AKṢAHṚDAYA . A sacred chant or mantra. When
Nala was roaming about in the forests after his separa-
tion from Damayantī he happened to save the cobra,
Kārkoṭaka, from a wild fire. But in return the snake bit
him and made him as black as clouds. He then advised
Nala to go to the palace of King Ṛtuparṇa where the
cobra said, Nala would be taught the secret mantra of
Akṣahṛdaya by the King.
One who knows this sacred chant can find out all secrets
of a game of dice and can count within no time the
number of leaves, fruits and flowers on a tree. Nala went
to Rṭuparṇa and stayed with him. While living there a
brahmin named Sudeva came to Ṛtuparṇa and informed
him that Damayantī was going to marry again. Ṛtuparṇa
immediately started for Vidarbha taking Nala as his
charioteer. The chariot driven by Nala flew like a wind
and on the way when Ṛtuparṇa's handkerchief fell down
and he requested Nala to stop the chariot. Nala informed
him that by the time the request was made they had
travelled already one yojana. As they proceeded they
saw a huge tree full of leaves and fruits. Ṛtuparṇa at a
glance told Nala that the tree contained five crores of
leaves and two thousand nine hunḍred and five fruits.
Nala was surprised. Then they understood that Nala
was able to drive the chariot so quickly because of his
knowledge of the sacred chant Aśvahṛdaya and that
Ṛtuparṇa was able to count the leaves and fruits be-
cause of his knowledge of the chant Akṣahṛdaya. They
taught each other the sacred mantras. Because of this
Akṣahṛdaya Nala was able to win the game of dice the
second time and regain his kingdom. (Chapter 72,
Vana Parva).