Shloka 12
Damayantī’s Proposal of a Witnessed Choice; Nala Reports to the Lokapālas
Adhyāya 53
तत्र सम राजते भैमी सर्वाभरणभूषिता । सखीमध्येडनवद्याजी विद्युत्सौदामनी यथा,अनिन्द्द सुन्दर अंगोंवाली भीमकुमारी दमयन्ती सब प्रकारके आभूषणोंसे विभूषित हो सखियोंकी मण्डलीमें वैसी ही शोभा पाती थी, जैसे मेघमालाके बीच विद्युत् प्रकाशित हो रही हो
tatra sma rājate bhaimī sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā | sakhīmadhye 'navadyāṅgī vidyutsaudāmanī yathā ||
There, Bhīmī (Damayantī), adorned with every kind of ornament, shone resplendently among her companions—her flawless limbs radiant like a streak of lightning flashing amid a mass of clouds. The verse underscores her innate dignity and auspicious presence, suggesting that true excellence naturally becomes visible even within a crowd.
बृहृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how inner excellence and auspicious presence naturally manifest outwardly: Damayantī’s radiance stands out among her peers like lightning among clouds, implying that genuine merit and dignity are self-evident.
Bṛhadaśva describes Damayantī in her youthful, courtly setting: richly ornamented, she is seen among her companions, distinguished by exceptional beauty and brilliance through a vivid lightning-in-clouds simile.