Shloka 1
हम () हि २ 7 एकषेष्टितमो< ध्याय: नलका जूएमें हारकर दमयन्तीके साथ वनको जाना और पक्षियोंद्वारा आपदग्रस्त नलके वस्त्रका अपहरण बृहृदश्च उवाच ततस्तु याते वार्ष्णेये पुण्यश्लोकस्य दीव्यत: । पुष्करेण हतं राज्यं यच्चान्यद् वसु किंचन,बृहदश्व मुनि कहते हैं--युधिष्ठिर! तदनन्तर वार्ष्णेयके चले जानेपर जूआ खेलनेवाले पुण्यश्लोक महाराज नलके सारे राज्य और जो कुछ धन था, उन सबका जूएमें पुष्करने अपहरण कर लिया
bṛhadaśva uvāca | tatastu yāte vārṣṇeye puṇyaślokasya dīvyataḥ | puṣkareṇa hataṃ rājyaṃ yaccānyad vasu kiṃcana ||
Bṛhadaśva said: “Then, after Vārṣṇeya had departed, while the illustrious King Nala was engaged in gambling, Puṣkara won away his kingdom—and whatever other wealth there was besides.”
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical peril of addiction to gambling: even an illustrious and righteous king can lose sovereignty and wealth when overcome by the vice of dice, showing how a lapse in self-control can precipitate social and moral collapse.
After Vārṣṇeya leaves, Nala continues gambling; Puṣkara defeats him and takes his kingdom along with all remaining wealth, marking the decisive turn toward Nala’s dispossession and ensuing hardships.