u s e d t o c l o t h e b o t h N a l a a n d D a m a y a n t i a f t e r t h e g e e s e m a k eo f f w i t h N a l a ' s o w n s i n gl e c lo t h , a n d w h i c h N a l a c u t s i n t w o a s h ea b a n d o n s D a m a y a n t i i n t h e f o r e s t . H e r e i s h o w t h e T a m i l p o e tP u k a l e n t i d e s c r i b e s th i s d e c i si v e m o m e n t :

T a k i n g h o l d o f t h a t s in g l e g a r m e n th e c u t i t i n t w os o t h a t o n e s p i r i ts p l i t i n t w oa n d h i s l o v e w a s c u ta t t he roo t . 11

T h e y h a v e b e e n w a n d e r i n g t o g e t h e r , b o d y a g a i n s t b o d y , u n d e r t h es a m e c l o t h e k a v a s t r a s a r n v f t a u , 1 0 . 4 ) , a n d D a m a y a n t i a t l e a s t f i n d sno th ing t e r r ib le in th i s : in the Tami l fo lk t ex t , she r ebukes Na la fo rm o u r n i n g t h e l o ss o f h is o w n c lo t h e s: A f t e r lo s in g y o u r e n ti r e k i n g d o m ,y o u f e e l s o r r y a b o u t a s i n g le g a r m e n t ? ''1 2 B u t t h e s in g le g a r m e n t i s n o ta n i n n o c e n t l o ss ; t h is i s t h e u l t im a t e s t a g e in t h e p r o c e s s o f N a l a 'sr e d u c t i o n f r o m k i n g t o b e g g e r , t o a s ta t e o f i n s u p p o r t a b l e n a k e d n e s s

a n d n o t o n l y i n a n e x t e r n a l , v i s i b l e s e n s e . H e h a s n o c t o t h e sv i v as t r a , 1 0 . 5 ) w h e n D a m a y a n t i l i e s d o w n t o s l e e p , a n d h e h a s t od i v i d e t h e i r r e m a i n i n g c o v e r b e f o r e h e c a n l e a v e h e r . C l e a r l y , t h i s a c t


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4 DAVID SHULMAN

o f d i v is i o n g o e s d e e p e r , a s t h e T a m i l p o e t h i n ts ; N a l a i s m a k i n g as in g le b e i n g i n t o t w o , a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e d e s t r o y i n g h i s lo v e . H a l f ag a r m e n t w i ll n o w c o v e r e a c h o f tw o b e i n g s w h o a r e , a t b e st , b u t h a l ft h e m s e l v e s . A s i n g l e e x i s t e n c e h a s b r o k e n o p e n i n t o t w o i s o l a t e d a n du n h a p p y p a r t s. B u t i n N a l a s c a s e t h e p r o c e s s o f b i f u r c a t io n c o n t i n u e su n a b a t e d : h e c a n h a r d l y b r i n g h i m s e l f t o l e a v e , h i s h e a r t is t o r n i n t ot w o p a r t s dvidheva hrd aya m tasya duh. khitasydbhavat tadd, 1 0 . 2 7 ) , h es w i ng s b a c k a n d f o r t h u n t i l K a l i , f r o m w i t h in , d r a g s h i m a w a y dolevam uh ur 6ydti yd ti ca iva sabh dm prati /avakrs t.as tu kal ind m ohi ta hprddravan nalah. , 1 0 . 2 7 - - 2 8 ) . L e a v i n g D a m a y a n t i - - i n th e m o s tp s y c h o l o g i c a l l y d e v a s t a t i n g m o m e n t o f t h e i r j o i n t li fe - - N a l a a p p e a r st o u s a s a s u n d e r e d , f i ss i le , s e l f - f r a g m e n t i n g b e i n g , s t r i p p e d t o t h et h i n n e s t o f c o v e r i n g s , n o t e v e n a w a r e , y e t , o f th e a l ie n p r e s e n c e t h a th a s t a k e n o v e r p a r t o f h is i n n e r e x i s t e n ce .

H e i s m a d : nastdtmd, gatacetana ( 1 0 . 2 9 , 1 9 ). H e h a s ju s t t o l d h e rh e w o u l d s o o n e r a b a n d o n h i m s e l f t h a n h e r tya feyam aham dtrndnamna caivarn tvdm, 9 . 3 0) - - a n d p e r h a p s t h is is w h a t h a s r e a ll y h a p p e n e d .H i s s e lf , s u c h a s i t i s, h a s h a r d l y s u r v i v e d i n t a c t f r o m t h e r u p t u r e .T h i s s t a t e m e n t is n o t m e a n t t o b e i r o ni c: w h o c o u l d v o u c h f o r t h ew h o l e n e s s o f N a l a s s e lf u p t o t h i s p o i n t ? T h i s i s n o t t h e f i r s t t i m e h eh a s e x p e r i e n c e d a f a r - r e a c h i n g f r a c t u r e . R a t h e r , t h e s c e n e i n t h e f o r e s t ,w h i c h s p li ts h i m i n t e r n a l l y , a s t h e p r e l u d e t o a s til l m o r e e x t r e m et r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f i d e n t i ty , is , i n a s e n s e , n o m o r e t h a n t h e i n t e r n a l i z a -t i o n o f a p r o c e s s p r e v i o u s l y e n c o u n t e r e d o n t h e o u t s i d e . T h i s i s a m a nw h o h a s s e e n h i m s e l f r e p r o d u c e d i n q u a d ru p l i c a te , w h o h a s s t o o d b e -s id e f o u r p a l p a b l e m i r r o r - im a g e s o f h i m s e lf , w h o s e i d e n t it y b o u n d a r i e sh a v e b e e n s u b j e c te d t o o n e s h o c k a f t e r a n o t h e r - - n o t o n l y a t t h e t im eo f t h e svayamvara, w h e n h i s h u m a n i t y s u r p r i s in g l y s a ve s h i m , b u t a l s oi n t h e c o u r s e o f th e n e g o t i a t io n s l e a d i n g u p t o t h i s e v e n t. T h e f is si -p a r o u s , d e s p a i r in g h e r o o f th e f o r e s t w h o s e v er s t h e la s t e m b o d i m e n to f w h o l e n e s s i n h i s l i fe is l iv i ng o u t a n i n e s c a p a b l e a n d p e r s i s te n t l yd i v is i ve p r o c e s s i n it ia t e d , w e m a y w e l l f e e l, a t th e m o m e n t h e f i rs th e a r d o f t h e l o v e l y D a m a y a n t i , a n d f e ll i n lo v e .

