Shloka 8
Adhyāya 76: Kuṇḍina-praveśaḥ, Bhīmena satkāraḥ, Ṛtuparṇa-kṣamā, Aśvahṛdaya-pratyarpanam
Nala’s Reception and Reconciliation
त॑ तु दृष्टवा तथायुक्तं दमयन्ती नलं तदा । तीव्रशोकसमाविष्टा बभूव वरवर्णिनी,उस समय नलको उस अवस्थामें देखकर सुन्दरी दमयन्ती भी तीव्र शोकसे व्याकुल हो गयी
taṁ tu dṛṣṭvā tathāyuktaṁ damayantī nalaṁ tadā | tīvrāśokasamāviṣṭā babhūva varavarṇinī ||
But when Damayantī then saw Nala in that altered, pitiable condition, the fair-complexioned lady was overwhelmed by intense grief. The scene underscores the ethical weight of steadfast love confronted with misfortune, and the human cost of downfall that tests compassion and fidelity.
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights compassion and steadfastness in dharma: true love and ethical commitment are tested not in prosperity but when one encounters a loved one brought low by adversity, calling forth empathy rather than judgment.
Bṛhadaśva narrates that Damayantī sees Nala in a changed and afflicted state; upon recognizing his condition, she is seized by intense sorrow, marking a poignant moment in the Nala–Damayantī episode.