Shloka 14
Damayantī’s Recognition by the Piplū Mark and Her Return to Vidarbha
ततः कर्कोटको नाग: सान्त्वयन् नलमब्रवीत् । मया तेडन्तर्हितं रूप॑ न त्वां विद्युर्जजा इति,तब कर्कोटक नागने राजा नलको सान्त्वना देते हुए कहा--'राजन्! मैंने आपके पहले रूपको इसलिये अदृश्य कर दिया है कि लोग आपको पहचान न सकें
tataḥ karkoṭako nāgaḥ sāntvayan nalam abravīt | mayā te ’ntarhitaṃ rūpaṃ na tvāṃ vidyur janā iti ||
Then the serpent Karkoṭaka, consoling King Nala, said: “I have concealed your former appearance, so that people may not recognize you.” In the narrative, this concealment functions as protective counsel—shielding Nala from public shame and hostile scrutiny while he endures the consequences of misfortune and prepares for recovery.
ब॒हदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Compassionate help may take the form of concealment and strategic protection: when a person is vulnerable, preserving dignity and safety can be a dharmic act that enables eventual restoration.
Karkoṭaka reassures Nala that he has altered/hidden Nala’s earlier appearance so that ordinary people will not recognize him, allowing Nala to move without being identified while he is in distress.