N a l a s p r i m a r y e x p e r ie n c e , e n a c t e d i n v a ry i n g m a n n e r s a t d i f fe r e n tp o i n t s i n h i s c a r e e r , i s t h a t o f w a t c h i n g r e a l i t y - - his r e a l i t y , i n n e r a n do u t e r - - s p l in t e r a n d r e p r o d u c e i ts e lf . H i s r e c u r r e n t c o m p l a i n t , t h ew o r d m o s t o f t e n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h i s r e d u c e d o r t r a n s f i g u r e d s t a t e , i s


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T H E R I D D L E O F N A L A 15vaisamya -- l it e ra l ly u n e v e n n e s s , n o n - s a m e n e s s , t h e a s y m m e t r ic a ld iv i s ion an d r ep l i ca t ion o f the sh a t t e r e d wh o le . 13 In i ti a lly the m os te v e n a n d s a m e o f m e n , a v e r it a b le p a r a g o n o f s ta ti c s y m m e t r y a n dp e r f e c t i o n , u n e n l i v e n e d b y e v e n t h e l e a s t in d i v i d u a l f ai li n g o r f la w ,Na la i s d r iven in to a s e r i e s o f u t t e r ly a l i en d i s loca t ions , o f d i s jo in tedvaisamya s ta tes . Th i s s e r ie s , su re ly , l i es a t the h ea r t o f the s to ry an di t s f a sc ina t ion ; i t i s th i s tha t the Ep ic na r r a to r , B . rhada iva , s eeks toc o m m u n i c a t e t o Y u d h i s t h ir a b y w a y o f c o m f o r ti n g h i m i n h is o w n a ll-t o o - s i m i l a r c o u r s e . H e r e i s t h e s e q u e n c e : N a l a i s w h o l e , a p r o p e r l yc o m p o s e d a c c u m u l a t i o n o f all v ir tu e s upapanno gun.air istaih, 1.1); hef al ls in l o v e - - t h e f ir s t i n t r u s io n o f th e o t h e r a n d t h e u n b a l a n c e d i n t oh i s i n n e r w o r l d , w h i c h b e g i n s s l o w l y t o d i sa g g r e g a te ; h e i s c o - o p t e d b yt h e g o d s i n to s p e a k i n g o n t h e i r b e h a lf , a g a in s t h is o w n v o i c e - - t h ef i r s t , o n l y s e e m i n g l y a b o r t i v e m o v e m e n t o f a l i e n a t i o n , s o o n t o b er e s u m e d ; h e s t a n d s b e s i d e h i s r e p l ic a t e d s e l f a t t h e svayamvara, andi s r e c o g n i z e d a n d t h u s t e m p o r a r i l y s a v e d f r o m i n n e r d i s s o l u t i o n b yD a m a y a n t i; b e c a u s e o f a ri tu a l e r r o r, h e b e c o m e s p o s s e s s e d b y K a rla n d i s s o o n d i v e s t e d o f a ll h e o w n s ; n o w t h e p r o c e s s o f i n n e r f i s s u r ea c c e l e r a t e s , h e s p l i ts t h e r e m a i n i n g t o k e n o f u n i t y a n d , u n a b l e t o h o l dh i s p ro l i f e r a t ing s e lves toge the r , de pa r t s in the d i r ec t ion o f u t t e r lya l i en d i sgu i s e . However exo t i c the s e t t ing o f th i s s to ry , the under ly~mge x p e r i e n c e i s , p e r h a p s , n o t s o r e m o t e f r o m u s a s w e m i g h t w i s h :I m a g i n e n o w a m a n w h o i s d e p r i v e d o f e v e r y o n e h e l o v e s a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e o f irish o u s e h i s h a b i t s h i s cl o t h e s i n s h o r t o f e v e r y t h i n g h e p o s s e s s es : h e w il l b e a h o l l o wm a n r e d u c e d t o s u ff e r in g a n d n e e d s f o r g e t f u l o f d i g n i ty a n d r e s t r a i n t f o r h e w h ol o s e s a l l o f t e n e a s i ly l o s e s h i m s e l f J 4

T h u s t h e l a t e P r i m o L e v i , r e f e r r i n g t o a d i f f e r e n t c a t a s t r o p h e . T h ed i f f e r e n c e l ie s in t h e f a c t t h a t f o r t h e Nalopdkhydna, s u c h l o s s e s a r el e ss a s in g u la r , a b e r r a n t h o r r o r t h a n a k i n d o f n o r m , a n d i n th e p e r -c e p t i o n t h a t N a l a ' s e r o s i o n o f s e l f a c t u a l ly b e g i n s c o n s i d e r a b l y b e f o r ethe ch a in o f h i s ex te rna l lo s ses .

