with her. Damayanti agreed, on the condition that she is respected and was allowed to do as she wished. Meanwhile, Nala came across a great forest fire, and a snake named Karkotaka beseeching him to save it from danger. After being rescued, Karkotaka requested him to count his steps while he proceeded, and bit the king upon his tenth step. The king's body became deformed. The snake explained to Nala that he would experience no pain due to the bite, which would cause distress to the being who had possessed him. Karkotaka instructed the king to go to King Rituparna of Ayodhya, who would become his friend and allow him to gain mastery over the dice, following which he would be reunited with Damayanti. He also offered Nala some garments, stating that he would regain his original form upon wearing them. Reunion A Brahmana dispatched by Bhima named Sudeva located Damayanti, following which Damayanti returned to Vidarbha, where she was reunited with her family. She sent Brahmanas as messengers across a number of countries, repeating a certain monologue. A Brahmana sent to Ayodhya informed Damayanti that the charioteer of the king, named Bahuka, had responded to the monologue with one of his own, repeating which she suspected that Bahuka was Nala. Damayanti asked Sudeva to travel to Ayodhya and invite Rituparna for her second svayamvara, in which she would choose her new husband the following sunrise. Hiding his anguish, Nala offered to drive the king, assuring him that he could charioteer the distance from Ayodhya to Videha in a single day. During the journey, Rituparna imparted him his knowledge of the dice, in exchange for Nala's knowledge of charioteering. Upon his acquisition of knowledge, Kali emerged from Nala's body, freeing him of his influence, but retaining his deformed body. After reaching Vidarbha, Damayanti had Bahuka questioned and examined, and was all but certain that he was her husband. When his children were brought before him, he wept. Damayanti appeared before him, assuring Nala of her fidelity to him; Vayu, the wind-god, testified to this upon her request, revealing that the second svayamvara had been a scheme, held with the knowledge that only Nala could cover a distance of a hundred yojanas in a single day. Reuniting, Damayanti and Nala settled their differences and reconciled. Donning the garments Karkotaka had given him, the king regained his true form. Nala returned to