Shloka 11

दमयन्ती–बाहुकसंवादः

Damayantī’s Dialogue with Bāhuka; Recognition and Disclosure

Devanagari script

बाहुक उवाच पुण्यश्लोकस्य वै सूतो वार्ष्णेय इति विश्रुत: । स नले विद्रुते भद्रे भाड़ासुरिमुपस्थित:,बाहुक बोला--भद्रे! उस तीसरे व्यक्तिका नाम वार्ष्णेय है। वह पुण्यश्लोक राजा नलका सारथि है। नलके वनमें निकल जानेपर वह ऋतुपर्णकी सेवामें चला गया है

Transliteration

bāhuka uvāca puṇyaślokasya vai sūto vārṣṇeya iti viśrutaḥ | sa nale vidrute bhadre bhāḍāsurim upasthitaḥ ||

Translation

Bāhuka dijo: «Oh noble señora, ese tercero se llama Vārṣṇeya, célebre auriga del renombrado rey Puṇyaśloka (Nala). Cuando Nala huyó, Vārṣṇeya entró al servicio del rey Ṛtupārṇa.»

Word by Word

बाहुकःBahuka (the speaker)

उवाचsaid

पुण्यश्लोकस्यof the renowned/glorious one

वैindeed

सूतःcharioteer

वार्ष्णेयःVarshneya (proper name)

इतिthus

विश्रुतःwell-known, famed

सःhe

नलेin/with respect to Nala

विद्रुतेwhen (he) had fled / in (the state of) having fled

भद्रेO noble lady!

भान्डासुरिम्Bhāṇḍāsuri (proper name; object of 'approached')

उपस्थितःhaving approached; having come to (service/presence)

Speaker

बाहुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bāhuka

Puṇyaśloka (Nala)

Vārṣṇeya

Ṛ

Ṛtupārṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic value of steadfast service and loyalty amid upheaval: even when a king falls into misfortune and departs, those connected to him must navigate survival and duty, sometimes by entering new service without abandoning integrity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bāhuka (Nala in disguise) identifies Vārṣṇeya as Nala’s famous charioteer and explains that after Nala fled into the forest, Vārṣṇeya went to serve King Ṛtupārṇa—setting up the network of relationships through which Nala’s later restoration becomes possible.