Shloka 21
Damayantī’s Recognition by the Piplū Mark and Her Return to Vidarbha
अयोध्यां नगरीं रम्यामद्य वै निषधेश्वर । स तेक्षहृदयं दाता राजाश्वह्ददयेन वै,“निषधेश्वर! आप आज ही रमणीय अयोध्यापुरीको चले जाइये। इक्ष्वाकुकुलमें उत्पन्न श्रीमान् राजा ऋतुपर्ण आपसे अश्वविद्याका रहस्य सीखकर बदलेमें आपको चद्यूतक्रीड़ाका रहस्य बतलायेंगे और आपके मित्र भी हो जायँगे। जब आप द्यूतविद्याके ज्ञाता होंगे, तब पुनः कल्याणभागी हो जायँगे
bṛhadaśva uvāca |
ayodhyāṃ nagarīṃ ramyām adya vai niṣadheśvara |
sa te kṣa-hṛdayaṃ dātā rājā ṛtuparṇo hṛdayena vai ||
Bṛhadaśva said: “O lord of Niṣadha, go today itself to the delightful city of Ayodhyā. There the illustrious king Ṛtuparṇa—out of goodwill—will teach you the secret of horsemanship (the science of horses). In return, he will receive from you the secret of dice-play, and he will become your friend. When you have mastered the knowledge of dice, you will again be able to regain your welfare and good fortune.”
ब॒हदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights pragmatic counsel within dharma: disciplined learning and strategic alliances can help repair the damage caused by vice (here, gambling). Knowledge is portrayed as a means of restoration, but it is framed ethically—used to regain stability rather than to indulge further in harmful play.
Bṛhadaśva advises Nala (addressed as the king of Niṣadha) to go to Ayodhyā and meet King Ṛtuparṇa. Ṛtuparṇa will teach Nala the secret of horsemanship, and in exchange Nala will teach the secret of dice-play; through this exchange they will become friends, and Nala will be positioned to recover his lost fortune.