Shloka 59
नलस्य दमयन्त्युत्सर्गः
Nala’s Abandonment of Damayantī in the Lodging Hall
“महाराज! पुरवासी प्रजा राजभक्तिपूर्वक आपसे मिलनेके लिये समस्त मन्त्रियोंके साथ द्वारपर खड़ी है। आप उन्हें दर्शन दें।” दमयन्तीने इन वाक्योंको बार-बार दुहराया। मनोहर नयनप्रान्तवाली विदर्भ-कुमारी इस प्रकार विलाप करती रह गयी, परंतु कलियुगसे आविष्ट हुए राजाने उससे कोई बाततक न की। तब वे सब मन्त्री और पुरवासी दुःखसे आतुर और लज्जित हो यह कहते हुए अपने-अपने घर चले गये कि “यह राजा नल अब राज्यपर अधिक समयतक रहनेवाला नहीं है।” युधिष्ठिर! पुष्कर और नलकी वह द्यूतक्रीडा कई महीनोंतक चलती रही। पुण्यश्लोक महाराज नल उसमें हारते ही जा रहे थे || १५-- १८ |। इति श्रीमहाभारते वनपर्वणि नलोपाख्यानपर्वणि नलद्यूते एकोनषष्टितमो5 ध्याय: ।। ५९ || इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ाभारत वनपवके अन्तर्गत नलोपाख्यानपर्वमें नलझ्ूतविषयक उनसठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
bṛhadaśva uvāca | mahārāja! puravāsī prajā rājabhaktipūrvakam āpasē milanē kē liye samasta mantrigaṇaiḥ sārdham dvārapar tiṣṭhati | tān darśaya | iti damayantī etān vākyān punaḥ punaḥ uvāca | manohara-nayanaprāntā vidarbha-kumārī evaṃ vilapantī tiṣṭhati sma, kintu kali-yugāveśitaḥ rājā tasyāḥ kiñcid api na pratyuvāca | tataḥ te sarve mantriṇaḥ puravāsinaś ca duḥkhāturāḥ lajjitāś ca, “ayaṃ rājā nalaḥ idānīṃ rājye ciram na sthāsyati” iti vadantaḥ sva-sva-gṛhān jagmuḥ | yudhiṣṭhira! puṣkarasya nalasya ca sā dyūta-krīḍā māsa-bahūn avartata | puṇyaślokaḥ mahārāja nalaḥ tasyāṃ parājayam eva prāpnoti sma |
Bṛhadaśva said: “O great king! The citizens of the city, devoted to you, are standing at the gate together with all the ministers to meet you. Grant them an audience.” Damayantī repeated these words again and again. The princess of Vidarbha, with lovely eyes, continued to lament in this way; yet the king—overpowered by Kali—did not even respond to her. Then all the ministers and townspeople, distressed and ashamed, returned to their homes saying, “This king Nala will not remain long upon the throne.” O Yudhiṣṭhira, the gambling match between Puṣkara and Nala went on for many months. The illustrious King Nala kept losing in it again and again.
ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s legitimacy rests on self-mastery and responsiveness to counsel and subjects. When a ruler becomes overpowered by vice (here personified as Kali) and neglects public duty, social trust collapses; gambling addiction becomes a moral and political downfall.
Damayantī urges King Nala to meet the waiting ministers and citizens, but Nala—under Kali’s influence—ignores her. The ministers and townspeople leave in distress, predicting his imminent fall. Meanwhile, Nala’s dice match with Puṣkara continues for months, and Nala keeps losing.