Shloka 11
नलस्य बाहुकत्वेन ऋतुपर्णनगरप्रवेशः
Nala as Bāhuka enters Ṛtuparṇa’s city
नाबिभ्यत् सा नृपसुता भैमी तत्राथ कस्यचित् | दारुणामटवीं प्राप्प भर्तृव्यसनपीडिता,वह पतिके विरहरूपी संकटसे संतप्त थी। अतः राजकुमारी दमयन्ती उस भयंकर वनमें प्रवेश करके भी किसी जीव-जन्तुसे भयभीत नहीं हुई
nābibhyat sā nṛpasutā bhaimī tatrātha kasyacit | dāruṇām aṭavīṁ prāpya bhartṛvyasanapīḍitā ||
Bṛhadaśva said: Though she was a king’s daughter, Bhīmī (Damayantī) did not fear anyone there. Afflicted by the calamity of separation from her husband, she entered that dreadful forest without being frightened of any creature. The passage underscores how steadfast love and inner resolve can steady the mind even amid terrifying surroundings.
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
True steadiness arises from inner resolve: when the mind is fixed on a higher commitment (here, devotion to one’s spouse and the duty to seek him), external भय (fear) loses its power even in harsh conditions.
Bṛhadaśva describes Damayantī wandering after being separated from Nala. Though she enters a terrifying forest, her grief and determination are so intense that she is not afraid of any beings there.