Shloka 30

दमयन्तीस्वयंवरः — देववेषधारणं, सत्यप्रार्थना, नलवरणम्

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

Devanagari script

ततोअन्तरिक्षे विष्टभ्य विमानानि दिवौकस: । अनब्रुवन्‌ नैषधं राजन्नवतीर्य नभस्तलात्‌,राजन्‌! तब उन देवताओंने अपने विमानोंको आकाशमें रोक दिया और वहाँसे नीचे उतरकर निषधनरेशसे कहा--

Transliteration

tato 'ntarikṣe viṣṭabhya vimānāni divaukasaḥ | anabruvan naiṣadhaṃ rājann avatīrya nabhastalāt ||

Translation

Then the gods, halting their celestial chariots in mid-air, descended from the sky and addressed the king of Niṣadha: “O King …”.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अन्तरिक्षेin the sky/atmosphere

विष्टभ्यhaving held/checked (stopped)

विमानानिaerial cars, chariots

दिवौकसःthe dwellers of heaven (gods)

अनब्रुवन्said, spoke

नैषधम्to the king of Niṣadha (Nala)

राजन्O king

अवतीर्यhaving descended

नभः-तलात्from the surface of the sky

राजन्O king

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

divaukasaḥ (the gods)

Naiṣadha (king of Niṣadha—Nala)

vimāna (celestial chariots)

antarikṣa (mid-air/sky)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that dharmic kingship is not isolated: when a ruler stands at a crucial juncture, divine forces may intervene to guide, warn, or affirm the path of righteousness. It frames ethical governance as accountable to a higher moral order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada narrates that the gods stop their vimānas in the sky, descend, and begin speaking to the Naiṣadha king (Nala). The verse functions as a dramatic setup for the divine message that follows.