दुःखमेतादृशं प्राप्तो नल: परपुरंजय: । देवनेन नरश्रेष्ठ सभायों भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! पुरुषोत्तम! शत्रुओंकी राजधानीपर विजय पानेवाले महाराज नल जूआ खेलनेके कारण अपनी पत्नीसहित इस प्रकारके महान् संकटमें पड़ गये थे
bṛhadaśva uvāca | duḥkham etādṛśaṃ prāpto nalaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ | devena naraśreṣṭha sabhāyāṃ bharatarṣabha bharataśreṣṭha puruṣottama |
बृहदश्व बोले—हे नरश्रेष्ठ! हे भरतवंश-शिरोमणे! हे पुरुषोत्तम! शत्रु-नगरों को जीतने वाले महाराज नल जुए के कारण राजसभा में अपनी पत्नी सहित इसी प्रकार के महान् दुःख और भारी संकट में पड़ गए थे।
बृहदश्च उवाच
Even a powerful and virtuous king can be ruined by addiction to gambling; the verse frames Nala’s fall as an ethical warning that uncontrolled play in the assembly leads to loss of stability, honor, and well-being for oneself and one’s family.
Bṛhadaśva begins recounting Nala’s story to illustrate a comparable suffering: Nala, famed for conquering enemy cities, nevertheless becomes trapped in severe distress because of a dice game conducted in the royal assembly, and his wife is drawn into the resulting calamity.