Shloka 30

Sudeva Identifies Damayantī in Cedi (सुदेवेन दमयन्ती-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

ह्वीता भीता च संविग्ना प्राद्रवद्‌ यत्र काननम्‌ । आशड्कमाना तत्पापमात्मानं पर्यदेवयत्‌,“उनका वह अत्यन्त भयंकर वचन सुनकर दमयन्ती लज्जासे गड़ गयी और भयसे व्याकुल हो उठी। उनके पापपूर्ण संकल्पके संघटित होनेकी आशंका करके वह उसी ओर भाग गयी, जहाँ घना जंगल था। वहाँ जाकर अपनी इस परिस्थितिपर विचार करके वह विलाप करने लगी--

Transliteration

hṛītā bhītā ca saṃvignā prādravad yatra kānanam | āśaṅkamānā tat-pāpam ātmānaṃ paryadevayat ||

Translation

Bṛhadaśva said: Shamed, frightened, and deeply agitated, she ran toward the forest. Suspecting that his sinful intent might be carried out, she lamented over her own plight—grieving at the danger that arises when one is pursued by unrighteous desire and left without protection.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'hṛītā', 'definition': 'ashamed

• overcome with modesty/shame'}, {'term': 'bhītā', 'definition': 'afraid

• terrified'}, {'term': 'saṃvignā', 'definition': 'distressed

• anxious'}, {'term': 'prādravat', 'definition': 'ran forth

• fled'}, {'term': 'kānanam', 'definition': 'forest

• woodland'}, {'term': 'āśaṅkamānā', 'definition': 'suspecting

• fearing'}, {'term': 'tat-pāpam', 'definition': 'that sin/evil (i.e., the sinful act or intent just mentioned)'}, {'term': 'ātmānam', 'definition': 'herself

• her own person/condition'}, {'term': 'paryadevayat', 'definition': 'lamented

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• Damayantī
• forest (kānana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical contrast: unrighteous intention (pāpa-saṅkalpa) creates fear and disorder, while the vulnerable must sometimes act swiftly to preserve dignity and safety. It implicitly condemns predatory desire and underscores the moral duty to protect, not exploit, those in distress.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing a terrifying statement (implying a sinful plan against her), Damayantī becomes ashamed and frightened, flees toward the dense forest, and then, reflecting on her predicament, breaks into lamentation.