एवं ब्रुवाणस्तद् वाक्यं नल: परमदुर्मना: । न वाष्पमशकत् सोढ़ुं प्रसरोद च भारत,इस प्रकार पूर्वोक्त बातें कहते हुए नलका मन अत्यन्त उदास हो गया। भारत! वे अपने उमड़ते हुए आँसुओंको रोक न सके तथा रोने लगे
evaṁ bruvāṇas tad vākyaṁ nalaḥ paramadurmanāḥ | na vāṣpam aśakat soḍhuṁ prasarod ca bhārata ||
As Nala spoke these words, his heart sank into profound dejection. O Bhārata, he could not bear back the surge of tears; they broke forth, and he began to weep—revealing the moral weight of his suffering and the human cost of error and misfortune.
बाहुक उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical and psychological truth that intense remorse and misfortune can overwhelm even a noble person; acknowledging grief is part of human integrity, and emotional collapse here signals the seriousness of Nala’s ordeal rather than moral weakness.
Speaking as Bāhuka (Nala in disguise), Nala finishes a painful statement and becomes utterly despondent; unable to restrain his tears, he breaks down and weeps, marking a moment of emotional disclosure within the Nala–Damayantī episode.