Shloka 196

दमयन्तीस्वयंवरः — देववेषधारणं, सत्यप्रार्थना, नलवरणम्

Damayantī’s Svayaṃvara: Divine Disguises, Truth-Vow, and Choosing Nala

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तु शक्रेण नारद: प्रत्यभाषत । “वे शूरवीर क्षत्रिय कहाँ हैं? अपने उन प्रिय अतिथियोंको आजकल मैं यहाँ आते नहीं देख रहा हूँ इन्द्रके ऐसा पूछनेपर नारदजीने उत्तर दिया

Transliteration

evam uktas tu śakreṇa nāradaḥ pratyabhāṣata |

Translation

Thus addressed by Śakra (Indra), Nārada replied. In response to Indra’s question—“Where are those heroic Kṣatriyas? I do not see those dear guests coming here these days”—Nārada begins to explain the reason, setting the scene for a reflection on the changing fortunes of warriors and the moral order that governs their rise and fall.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शक्रेण: by Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यभाषत: replied / spoke in return
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd, Singular

Speaker

बृहदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• Śakra (Indra)
• Nārada
• Kṣatriyas
• guests (atithis)