I N S I D E T H E M I R R O RY o u m ay o b je c t tha t a ll th i s is , a f t e r a ll, r a the r specu la t ive ; tha t thet e x t n e v e r e x p l i c i t l y c o n n e c t s t h e svayam,vara n i g h t m a r e t o N a l a ' s l a t e r


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1 6 DAVI D SHUL MAN

inner d iv i s ions and d i sgu i se ; above a l l , tha t I am ignor ing the p r inc ipa lexp la na t ion tha t the t ex t i t s e l f o f f e r s fo r N a la s b iza r re b eha v io r , i .e .h i s t ake -over by Ka l i . And , you migh t s ay , th i s , too , has a s imple ,e x t e r n a l , t e c h n i c a l e x p l a n a t i o n , t h e r i t u a l m i s t a k e N a l a m a d e w h i c h l e f ta t in y p o i n t o f h i s a n k l e d r y w h e n h e w a s h e d . 15 S o - - h a d i t n o t b e e nf o r th i s in a d v e r t e n t e r r o r , N a l a s p e r f e c t e x i s te n c e c o u l d h a v e c o n t i n u e df o r e v e r ; t h e s t o r y d o c u m e n t s a n e e d l e s s i n t e r r u p t i o n i n a n o n g o i n grea l i za t ion o f the hum an idea l. Th i s i s a li tt l e l ike read ing the I l i ada s a n u n e x p e c t e d b y - p r o d u c t o f t h e u n f o r t u n a t e f a c t th a t A c h i l le sm o t h e r , T h e t i s , h a d t o h o l d o n t o h i m s o m e w h e r e w h i l e d i p p i n g h i m i nt h e S t y x . I w i l l n e v e r t h e l e s s h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o s a y a b o u t K a l i i n a f e wm o m e n t s . Y o u m a y , o f c o u r s e , s till b e r ig h t - - p e r h a p s t h is is a s to rya b o u t p o s s e s s i o n a n d h o w t o a v o i d i t , o r , a t t h e l e a s t , w h a t a t t i t u d e t oa d o p t i f i t c o m e s o v e r y o u d e s p i t e y o u r b e s t e f f or t s (Y u d h i st h ir a sr e c o m m e n d e d p o s i t i o n ) ; o r , t a k i n g a s o m e w h a t w i d e r p e r s p e c t i v e ,a b o v e t h e d e t e r m i n i sm o f f at e , w h i c h o v e r p o w e r e d e v e n s o p e r f e c t ap e r s o n a s N a l a , b u t w h i c h a l s o b a l a n c e d i ts e lf i n t h e e n d b y r e s t o r in gh im, w i l ly -n il ly , to h i s fo r m er e s ta te ( the pe r spe c t ive , pe rhap s , o f thef r a m e - s t o r y o f t h e B o o k o f J o b ) . B u t I d o u b t it, a n d I a m n o t q u i t ea l o n e i n d o u b t i n g i t. M u c h o f th e I n d i a n l i te r a r y t r a d it i o n , w h i c h h a sb e e n s o t a k e n u p w i t h t h i s s t o r y o v e r s o m a n y c e n t u r i e s , a l s o f o c u s e so n N a l a s p e c u l i a r p r o b l e m s o f i d e n t it y , o f k n o w i n g o r r e c o g n i z in ghimself .

T a k e , f o r e x a m p l e , g r ih a r s a s f a m o u s k d v y a t h e Nai sadh iyacar i t aw h i c h i s i n t e r e s te d o n l y i n t h e e a r l y p a r t o f th e s t o r y ( it b r e a k s o f fb e f o r e t h e d i c e - g a m e ) . W h e n N a l a e n t e r s t h e a s s e m b l y a t t h e t i m e o ft h e svayarn vara a n d e n c o u n t e r s t h e f o u r g o d s d i s se m b l i n g th e m s e l v e sin h i s own fo rm, th i s i s wha t he s ays :

n o b h a v i l d b h t i h k i m u d a rp a ka g c a /b h a v a n t i n d s a t y a y u t a u b h a v a n t a hJust who are you Purfiravas and Kfima togethe r with the two Agvins?(lo.45).

