Shloka 12
ततः संख्यातुमारब्धमदशदू दशमे पदे । तस्य दष्टस्य तद् रूप॑ क्षिप्रमन््तरधीयत,तब राजा नलने अपने पग गिनने आरम्भ किये। पग गिनते-गिनते जब राजा नलने “दश' कहा, तब नागने उन्हें डँस लिया। उसके डँसते ही उनका पहला रूप तत्काल अन्तर्हित (होकर श्यामवर्ण) हो गया
tataḥ saṅkhyātum ārabdham adaśadū daśame pade | tasya daṣṭasya tad rūpaṃ kṣipram antaradhīyata |
Then, as he began to count his steps, the serpent bit him at the tenth pace. The moment he was bitten, his former appearance swiftly vanished from sight—signaling an abrupt, fateful change brought about by the power of the curse and the consequences now ripening in his life.
ब॒हदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how karmic consequences and curses can manifest suddenly, altering one’s condition in an instant; it invites reflection on vigilance, humility, and endurance when fate turns adverse.
As Nala starts counting his steps, a serpent bites him at the tenth step, and immediately his earlier appearance disappears—marking the onset of a drastic change in his outward form and circumstances.