This vibrant & intricate painting is a hallmark of the western-inspired style and Hindu mythological subject matter that the Indian master Raja Ravi Varma favoured throughout his career. In this work, we see a scene from the Mahabharata —  Damayanti, daughter of Bhima and Nala, son of Virasena fell in love with each other through swans who carried praises and messages of adoration back and forth. Here, we see Damayanti in the midst of such a conversation with a swan, as it tells her about the virtues of Nala, her future lover.