S t a ri n g a t h is o w n i m a g e , h e s e e s o n l y t h e t ra d i t i o n a l e x e m p l a r s o fm a l e b e a u t y - - a n d , c h a r a c t e r i st i c a ll y i n m y v i e w , f a il s t o r e c o g n i z eh imse l f . The svayam vara i t s e l f w i l l co r rec t th i s mis take ( in de v iou s


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T H E R I D D L E O F N L 17ways, appropriate to k d v y a ) and, at the same time, set the stage forthe far more severe identity-crisis still to come.I would like to highlight two aspects of ahis early, preparatory stageof the story insofar as it relates to the question of Nala's self-perceptionand the articulation of his identity. First is the fact that here, as later,this identity depends, in moments of doubt, upon the outside voice ofDamayant~. From the onset of their love, Nala is oriented, for purposesof his own self-recognition, toward her. It is Damayant~ who must pickhim out from the series of five identical images; Nala can make nomove to help her. This dependence wilt be reenacted at the end of hisperiod in disguise, as we know. S h e puts him through the various trialsof anagnorisis, and she will be the one to force an ultimate confessionof identity. This, apparently, is how things should be. It is as if Nalaspends his life not in the mode of the Socratic imperative -- g n d t h is ' a u t o n - - but in epistemological hunger for the woman outside him,to whom he cries: Please know m e " This dependence is more than alittle meaningful in the context of the identity-confusion which isNala's constant affliction.

Secondly, the not ion of mirroring is relevant here in a specific way.The early chapters of the text, up to the s v a y a m v a r a , show us theheroes in love from afar, a love mediated by the geese-messengers.The world is still perfect and utterly symmetrical; one paragon falls inlove by hearsay with another. So pat terned and conventional is thissequence, and so closely related to the alleged perfection of each ofthe two lovers, that one would be tempted to say that, at this stage,each has fallen in love primarily with an image of his or her own self.The two passions mirror one another to perfection. But Nala alreadysuffers from the specific deficiency of the mirror-image -- not merelya generalized lack of autonomy, but the more individualized andcritical inability to speak for oneself. He speaks to Damayantg, at theirfirst meeting, with the words of the gods. However honorable, hisbehavior expresses an inner falseness, which Damayanti characteristi-cally perceives and immediately rejects. Nala has not yet learned tospeak when the crucial day of the svayam, vara arrives, a day whollygiven over to mirrors and reflections -- indeed, the last such momentin the story, since at this point Nala, the mute image, confronted withhis own unsettling reflections, begins his fall t h r o u g h the cognitively


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1 8 D A V I D S H U L M A Nc r i p p li n g a n d d i s o r i e n t in g m i r r o r i n t o a b r o k e n , d i s i n te g r a t i n g w o r l d .N a l a e n t e r s i n t o t h e l o o k i n g - g la s s b e f o r e f a ll in g f r o m h i s th r o n e .

I t t a k e s t i m e , o f c o u r s e : i n t h e m e a n t i m e l o v e - i n - u n i t y w il l f l o u r is h ,t h e t w i n s w i l l b e b o r n ; K a l i , a s w e k n o w , i s l u r k i n g r e s t l e s s l y i n t h ew i n g s . I t w o u l d b e q u i t e w r o n g f o r u s t o t r i v i a l i z e t h e r o m a n c e o ft h e s e t w o l o v e r s , e v e n t o c o r r o d e i t w i t h s k e p t i c i s m . B u t n e i t h e rs h o u l d w e a s s u m e t h a t a l l i s e n t i r e l y a s i t s h o u l d b e w i t h o u r p r o t a -g o n i st . T h e s t o r y d o c u m e n t s a p r o c e s s , a n d h a s a t e l e o lo g y . I t r e v o l v e sa r o u n d a d o u b l e m y s t e r y , t h e m y s t e r y o f t w o b e i ng s b e c o m e o n e , a n do f a s u p p o s e d l y s i n g l e p e r s o n s p l i t t i n g i n t o t w o . T h e s a m e m y s t e r yi n f o r m s t h e r i d d l e , w i t h it s e s s e n t i a l tw o t ie r s , it s i m a g i s t i c u n i f y i n g o fn o r m a l l y s e p a r a t e r e a l m s , w h i c h t h e n d i v e r g e a g a i n i n t h e s o l u ti o n . 16T h e s t o r y s e e m s t o p o s e N a l a a s th e q u e s t io n , D a m a y a n t i a s th ea n s w e r ( th is is N a l a 's o w n d e m a n d ) : W h o a m I ? Y o u a r e ( th ep e r s o n , t h e h u m a n b e i n g ) N a l a . T h r o u g h a l l h e r t ra v a i ls , s h e r e m a i n sl u c id , a n d c o n s p i c u o u s l y u n d i s g u i s e d ( a l t h o u g h s h e is r e d u c e d t o t h es o i le d , d i s h e v e l l e d s ta t e o f t h e w o m a n / g o d d e s s i n e xi le , s o r e m i n i s c e n to f D r a u p a d ~ , i n p o i g n a n t c o n t r a st to h e r h u s b a n d . S h e e m b o d i e s f a it ha n d c o n t i n u i t y , w h i l e h e s e e m s a n e x e r c i s e in d i s c o n t i n u o u s e v o l u t i o n ,o n a ll l ev e ls - - e x t e r n a l ly , i n t e r m s o f t h e i n n e r m o u l d i n g o f h isi d e n t i ty , a n d o n t h e l e v e l o f h is s e l f - e x p e r i e n c e a n d a w a r e n e s s . T h eo n l y a s p e c t o f h is e x i s t e n c e t h a t i s n e v e r i n d o u b t is h is h u m a n i t y , i.e .t h a t a s p e c t w h i c h g u i d e d D a m a y a n t i ' s c h o i c e . I n t h i s r e s p e c t t h e s t o r ys t a n d s o u t a s a n a n t i t h e si s t o t h e p e r v a s i v e I n d i a n p a t t e r n o f u p w a r dm a r i t a l m o b i l it y , w i t h a g o d o r g o d d e s s a s p r e f e r r e d s p o u s e o r l o v e r( h o w e v e r p r o b l e m a t i c s u c h m a r r i a g e s m a y t u r n o u t t o b e ) . 17 N a l a i sc h o s e n a s a m a n , a n d a p p e a r s t o e x e m p l i f y a c e r t a in u n d e r s t a n d i n g o fw h a t i t m e a n s t o b e a m a n J s B u t i f t h is is t h e c a s e , i f N a l a s h o w s u sm a n a s a ri d d l e , as a c o n u n d r u m o f f r a c t u r e d , m u l t i p le i d e n ti ti e s , t h e nw e m a y w e ll w o n d e r a b o u t t h e a d e q u a c y o f D a m a y a n t i ' s s o lu t io n .T h e d o u b t a r t i c u l a te d b y t h e s t o r y g o e s b e y o n d t h e m y s t e r y o f t h el o v e r s ' u n i o n ; t h e t e x t a r ti c u l a te s n o t o n l y t h e o b v i o u s a n d d i f fi c u ltq u e s t i o n o f w h e t h e r t w o c a n e v e r b e o n e ( as t h e r i d d l e f a l se l y s u g ge s ts ),b u t a ls o th e e v e n m o r e t r o u b li n g a n d r o o t e d p r o b l e m o f w h e t h e r o nc a n e v e r b e o n e . T h e a s p e c t o f t h e r i d d l e t h a t i s m o s t s a l i e n tl y m a d ep r e s e n t b y t h i s s t o r y i s n o t t h a t o f c o d i n g a n d d e c o d i n g , o f c o n c e a l i n ga n d r e v e al in g - - t h o u g h N a l a 's c y c le o f i c o n ic p a r a g o n t o n a k e d


