Shloka 2
नलस्य दमयन्त्युत्सर्गः
Nala’s Abandonment of Damayantī in the Lodging Hall
स नित्यमन्तरप्रेप्सुर्निषधेष्ववसच्चिरम् । अथास्य द्वादशे वर्षे ददर्श कलिरन्तरम्,वह प्रतिदिन राजा नलका छिद्र देखता हुआ निषधदेशमें दीर्घकालतक टिका रहा। बारह वर्षोके बाद एक दिन कलिको एक छिटद्र दिखायी दिया
sa nityam antaraprepsur niṣadheṣv avasac ciram | athāsya dvādaśe varṣe dadarśa kalir antaram ||
Bṛhadaśva said: “Ever watchful for a flaw, he stayed for a long time in the land of the Niṣadhas. Then, in the twelfth year, he finally saw an opening for Kali.”
ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Adharma often gains power through small openings—minor lapses, moments of negligence, or ethical compromise. The verse highlights the value of sustained vigilance and self-control, implying that resisting disorder requires long-term steadiness rather than a single act of will.
In Bṛhadaśva’s narration of Nala’s episode, Kali has been seeking a chance to take hold. After a long period in the Niṣadha realm, in the twelfth year Kali finally finds an ‘antaram’—a vulnerable opening—through which he can act.