Shloka 3
Damayantī’s Recognition by the Piplū Mark and Her Return to Vidarbha
मा भैरिति नलश्नोक्त्वा मध्यमग्ने: प्रविश्य तम् । ददर्श नागराजानं शयानं कुण्डलीकृतम्,उसीके बीचमें उन्हें किसी प्राणीका यह शब्द सुनायी पड़ा--'पुण्यश्लोक महाराज नल! दौड़िये, मुझे बचाइये।” उच्च स्वरसे बार-बार दुहरायी गयी इस वाणीको सुनकर राजा नलने कहा--'डरो मत'। इतना कहकर वे आगके भीतर घुस गये। वहाँ उन्होंने देखा, एक नागराज कुण्डलाकार पड़ा हुआ सो रहा है
mā bhair iti nalaḥ uktvā madhyam agneḥ praviśya tam | dadarśa nāgarājānaṃ śayānaṃ kuṇḍalīkṛtam ||
Saying, “Do not be afraid,” King Nala entered the very midst of the fire. There he saw the lord of serpents lying asleep, coiled up in a ring. The scene highlights Nala’s fearless compassion: he responds to a cry for help without hesitation, even at personal risk.
ब॒हदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma includes fearless protection of those in distress. Nala’s immediate reassurance—“mā bhaiḥ”—and his entry into danger model compassion joined with courage, showing ethical action that prioritizes saving life over self-preservation.
Hearing a repeated cry for help from within a blazing fire, Nala tells the unseen being not to fear and steps into the flames. Inside, he finds a serpent-king lying asleep in a coiled form, setting up the ensuing encounter and its consequences for Nala’s journey.