Shloka 22

अक्षहृदय-विद्या-प्रदानम्

Transmission of Akṣa-hṛdaya; Kali’s Exit and the Bibhītaka Refuge

Devanagari script

ततः सुदेवमाभाष्य दमयन्ती युधिष्िर । अब्रवीत्‌ संनिधौ मातुर्दु:ः:खशोकसमन्विता,युधिष्ठिर! तदनन्तर दमयन्तीने सुदेव ब्राह्मणको बुलाकर अपनी माताके समीप दुःख- शोकसे पीड़ित होकर कहा--

Transliteration

tataḥ sudevam ābhāṣya damayantī yudhiṣṭhira | abravīt saṃnidhau mātur duḥkhaśokasamanvitā ||

Translation

Then Damayantī, having addressed the brāhmaṇa Sudeva, spoke—O Yudhiṣṭhira—while seated near her mother, overwhelmed by sorrow and grief.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सुदेवम्Sudeva (name)

आभाष्यhaving addressed/spoken to

दमयन्तीDamayanti

युधिष्ठिरO Yudhishthira

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

संनिधौin the presence

मातुःof (her) mother

दुःख-शोक-समन्विताendowed with sorrow and grief

Speaker

बृहदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Damayantī

Sudeva

Yudhiṣṭhira

Damayantī's mother

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?

Even amid intense grief, Damayantī acts with restraint and propriety—speaking in her mother’s presence and relying on a trustworthy brāhmaṇa intermediary—highlighting dharma as composed conduct, respect for elders, and seeking right counsel in crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Bṛhadaśva’s narration to Yudhiṣṭhira, Damayantī calls and addresses the brāhmaṇa Sudeva and, while near her mother, speaks in a state of sorrow—setting up the next action in her effort to respond to her predicament.