Shloka 13

कर्कोटक-उपदेशः

Karkoṭaka’s Counsel and Nala’s Concealment

Devanagari script

ततः सा तीव्रशोकार्ता प्रदीप्तेव च मन्युना । इतश्वेतश्न रुदती पर्यधावत दु:खिता,तदनन्तर प्रचण्ड शोकसे पीड़ित हो क्रोधाग्निसे दग्ध होती हुई-सी दमयन्ती अत्यन्त दुःखी हो रोने और इधर-उधर दौड़ने लगी

Transliteration

tataḥ sā tīvrāśokārtā pradīpteva ca manyunā | itaś cetaś ca rudatī paryadhāvat duḥkhitā ||

Translation

Then Damayantī, overwhelmed by piercing grief and as though set ablaze by anger, began to weep and run about here and there in utter distress—her sorrow spilling outward in restless, uncontrolled movement.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

साshe

तीव्र-शोक-आर्ताafflicted by intense grief

प्रदीप्ताblazing, inflamed

इवas if, like

चand

मन्युनाby anger

इतश्from here / on this side

चand

एतश्from there / on that side

रुदतीcrying, weeping

परि-अधावतran about

दुःखिताdistressed, sorrowful

Speaker

ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Damayantī

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how grief and anger can overwhelm discernment and drive a person into restless, uncontrolled action; it implicitly invites restraint (dama) and steadiness as ethical supports when suffering strikes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Damayantī, struck by intense sorrow and burning anger, breaks into tears and runs about in different directions, showing her desperation and distress in the unfolding story of separation.