Shloka 7

दमयन्ती-शपथः वायोः साक्ष्यं च

Damayantī’s Oath and Vāyu’s Testimony

Devanagari script

सा तत्‌ सर्व यथावृत्तं दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत्‌ । निमित्तं यत्‌ तया दृष्टं बाहुके दैवमानुषम्‌,उसने बाहुकमें जो दिव्य अथवा मानवोचित विशेषताएँ देखीं, उनका यथावत्‌ समाचार पूर्णरूपसे दमयन्तीको बताया

Transliteration

sā tat sarva yathāvṛttaṃ damayantyai nyavedayat | nimittaṃ yat tayā dṛṣṭaṃ bāhuke daivamānuṣam ||

Translation

Bṛhadaśva said: She reported to Damayantī, exactly as it had occurred, everything in full—especially the sign she had observed in Bāhuka, whether divine or distinctly human—conveying the matter just as she had seen it.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'sā', 'definition': 'she (the woman/messenger previously mentioned)'}, {'term': 'tat sarvam', 'definition': 'all that

• the whole matter'}, {'term': 'yathā-vṛttam', 'definition': 'as it happened

• according to what actually occurred'}, {'term': 'damayantyai', 'definition': 'to Damayantī (dative singular)'}, {'term': 'nyavedayat', 'definition': 'reported, informed, communicated'}, {'term': 'nimittam', 'definition': 'a sign, indication, distinguishing mark

• omen-like clue'}, {'term': 'yat', 'definition': 'which

• that which'}, {'term': 'tayā dṛṣṭam', 'definition': 'seen by her

• observed by her'}, {'term': 'bāhuke', 'definition': 'in/with Bāhuka (locative)

• the person known as Bāhuka'}, {'term': 'daiva-mānuṣam', 'definition': 'divine or human

Speaker

बृहृदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• Damayantī
• Bāhuka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes faithful reporting and truthfulness: conveying events 'as they happened' (yathāvṛttam) and presenting observed signs without distortion, so that right discernment and dharmic decision-making can follow.

What is happening in the narrative?

A woman who has observed Bāhuka reports back to Damayantī, giving a complete and accurate account, including the distinctive indications in Bāhuka that seemed either divine or characteristically human—details relevant to recognizing his true identity.