Shloka 49
ऋतुपर्णस्य विदर्भयात्रा-निश्चयः तथा बाहुकस्य हयपरिक्षा (Ṛtuparṇa’s resolve to go to Vidarbha and Bāhuka’s examination of horses)
ते पुराणि सराष्ट्राणि ग्रामान् घोषांस्तथा55 श्रमान् । अन्वेषन्तो नलं राजन् नाधिजममुद्धिजातय:,राजन! दमयन्तीके ऐसा कहनेपर वे ब्राह्मण संकटमें पड़े हुए राजा नलको ढूँढ़नेके लिये सब दिशाओंकी ओर चले गये। युधिष्छिर! उन ब्राह्मणोंने नगरों, राष्ट्रों, गाँवों, गोष्ठों तथा आश्रमोंमें भी नलका अन्वेषण किया; किंतु उन्हें कहीं भी उनका पता न लगा
te purāṇi sa-rāṣṭrāṇi grāmān ghoṣāṁs tathā śramān | anveṣanto nalaṁ rājan nādhijagmur udvijātayaḥ ||
Wahai Raja, mereka menelusuri kota-kota purba dan negeri-negeri, desa-desa, perkampungan penggembala, serta pertapaan; namun tak juga mereka menemukan jejak Nala di mana pun.
युदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfast loyalty and diligent effort in service of a righteous cause, even when success is uncertain. It also reflects how adversity can obscure the virtuous, testing the perseverance of those who seek to help.
After hearing Damayantī’s appeal (as indicated by the surrounding prose), Brahmins set out to find the vanished King Nala. They search widely—through towns, kingdoms, villages, cattle-settlements, and hermitages—but fail to locate him.