Shloka 48
ऋतुपर्णस्य विदर्भयात्रा-निश्चयः तथा बाहुकस्य हयपरिक्षा (Ṛtuparṇa’s resolve to go to Vidarbha and Bāhuka’s examination of horses)
एवमुक्तास्त्वगच्छंस्ते ब्राह्मणा: सर्वतो दिशम् नलं॑ मृगयितुं राजंस्तदा व्यसनिनं तथा,राजन! दमयन्तीके ऐसा कहनेपर वे ब्राह्मण संकटमें पड़े हुए राजा नलको ढूँढ़नेके लिये सब दिशाओंकी ओर चले गये। युधिष्छिर! उन ब्राह्मणोंने नगरों, राष्ट्रों, गाँवों, गोष्ठों तथा आश्रमोंमें भी नलका अन्वेषण किया; किंतु उन्हें कहीं भी उनका पता न लगा
evam uktās tv agacchaṃs te brāhmaṇāḥ sarvato diśam | nalaṃ mṛgayituṃ rājan tadā vyasaninaṃ tathā ||
Thus addressed, those brāhmaṇas set out in every direction to search for King Nala, who at that time had fallen into calamity and distress. In obedience to Damayantī’s appeal, they looked for him through towns, kingdoms, villages, cattle-stations, and hermitages; yet nowhere could they discover any trace of him.
युदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic solidarity: when a righteous person falls into misfortune, the community—especially those guided by learning and duty—responds with compassionate effort. It also underscores the ethical weight of keeping one’s word and acting on behalf of the distressed, as the brāhmaṇas undertake a difficult search prompted by Damayantī’s plea.
After being requested (in context, by Damayantī), the brāhmaṇas depart in all directions to find King Nala, who has fallen into severe distress. They search widely across human settlements and ascetic spaces—towns, realms, villages, cattle-stations, and hermitages—but fail to locate him.