Shloka 115

नलस्य बाहुकत्वेन ऋतुपर्णनगरप्रवेशः

Nala as Bāhuka enters Ṛtuparṇa’s city

Devanagari script

उन्मत्तरूपा शोकार्ता तथा बत्त्रार्थसंवृता । कृशा विवर्णा मलिना पांसुध्वस्तशिरोरुहा,उसका रूप उन्मत्त स्त्रीका-सा जान पड़ता था, वह शोकसे पीड़ित, दुर्बल, उदास और मलिन हो रही थी। उसने आधे वस्त्रसे अपने शरीरको ढक रखा था और उसके केशोंपर धूल जम गयी थी

Transliteration

unmattarūpā śokārtā tathā vastrārthasaṃvṛtā | kṛśā vivarṇā malinā pāṃsudhvastaśiroruhā ||

Translation

قال بْرِهَدَشْفَا: بدت كأنها امرأة دفعتها الأحزان إلى شبه جنون. نحيلة وواهية، قد بهت لونها، وغشيتها الأوساخ والإهمال. لم تكن تستر جسدها إلا بنصف ثوب، وقد علِق الغبار بشَعرها.

Word by Word

उन्मत्तरूपाhaving a mad/deranged appearance

शोकार्ताafflicted by grief

तथाand thus/also

वस्त्रार्थसंवृताcovered with half a garment

कृशाemaciated, thin

विवर्णाpale, discolored

मलिनाsoiled, dirty

पांसुध्वस्तशिरोरुहाwhose hair was covered/soiled with dust

Speaker

बृहृदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how intense sorrow can overwhelm a person’s outward composure and social dignity, inviting a dharmic response of empathy rather than judgment. It ethically frames suffering as something that calls for compassionate attention and protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva describes a woman’s pitiable condition: she looks distraught, weakened by grief, poorly clothed, and covered with dust—her disheveled appearance signaling hardship and distress within the ongoing forest narrative.