Shloka 25

अक्षद्यूतप्रवेशः — Kali’s Entry and the Initiation of the Dice-Contest

Devanagari script

नल उवाच भवद्धिरहमादिष्टो दमयन्त्या निवेशनम्‌ | प्रविष्ट: सुमहाकक्ष॑ दण्डिभि: स्थविरैर्वृतम्‌,नलने कहा--देवताओ! आपकी आज्ञा पाकर मैं दमयन्तीके महलमें गया। उसकी ड्योढ़ी विशाल थी और दण्डधारी बूढ़े रक्षक उसे घेरकर पहरा दे रहे थे

Transliteration

nala uvāca bhavadbhir aham ādiṣṭo damayantyā niveśanam | praviṣṭaḥ su-mahā-kakṣaṃ daṇḍibhiḥ sthavirair vṛtam ||

Translation

ナラは言った。「神々よ、あなたがたの命により、私はダマヤンティーの御殿へ赴いた。中へ入ると、広大な前庭がひらけ、杖を携えた年老いた衛士たちが取り囲んで厳しく見張っていた。」

Word by Word

• नलः: Nala
• नलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भवद्भिः: by you (honored ones)
• भवद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• आदिष्टः: ordered/commanded
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दिś् (आदिश्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दमयन्त्या: by Damayanti
• दमयन्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमयन्ती
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• निवेशनम्: dwelling/house, palace
• निवेशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेशन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रविष्टः: having entered / entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश्
• Form: Past active participle (क्त, intransitive usage), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुमहाकक्षम्: a very large antechamber/vestibule
• सुमहाकक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमहाकक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दण्डिभिः: by staff-bearers (guards)
• दण्डिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्थविरैः: old/elderly
• स्थविरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थविर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वृतम्: surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वृञ्) / वृत
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

नल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• नल (Nala)
• दमयन्ती (Damayantī)
• देवाः (the gods, implied by भवद्भिः)
• निवेशनम् (palace/residence)
• दण्डिनः स्थविराः (elderly staff-bearing guards)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined adherence to entrusted duty: Nala acts as instructed, and the guarded palace setting underscores social order and protective responsibility as part of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nala reports that, following the gods’ instruction, he entered Damayantī’s residence and saw a vast entrance-court secured by elderly staff-bearing guards, indicating strict palace protocol before he can proceed further.