Shloka 13

Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)

Devanagari script

भवतो द्यूतदोषेण सर्वे वयमुपप्लुता: । अहीनपौरुषा बाला बलिभिबलवत्तरा:,“आपके जूएके दोषसे हमलोग पुरुषार्थयुक्त होकर भी दीन बन गये हैं और वे मूर्ख दुर्योधन आदि भेंटमें मिले हुए हमारे धनसे सम्पन्न हो इस समय अधिक बलशाली बन गये हैं

Transliteration

bhavato dyūtadoṣeṇa sarve vayam upaplutāḥ | ahīnapauruṣā bālā balibhir balavattarāḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Durch deine Schuld beim Würfelspiel sind wir alle überflutet und zu Boden gedrückt worden. Obgleich unsere Manneskraft nicht wirklich erloschen ist, sind wir hilflos wie Kinder geworden; jene Mächtigen aber, bereichert durch das von uns gewonnene Gut, sind nun noch stärker.“

Word by Word

भवतःof you (your)

द्यूत-दोषेणby the fault of gambling

सर्वेall

वयम्we

उपप्लुताःoverwhelmed, afflicted

अहीन-पौरुषाःnot lacking in manliness/valor

बालाःweak, helpless (lit. childish)

बलिभिःby/with the strong (men)

बलवत्तराःstronger, more powerful

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

dyūta (dice-gambling)

Duryodhana (implied by the Hindi gloss: 'duryodhana ādi')

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and political ruin caused by the vice of gambling: a single lapse in judgment can overwhelm even the capable, while empowering adversaries through unjustly gained wealth and advantage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains that due to the gambling disaster, the speaker’s side has been plunged into helplessness despite retaining inner valor, whereas the opposing party has become stronger by acquiring their wealth through the dice-game.