Shloka 58

Sudeva Identifies Damayantī in Cedi (सुदेवेन दमयन्ती-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

द्यूते स निर्जितश्वैव वनमेक उपेयिवान्‌ | तमेकवसन वीरमुन्मत्तमिव विद्धलम्‌,“और उसीमें अपना सब कुछ हारकर वे अकेले ही वनकी ओर चल दिये। एक वस्त्र धारण किये उन्मत्त और विह्नल हुए अपने वीर स्वामीको सान्त्वना देती हुई मैं भी उनके साथ वनमें चली आयी। एक दिनकी बात है, मेरे वीर स्वामी किसी कारणवश वनमें गये

Transliteration

dyūte sa nirjitaś caiva vanam eka upeyivān | tam ekavasanaṁ vīram unmattaṁ iva viddhalam |

Translation

Bṛhadaśva said: “Defeated in the game of dice, he indeed went alone toward the forest. Seeing that heroic lord of mine wearing only a single garment—dazed and as if maddened—I too followed him into the forest, seeking to console him.”

Word by Word

• {'dyūte': 'in gambling

• in the dice-game', 'saḥ': 'he', 'nirjitaḥ': 'defeated

• overcome', 'ca eva': 'and indeed

• certainly', 'vanam': 'to the forest', 'ekaḥ': 'alone', 'upeyivān': 'went to

• approached (perfect participle of √i/upa-√i)', 'tam': 'him', 'ekavasanam': 'wearing a single garment', 'vīram': 'heroic man

• brave one', 'unmattam iva': 'as if mad

• like one deranged', 'viddhalam': 'bewildered

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• the defeated king (Nala, implied in this episode)
• forest (vana)
• dice-game (dyūta)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the ethical ruin caused by gambling and the vulnerability of even heroic kings when overcome by vice and fate; it also foregrounds steadfast loyalty—standing by a fallen spouse as an act aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After losing everything in a dice-game, the king departs alone for the forest, reduced to a single garment and mentally shaken; his wife follows him into exile, trying to comfort and support him.