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T H E R I D D L E O F N A L A 1 9b e g g e r t o d i s g u is e d d w a r f t o p a r a g o n a g a in d o e s e m b o d y t h is a s p e c ta s w e l l - - b u t r a t h e r t h a t o f a l i e n a t io n a n d i d e n t i ty , t h e i n t e g r a t in g o rd i s - i n t e g r a t i n g p o t e n t i a l o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l , s e l f - q u e s t i o n i n g b e i n g .

A l l o f th is m a y m a k e N a l a 's s e e m i n g ly e v a si ve a n s w e r t o D a m a y a n t i- - n o t I , o r n o t o n l y I - - m o r e i n te l li g ib l e . H e h a s , a f t e r a ll , l e a r n e ds o m e t h i n g f r o m h i s e x p e r ie n c e . B u t h e r e w e m u s t b e c a u t io u s t o a v o i da n o v e r l y r o m a n t i c v i e w o f h i s i n n e r e v o l u t io n . I h a v e s p o k e n o f ac e r t a i n t e l e o l o g y i m p l ic i t i n t h e u n f o l d i n g o f N a l a 's c a r e e r . I t s e e m sc l e a r t o m e t h a t th e r o m a n t i c p r e l u d e , u p t o a n d i n c l u d in g th es v a y a m v a r a , is h i g h l y r e l e v a n t t o a l l t h e s u b s e q u e n t e v e n t s o f t h e s t o r y ,s e e n i n te r m s o f N a l a ' s i n n e r n e s s a n d s e l f- a w a r e n e s s . B u t it w o u l d b et o o s i m p l e t o r e g a r d t h e d i s g u i s e d B f i h u k a ' s c o n s c i o u s n e s s a s m o r e

t r u e , m o r e e s s e n t ia l l y a w a r e , t h a n t h a t o f t h e n o b l e k i n g b e f o r e h i si n t o x i c a t i o n a n d f al l. N a l a i n d i s g u is e is n o m o r e h i m s e l f t h a n N a l a o nh i s t h r o n e . 19 I t i s n o t m e r e l y a q u e s t i o n o f e x p a n d i n g i d e n t i t y toi n c o r p o r a t e s o m e i n it ia l ly e x c l u d e d a s p e c t o r a s p e c t s , a l t h o u g h s u c h ad e v e l o p m e n t d o e s t a k e p l a c e i n th is , a s in s o m a n y s to r ie s f r o m t h eE p i c. T h e m o r e b a s ic t h e m e h a s t o d o w i t h t h e n a t u r e o f h u m a ni d e n t i t y a s s u c h , w i t h t h e m e a n i n g o f h a v i n g a s e lf . T h i s i s t h e t e le o -l o g ic a l t h r u s t o f w h i c h I h a v e s p o k e n . T o u n d e r s t a n d i t, w e h a v e t ol o o k , a t la s t, a t t h e r o l e o f K a l i a n d o f f a te .

