Shloka 5
अक्षद्यूतप्रवेशः — Kali’s Entry and the Initiation of the Dice-Contest
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह | तिष्ठत्सु लोकपालेषु कथं मानुषमिच्छसि,दमयन्तीके ऐसा कहनेपर राजा नलने उससे पूछा--'(तुम्हें पानेके लिये उत्सुक) लोकपालोंके होते हुए तुम एक साधारण मनुष्यको कैसे पति बनाना चाहती हो?
evam uktas tu vaidarbhya nalas tāṃ pratyuvāca ha | tiṣṭhatsu lokapāleṣu kathaṃ mānuṣam icchasi, damayantī ||
Thus addressed by the princess of Vidarbha, Nala replied to her: “Damayantī, when the guardians of the worlds themselves stand ready, how can you wish to choose a mere human as your husband?”
बृहदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between personal choice (love and preference) and perceived social-cosmic hierarchy (divine claimants). Nala’s question foregrounds humility and the ethical concern of choosing a mortal when powerful divine guardians are present.
In Bṛhadaśva’s narration of the Nala–Damayantī episode, Damayantī has expressed her wish, and Nala responds by questioning how she can select him—a human—when the Lokapālas (divine suitors) are available, setting up the conflict of choice at the svayaṃvara.