Mahabharata 3.59.2 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 59, Shloka 2
नलस्य दमयन्त्युत्सर्गः
Nala’s Abandonment of Damayantī in the Lodging Hall
स नित्यमन्तरप्रेप्सुर्निषधेष्ववसच्चिरम् । अथास्य द्वादशे वर्षे ददर्श कलिरन्तरम्
sa nityam antaraprepsur niṣadheṣv avasac ciram | athāsya dvādaśe varṣe dadarśa kalir antaram ||
Bṛhadaśva sprach: „Stets auf der Suche nach einem Makel verweilte er lange im Land der Niṣadhas. Dann, im zwölften Jahr, erblickte er endlich eine Öffnung für Kali.“
ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Adharma often gains power through small openings—minor lapses, moments of negligence, or ethical compromise. The verse highlights the value of sustained vigilance and self-control, implying that resisting disorder requires long-term steadiness rather than a single act of will.
In Bṛhadaśva’s narration of Nala’s episode, Kali has been seeking a chance to take hold. After a long period in the Niṣadha realm, in the twelfth year Kali finally finds an ‘antaram’—a vulnerable opening—through which he can act.
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