Ṛtuparna

Ṛtuparna was the king of Ayodhyā. The Mahābhārata speaks of him as a master of the Akṣahṛdaya, the science of dice and chance, and as a master of counting and estimating. He has a key place in the Nala-Damayantī Upākhyāna, the account of Nala and Damayantī. He took the disguised Nala into his service as a charioteer called Bāhuka. When a false second svayaṃvara (a choice of husband) was announced for Damayantī, he asked Bāhuka to drive him from Ayodhyā to Vidarbha in a single day.

On the way he taught Nala the Akṣahṛdaya and received in return the Aśvahṛdaya, the science of horses. With the Akṣahṛdaya, Nala was able to win back his kingdom and his honour in a rematch against his brother Puṣkara.

Nala in Ṛtuparna’s service

Nala had lost everything in the dice game and had wandered for a time. The serpent Karkoṭaka had bitten him and changed his body into a short, dark form that no one could know as Nala. In this shape he came to the court of Ṛtuparna and offered his service as Bāhuka, a charioteer and horse-expert of great skill. Ṛtuparna saw his unusual skill with horses and accepted him. He put Bāhuka in charge of the stables. Nala served in this way for years, unknown to anyone.

The Mahābhārata tells this in the Vana Parva, Chapter 65.

The Akṣahṛdaya, the science of dice

Ṛtuparna had the Akṣahṛdaya, a hidden knowledge of the numbers and workings of dice. It let him work out results with almost perfect accuracy. He could look at a tree and know exactly how many leaves and fruits it bore. This is the same power of quick counting that lies behind mastery of dice.

During the journey to Vidarbha, Ṛtuparna showed this tree-counting skill, and Nala was amazed. Nala asked to learn the Akṣahṛdaya in return for giving Ṛtuparna the Aśvahṛdaya. This was Nala’s own knowledge of horses, given to him by the lokapālas (guardians of the directions). Ṛtuparna agreed at once. The Akṣahṛdaya was given to Nala on the spot. As soon as it entered Nala, Kali was driven out. Kali had lived in Nala’s body since entering it twelve years before, and he left through Nala’s mouth. Kali went into a śamī tree.

The Mahābhārata tells this in the Vana Parva, Chapter 72.

The drive to Vidarbha

Damayantī had made a plan that announced a false second svayaṃvara with only one day’s notice. Ṛtuparna wished to attend, for he desired Damayantī. Bāhuka (Nala) harnessed Ṛtuparna’s best horses and drove the chariot at great speed across the long distance from Ayodhyā to Vidarbha in a single day. This was possible only because of Nala’s mastery of the Aśvahṛdaya, his knowledge of the nature, care and training of horses, which made the horses respond far beyond their usual power. The arrival of the chariot in Vidarbha at this speed was itself the sign to Damayantī that Bāhuka was Nala.

The Mahābhārata tells this in the Vana Parva, Chapters 70–72.

His character

Ṛtuparna was a dignified and generous king. He accepted Bāhuka without asking him to explain his disguise. He gave him good work and trusted him with his prized horses. When the truth about Bāhuka was at last made known, Ṛtuparna took the explanation calmly. He is not the hero of the account, but through his knowledge, generosity and trust he makes its resolution possible.

This is drawn from the Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 65–72.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 65–72, 76