Shloka 24
तुल्यशीलवयोयुक्तां तुल्याभिजनसंवृताम् । नैषधो<हति वैदर्भी तं चेयमसितेक्षणा,विदर्भकुमारी दमयन्ती राजा नलके समान शील और अवस्थासे युक्त है, उन्हींके तुल्य उत्तम कुलसे सुशोभित है। निषधनरेश नल विदर्भकुमारीके योग्य हैं और यह कजरारे नेत्रोंवाली वैदर्भी नलके योग्य है
tulyaśīlavayoyuktāṃ tulyābhijanasaṃvṛtām | naiṣadho 'rhati vaidarbhīṃ taṃ ceyam asitekṣaṇā ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “She is endowed with character and youth equal to his, and she is graced with a lineage equal to his. The king of Niṣadha, Nala, is truly worthy of the princess of Vidarbha; and this dark-eyed princess of Vidarbha is worthy of Nala.” In this reflection, the speaker frames marriage as an ethical harmony of virtues and social standing, emphasizing suitability grounded in character rather than mere desire.
युदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ethical criterion for marriage: suitability based on parity in character (śīla), maturity/age (vayaḥ), and noble standing (abhijana). It implies that a righteous union is one where virtues and social responsibilities are balanced, supporting harmony rather than mismatch.
Yudhiṣṭhira comments on the famed pair Nala and Damayantī, affirming that Nala, king of Niṣadha, is a fitting match for the Vidarbha princess, and that Damayantī is equally fitting for Nala—highlighting mutual worthiness before the events of their story unfold.