D A I V A , D E V A N A , A N D T H E S A C R I F I C Etasya daivdt prasa~igo bhftdatimdtram sma devane~ of fate, he becam e excessivelyattached to the dice.(Damayanti to the Ce di Queen-Mother,13.57)

N a l a i s p r e s e n t e d t o u s, a n d p r e s e n t s h i m s e l f t o o t h e r s , a s h a v i n g b e e np o s s e s s e d b y t h e e v i l K a l i , i.e . t h e p r e s e n t d e g e n e r a t e p e r i o d o f ti m e ;t h e p o s s e s s i o n t r a n s p i r e s b e c a u s e o f a r i t u a l o v e r s i g h t b u t i s i m m e -d i a te l y d ir e c t e d t o w a r d t h e d i c e - m a t c h t h a t w ill d e t e r m i n e N a l a 'se x p e r i e n c e ; N a l a i s d i s p o s s e s s e d o n l y a f t e r a c q u i r i n g t h e s e c r e t k n o w l -e d g e c a l l e d a k s .a h r .d a y a , h e a r t o f t h e d ic e . W e m u s t a s k o u r s e lv e s


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2 0 D VID SHULM Nwhat th i s knowledge r ea l ly i s , and how i t d i f f e ren t i a t e s the r esu l t s o f ,a n d n o d o u b t a l so t h e p r o c e s s o f p la y in g , th e t w o d i c e - g a m e s . A n dt h e r e a r e o t h e r q u e s t i o n s : w h a t i s t h e r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n d i c i n g a n dp o s s e s s i o n ? B e t w e e n d i c i n g devana) a n d f a t e daiva), f r e q u e n t l yj u x t a p o s e d b y o u r t ex t, i n d e e d b y t h e e p i c a s a w h o l e ? 2~ J u s t w h a td o e s p o s s e s s i o n m e a n ? A r e t h e r e i d e n t i ty - b o u n d a r i e s t h a t s u r v iv eK a l i's i n v a s io n o f N a l a ' s b o d y a n d m i n d ?

T h e a n s w e r t o t h e l a s t q u e s t i o n i s c l e a r l y , y e s - - N a l a i s c e r t a i n l ya w a r e o f h i m s e l f , a t v a r i o u s p o i n t s , a s d i s t i n c t f r o m t h e d a r k f o r c e sw i t h i n h i m . N o t , p e r h a p s , d u r i n g t h e f i r s t d i c e - g a m e , w h e n h e i sd e s c r i b e d a s w h o l ly m a d ; p e r h a p s n o t e v e n i n t h e f o re s t, w h e n K a lim a n a g e s t o d r a g h i m a w a y f r o m D a m a y a n t i, t h o u g h o n l y af te r afu r ious inner s t rugg le ; bu t de f in i t e ly l a t e r , du r ing h i s ex i l i c pe r iod , fo rexa m ple w he n he s ings, n igh t a f t e r n igh t, the s ing le ve r s e o f m ourn ingt h a t c o n t a i n s t h e e s s e n c e o f hi s l o ss . I t i s n o t K a l i w h o m o u r n s i n th i sw a y . N a l a i s a l s o s a i d t o e x p e r i e n c e h i s i n n e r w o r l d a s o n f i r e - - ad o u b l e f l a m e , w i t h K a l i b u r n i n g h im e v e n a s K a r k o t a k a ' s p o i s o n a n dD a m a y a n t i 's c u r s e b u r n K a l i. T h i s a w a r e n e s s s u r e l y p l a c e s N a l ab e y o n d a n y s i m p l e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h h i s p o s s e s s i n g d e m o n , a s d o e st h e f a c t o f h is o n g o i n g i n n e r c o n f li c t o v e r t h e c o u r s e h e f o l lo w s .

T h a t s a i d , w e c a n r e t u r n t o o u r e a r l i e r i n t u i t i o n t h a t w o u l d c o u n t e ra n y r e a d in g o f t hi s s t o ry a s t h e a c c o u n t o f a g o o d m a n ' s t e m p o r a r yd e f e a t b y p u r e l y e x t e r n a l f o r c e s ( K a l i , t i m e , f a t e ) . N a l a i s o v e r p o w e r e da n d d r i v e n , b u t n o t f r o m o u t s i d e ; a n d e v e n i n t e r n a l l y , t h e r e a r e p a r t so f h i m t h a t e s c a p e K a l i 's t y r a n n i c a l g r ip . T h e K a t h a k a l i v e r s i o n o f t h es to ry even has Kar l h imse l f s ay someth ing to th i s e f f ec t , a t the c r i t i ca lm o m e n t w h e n h e , K a li , is f o r c e d o u t o f N a l a ' s b o d y : Y o u h u m i l ia t e dI n d r a a n d t h e g o d s b y m a r r y in g D a m a y a n t i , a n d y o u h a v e p a i d t h e p r ic e- - l o s in g t h e d i c e - g a m e , s u f fe r in g i n t h e f o r e s t , f o rg e t t in g D a m a y a n t i ,b o d i l y d i s fi g u r e m e n t , l o s s o f r e p u t a t i o n , s e r v i t u d e t o a n o t h e r . Y o ub l a m e m e f o r a ll th is - - w h a t c a n I s a y t o s o m e o n e l i k e y o u , w h oa lways t r i e s to b la m e ano the r? ''2a Na la r igh t ly ob jec t s to th is sp ee ch asd i s i n g e n u o u s , b u t i t s v e r y p r e s e n c e i n t h e s t o ry , a t t h is i u n c t u r e ,s u g g e s t s t h a t i t i s n o t w i t h o u t a c e r t a i n f o r c e . E q u i p p e d w i t h h i s n e wk n o w l e d g e , N a l a c a n b u l l y K a l i in t o s u b m i s s i o n ; K a li 's p a r t i n g a r g u -m e n t h a n g s , u n a n s w e r e d , i n t h e a i r . W e a r e f a c e d a g a i n w i t h t h ec e n t r a l p r o b l e m o f N a l a ' s r e s p o n s i b i li t y a s r e f r a c t e d t h r o u g h t h e


