Has the royal Nala, the ruler of the Nishadha people, for whom, O Brahmanas! afflicted, I am roaming in this dreadful and deep wilderness, full of terrible things and infested by tigers and other beasts of prey-visited this charming hermitage of your almighty selves!
कच्चिद् भगवतां रम्यं तपोवनमिदं नृपः। भवेत् प्राप्तो नलो नाम निषधानां जनाधिपः॥ यत्कृतेऽहमिदं ब्रह्मन् प्रपन्ना भृशदारुणम्। वनं प्रतिभयं घोरं शार्दूलमृगसेवितम्॥