Shloka 8
Adhyāya 76: Kuṇḍina-praveśaḥ, Bhīmena satkāraḥ, Ṛtuparṇa-kṣamā, Aśvahṛdaya-pratyarpanam
Nala’s Reception and Reconciliation
त॑ तु दृष्टवा तथायुक्तं दमयन्ती नलं तदा । तीव्रशोकसमाविष्टा बभूव वरवर्णिनी,उस समय नलको उस अवस्थामें देखकर सुन्दरी दमयन्ती भी तीव्र शोकसे व्याकुल हो गयी
taṁ tu dṛṣṭvā tathāyuktaṁ damayantī nalaṁ tadā | tīvrāśokasamāviṣṭā babhūva varavarṇinī ||
But when Damayantī then saw Nala in that altered, pitiable condition, the fair-complexioned lady was overwhelmed by intense grief.
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights compassion and steadfastness in dharma: true love and ethical commitment are tested not in prosperity but when one encounters a loved one brought low by adversity, calling forth empathy rather than judgment.
Bṛhadaśva narrates that Damayantī sees Nala in a changed and afflicted state; upon recognizing his condition, she is seized by intense sorrow, marking a poignant moment in the Nala–Damayantī episode.