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T H E R I D D L E O F N L 21broken prism of his identity. Who has acted here? How much of Nalahas been present all along? How much remains of him in the end?We should notice that this series of issues, together with thedominant narrative focus on the theme of possession out of whichthey emerge, constitutes a separate axis from the series relating toNala's love for Damayanti and its recurrent trials. The latter seriesrevolves around the hero's horizontal bonding with a cleary distin-guished other, however we may understand this other person's self-definition and assumed roles. I will refer to this set as the axis ofotherness, noting that such an axis need not be entirely limited to thelove-attachment but may extend also to relationships such as thatbetween the rival brothers. Nala's transformation through possessionfollows a rather different logic rand direction, which I shall call theaxis of innerness, since it transpires entirely within Nala's own self

or selves in what we might imagine, if we need a graphic image, as avertical mode. As is the case with the horizontal axis, the axis of

innerness never shows us a single, perfectly integrated fit, or a clearprogression from one lucidly articulated state to another. It is more ofan evolving series of partially overlapping self-images. The two axesobviously share certain features. As we shall see, they are also capableof intersecting. They may also make use of the same symbolic means:thus the Nalaccakk i ravar t t i ka ta i explicitly asserts that the goldenbirds, whom we first meet as messengers of love responsible formotivating the heroes' action and feeling along the axis of otherness,reappear in the story -- another conspicuous instance of the drivetoward doubling -- in a remarkable transformation, as the aks.as, thedice, come to complete the process of despoiling the erstwhile king byremoving his own remaining garment.22 This time they are messengersof Kali/gani, by now comfortably ensconced inside Nala, and thusthey emerge from and move along the inner, vertical axis. It is perhapssignificant that in this case the emblem of connection (the golden h a m s aas matchmaker) is also the harbinger of separation and destruction.

If we wish to understand the dynamics that rule the axis of innerness,and, in particular, to explore the transition that takes place withinNala with the acquisition of the aksahrdaya , we have to understandsomething of the ancient Indian game of dice. Our knowledge of thegame, as it was originally played, is unfortunately incomplete. Never-


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2 2 D A V I D S H U L M A Nt h e l e s s , s e v e r a l m a j o r a s p e c t s a r e c l e a r e n o u g h Y I n a l l l i k e l i h o o d ,N a l a ' s d i c e - g a m e , a s d i s t i n c t f r o m t h e e a r l i e r , V e d i c t y p e s , w a s a k i n t ot h e g a m e k n o w n t o d a y a s chaupar in N o r t h I n d i a ( th e s o u r c e o f o u rg a m e o f p a c h e e s i o r p a r c h e es i ). H e r e t h e b o a r d is c o n s ti t u te d b y t w oi n t e r s e c t i n g a x e s , d i v i d e d i n t o s q u a r e s ; e a c h p l a y e r i s r e p r e s e n t e d b ys e v e ra l p ie c e s , t h e o b j e c t b e i n g to m o v e t h e s e p i e c e s - - i n a c c o r d a n c ew i t h t h e f a ll o f t h e d i c e , a n d t h e p l a y e r ' s t a c t ic a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n s - - i n t ot h e e m p t y s p a c e w h e r e t h e t w o a x e s m e e t . T h a t p l a y e r w in s w h o f i rs tb r i n g s a l l h i s p i e c e s i n t o t h i s e m p t y c e n t e r . I t i s u n d o u b t e d l y w r o n g t oi m a g i n e t h a t t h is g a m e is e i t h e r o n e o f p u r e c h a n c e o r e n t i r e l y a na r t fu l e x e r c i s e o f sk ill; r a t h e r, w h a t c o m e s i n to p l a y is s o m e c o m b i n a -t i o n o f k n o w l e d g e , o f a s p e c i a l iz e d k i n d , a n d t h e e x t e r n a l iz a t i o n o ft h o s e p o w e r f u l a n d s t r u c t u r e d f o r c e s o p e r a ti n g w i t h in t h e p l a y e r a n daf fec t ing h i s ev e ry mov e . ( I t i s in th is s ense tha t the d ice ga m e i sd e p e n d a b l y r e l a t e d t o d i v i n a t i o n . ) C h a n c e , i n t h e m o d e r n s e n s e ,p r o b a b l y d o e s n o t e x i st a t a ll w i t h i n t hi s s p h e r e ( o r , i n d e e d , w i t h int h e E p i c u n i v e r s e t h a t c o n t a i n s a n d h i g h l i g h t s t h e g a m e ) - - b u t n e i t h e ri s t h e d i c e - g a m e w h o l l y d e t e r m i n e d ; q u i t e t h e c o n t r a r y i s t h e c a s e .M u c h u n c e r t a i n t y a t t e n d s t h e w o r k i n g o u t o f t h e p l a y e r ' s i n n e r s t a te s ,e s p e c i a l ly i n s o f a r a s t h e y a r e c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y t h e d r i v e s t o w a r df ragm en ta t ion , con fus ion , s e l f -a l i ena t ion , and , ab ov e a ll, ma dnes s . 24T h e d i c e a ll o w th e s e f o r c e s t o o p e r a t e w i th i n t h e s t r u ct u r ed , m o d u l a rc o s m o s e s t a b f is h e d b y t h e f r a m e a n d r u le s o f p la y .

