Shloka 15
दमयन्त्याः अरण्यविहारः — Damayantī’s Passage through the Wilderness
उत्पतन्तः खगा वाक्यमेतदाहुस्ततो नलम् | दृष्टवा दिग्वाससं भूमौ स्थितं दीनमधोमुखम्
utpatantaḥ khagā vākyam etad āhus tato nalam | dṛṣṭvā digvāsasaṃ bhūmau sthitaṃ dīnam adhomukham ||
Sambil terbang, burung-burung itu lalu berkata demikian kepada Nala, setelah melihatnya di tanah—telanjang tanpa kain, amat papa, dan menundukkan wajah.
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and psychological truth that misfortune can reduce even a king to utter vulnerability; the proper response is humility and endurance, which prepare one for recovery and right action rather than despair or pride.
As Nala sits on the ground, naked and despondent with his face lowered, birds fly up and address him—marking a turning point where his degraded condition is witnessed and commented upon, setting up the next development in his ordeal.