Shloka 12

नलदमयन्त्युपाख्यानम्—नलप्रशंसा हंसदूतवृत्तान्तः

Nala–Damayantī Upākhyāna: Praise of Nala and the Swan-Messenger Episode

Devanagari script

तथा तेषां वसतां काम्यके वै विहीनानामर्जुनेनोत्सुकानाम्‌ । पज्चैव वर्षाणि तथा व्यतीयु- रधीयतां जपतां जुद्धतां च,इस प्रकार काम्यकवनमें अर्जुनसे वियुक्त एवं उनके लिये उत्कण्ठित होकर निवास करनेवाले पाण्डवोंके पाँच वर्ष व्यतीत हो गये। इतने समयतक उनका स्वाध्याय, जप और होम सदा पूर्ववत्‌ चलता रहा

Transliteration

tathā teṣāṃ vasatāṃ kāmyake vai vihīnānām arjunena utsukānām | pañcaiva varṣāṇi tathā vyatīyur adhīyatāṃ japatāṃ juhvatāṃ ca ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: While the Pāṇḍavas lived in the Kāmyaka forest—separated from Arjuna and longing for him—five years passed by. Throughout that time, their disciplined routine continued as before: study of sacred texts, recitation of mantras, and the offering of oblations into the fire.

Word by Word

• {'tathā': 'thus

• in that manner', 'teṣām': 'of them (the Pāṇḍavas)', 'vasatām': 'while dwelling

• of those residing', 'kāmyake': 'in Kāmyaka (forest)', 'vai': 'indeed

• emphatic particle', 'vihīnānām (arjunena)': 'deprived of

• separated from (Arjuna)', 'utsukānām': 'eager

• anxious with longing', 'pañca': 'five', 'eva': 'only

• indeed', 'varṣāṇi': 'years', 'vyatīyuḥ': 'passed by

• elapsed', 'adhīyatām': 'of those studying/reciting (Vedic learning

• svādhyāya)', 'japatām': 'of those muttering/reciting (mantras

• japa)', 'juhvatām': 'of those offering into the fire (homa

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Arjuna
• Kāmyaka forest

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid separation and hardship, dharmic steadiness is maintained through disciplined practice—svādhyāya (study), japa (mantra-recitation), and homa (sacrificial offering)—showing resilience and ethical continuity in exile.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator notes a passage of time: the Pāṇḍavas live in the Kāmyaka forest without Arjuna, longing for him, and five years elapse while they continue their regular religious and ascetic observances.