Shloka 26
दमयन्त्या वणिजां सार्थगमनम्, हस्तियूथविप्लवः, चेदिराजपुरप्रवेशश्च
Damayantī joins a caravan; elephant-herd catastrophe; entry into Cedi
गत्वा गत्वा नलो राजा पुनरेति सभा मुहुः । आकृष्यमाण: कलिना सौहृदेनावकृष्यते,राजा नलको एक ओर कलियुग खींच रहा था और दूसरी ओर दमयन्तीका सौहार्द। अतः: वे बार-बार जाकर फिर उस धर्मशालामें ही लौट आते थे
gatvā gatvā nalo rājā punareti sabhā muhuḥ | ākṛṣyamāṇaḥ kalinā sauhṛdenāvakṛṣyate ||
King Nala goes out again and again, yet repeatedly returns to the hall. Pulled one way by Kali’s malign influence and drawn back the other way by the bond of affection, he is tugged between ruinous temptation and loyal attachment.
बृहदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person under the pull of adharma (here, Kali’s influence) may still be restrained by bonds of goodwill and love; ethical life often appears as a struggle of competing forces, and without clear resolve one may oscillate repeatedly rather than act decisively.
Bṛhadaśva describes Nala’s wavering state: he keeps leaving and returning to the hall, as if physically tugged—Kali drawing him toward harmful action, while affectionate loyalty draws him back—capturing the moment of moral and emotional indecision.