T h e s t r i k i n g p o i n t , f o r o u r p u r p o s e s , i s t h a t t h i s c o s m o s i s c o n -s t r u c t e d a r o u n d c e r t a i n p r i m a r y , g e n e r a t i v e t e n s i o n s . W e m i g h t t h i n ko f t h e p i e c es m o v i n g th r o u g h t h e m o d e l / b o a r d a s e m b o d y i n g t h ea s p e c t o f fr a g m e n t a t i o n a n d d i s co n t in u i ty a l w a y s c o n s e q u e n t u p o n t h ee n t r y i n t o p l a y . L i k e t h e s a c r i f i c e , t h e d i c e - g a m e t a k e s t h e w o r l d a p a r tb e f o r e a l l o w i n g f o r i t s r e c o n s t i t u t i o n . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e d i c et h e m s e lv e s , w i t h t h ei r n u m b e r e d e y e s, a r e a c o n d e n s e d f o r m o fc o n n e c t i v i t y : k n o w i n g t h e c o m b i n a t i o n s , t h e c o i n c i d e n c e s a n d r e s o n -a n c e s b e t w e e n a n y g i ve n t h ro w a n d th e n u m b e r e d a n d h ie r a rc h i ca l lyo r d e r e d e l e m e n t s i n t h e c o s m o s ( t h e c a r d i n a l d i r e c t i o n s , t h e a r r a n g e -m e n t o f s y l l a b l e s i n m e t r e s a n d mantras t h e a e o n s w h i c h m a r k t h eu n r o l l i n g o f t i m e , a n d s o o n ) i s a w a y o f r e - c o m p o s i n g a d i s a r t i c u l a t e du n i v e rs e , t h e r e b y a l s o b ri n gi ng u n d e r s o m e s e m b l a n c e o f c o n t r o l t h ep r o c e s s e s o f d i s p e r s a l a n d c a t e g o r y c o n f u s i o n , i n s i d e a n d o u t . 25 T o


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T H E R I D D L E O F N A L A 2 3pur sue the s ac r i f i c i a l ana logy : the r i tua l shou ld end , in bo th cases , w i tht h e u n i v e r s e i n p l a c e , e a c h p l a n e o f e x i s t e n c e i n p e r f e c t a l i g n m e n t , t h er e l a ti o n s b e t w e e n l e v e l s c ri s p l y a r ti c u l a te d , a ll li m i ts a n d b o u n d a r i e sl u c i d ly d e f i n e d . T h e s p r in g o f e x is t e n c e , w h i c h n o r m a l l y u n w i n d s i n a nu n a v o i d a b l e e n t r o p i c s p ir a l, is r e w o u n d t o i ts in i ti a l p o s i t i o n o f p u r ep o t e n t i a l a n d p e r f e c t f o r m . D i s p e r s a l , t h e e m p i r i c a l s t a te o f o u r b e i n g ,i s c o u n t e r e d b y a g a t h e r i n g a n d a r e c o n s t r u c t i o n .

L e t m e p u t t hi s a li tt le m o r e c o n c r e t e l y . O n e o f t h e m a j o r e l e m e n t so f t hi s p r o c e s s i n th e B r a h m i n i c a l s a c ri fi c ia l s y s t e m i s t h e k n o w l e d g eo f t h e bandhus t h e h id d e n i n t e rc o n n e c t i o n s o f d i s p a r a te o r d e r s o rl eve l s o f ex i s t ence . Th e s ac ri f ic i a l s t ake i s the sun . Th ese bandhusas se r t no t a l i t e r a l c l a im fo r iden t i ty bu t a r anked r e la t ionsh ip , no r -mal ly obscured , wh ich the s ac r i f i ce a r t i cu la tes and s t ab i l i zes in p lace

t h e p r o c e s s b e i n g o n e o f d i v id i n g a n d s e p a r a t i n g n o l e s s t h a n o fconnec t ing . 26 P lane s o f ex i s t en ce a re b ro ug h t in to a l ignm en t so tha tt h e p o s s ib i li ty o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e m c a n e x is t. M o r e o v e r ,e a c h p l a n e s e e m s t o r e p l i c a t e t h e h i g h e r ( o r s u b t l e r , o r m o r e i n n e r )o n e b e y o n d i t; w e c a n i m a g i n e a c o n c e n t r ic s u p e r i m p o s i t i o n a r o u n d ac e n t r a l p o i n t s h a r e d b y a l l l e ve l s. In t h e d i c e - g a m e , t h e r o l e o f t h ebandhus s e e m s to b e t a k e n o v e r b y th e c o u n t i n g - w i s d o m o f t h e s u c -c e s s f u l p l a y e r , t h e c o n q u e r o r o f t i m e . T h i s w i s d o m a l s o h a s i m m e d i a t ep r a c t i c a l u s e s i n te r m s o f th e c a l c u l a ti o n s t h e s k il le d p l a y e r n e e d s t om a k e i n o r d e r t o a c h i e v e h i s g o a l o f r e a s s e m b l i n g t h e s c a t t e r e d p a r t so f h i m s e l f in t h e e m p t y c e n t e r s q u a r e .

H e r e t h e n a t u r e o f t h e m o d e l p o i n t s i n e s c a p a b l

Riddle of Nala

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