Shloka 30
Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)
यद्यस्मानभिगच्छेत पाप: स हि कथंचन । अज्ञातचर्यामुत्तीर्णान् दृष्टवा च पुनराह्ययेत्,“यदि वह पापी किसी प्रकार यह समझ ले कि हम अज्ञातवासकी अवधि पार कर गये हैं, तो वह उस दशामें हमें देखकर पुनः आपको ही जूआ खेलनेके लिये बुलायेगा
yady asmān abhigacchet pāpaḥ sa hi kathaṃcana | ajñātacaryām uttīrṇān dṛṣṭvā ca punar āhvayet ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «Si ese malvado llegara de algún modo a saber que hemos cumplido el tiempo de vivir de incógnito, entonces, al vernos cuando ya haya pasado, volvería a convocarte a jugar a los dados».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of a deceitful adversary: once he learns the truth, he will try to drag the righteous back into a destructive vice (gambling), showing how adharma repeatedly seeks to exploit weakness and past trauma.
The speaker warns that if the wicked opponent discovers that the heroes have finished their incognito term, he will recognize them and attempt to summon them once more to a dice match—reviving the earlier injustice tied to gambling.