Shloka 3

नलस्य विवस्त्रीकरणं दमयन्ती-सहानुगमनं च

Nala’s Disrobing and Damayantī’s Companionship

Devanagari script

ततो<ब्रवीत्‌ कलि: शक्रं दमयन्त्या: स्वयंवरम्‌ । गत्वा हि वरयिष्ये तां मनो हि मम तां गतम्‌,तब कलिने इन्द्रसे कहा--“देवराज! मैं दमयन्तीके स्वयंवरमें जाकर उसका वरण करूँगा; क्योंकि मेरा मन उसके प्रति आसक्त हो गया है”

Transliteration

tato 'bravīt kaliḥ śakraṃ damayantyāḥ svayaṃvaram | gatvā hi varayiṣye tāṃ mano hi mama tāṃ gatam ||

Translation

Then Kali said to Śakra (Indra): “I will go to Damayantī’s svayaṃvara and choose her as my bride, for my mind has gone to her.”

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

कलिःKali (personified)

शक्रम्Śakra (Indra)

दमयन्त्याःof Damayantī

स्वयंवरम्svayaṃvara (bride-choice ceremony)

गत्वाhaving gone

हिindeed, for

वरयिष्येI shall choose (as husband/wife)

ताम्her

मनःmind

हिindeed, for

ममof me, my

ताम्her

गतम्gone (directed/turned)

Speaker

बु॒हदश्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kali

Śakra (Indra)

Damayantī

svayaṃvara (marriage-choice ceremony)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Unchecked attachment can drive one to violate the spirit of dharma—here, Kali’s desire to claim Damayantī foreshadows disruption of a sacred, choice-based rite (svayaṃvara) and highlights how craving can become a force of disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva narrates that Kali addresses Indra, declaring his intent to go to Damayantī’s svayaṃvara and choose her, because his mind has become fixed on her—an announcement that sets the stage for conflict around her marriage choice.