Shloka 35
दमयन्त्याः अरण्यविहारः — Damayantī’s Passage through the Wilderness
यदि चायमभिप्रायस्तव ज्ञातीन् व्रजेदिति । सहितावेव गच्छावो विदर्भान् यदि मन्यसे,यदि आपका यह अभिप्राय हो कि दमयन्ती अपने बन्धु-बान्धवोंके यहाँ चली जाय तो आपकी सम्मति हो तो हम दोनों साथ ही विदर्भदेशको चलें
yadi cāyam abhiprāyas tava jñātīn vrajed iti | sahitāv eva gacchāvo vidarbhān yadi manyase ||
Nala sagte: „Wenn dies deine Absicht ist — dass Damayantī zu ihren Verwandten gehen soll —, dann lass uns, wenn du es billigest, beide gemeinsam nach Vidarbha ziehen.“
नल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Nala frames a difficult choice with respect and consent: if returning to Damayantī’s family is deemed best, he proposes going together. The ethical emphasis is on safeguarding the spouse, honoring her welfare and agency, and choosing a course that preserves dignity and protection amid hardship.
In the Nalopākhyāna episode within Vana Parva, Nala speaks to Damayantī about the possibility of going to her relatives in Vidarbha. He suggests that, should she wish to return to her kin, they should travel there together rather than separating.