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Shloka 1

Sudeva Identifies Damayantī in Cedi (सुदेवेन दमयन्ती-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

हि न () हि २ 7 पजञज्चषष्टितमो< ध्याय: जंगली हाथियोंद्वारा व्यापारियोंके दलका सर्वनाश तथा दुःखित दमयन्तीका चेदिराजके भवनमें सुखपूर्वक निवास बृहदश्चव उवाच सा तच्छुत्वानवद्याज्ञी सार्थवाहवचस्तदा । जगाम सह तेनैव सार्थेन पतिलालसा,बृहदश्व मुनि कहते हैं--राजन! दलके संचालककी वह बात सुनकर निर्दोष एवं सुन्दर अंगोंवाली दमयन्ती पतिदेवके दर्शनके लिये उत्सुक हो व्यापारियोंके उस दलके साथ ही यात्रा करने लगी

Transliteration

Bṛhadaśva uvāca: sā tac chrutvānavadyā jñī sārthavāhavacas tadā | jagāma saha tenaiva sārthena patilālasā ||

Translation

ブリハダシュヴァは言った。王よ、隊商の長の言葉を聞くや、汚れなき聡明なるダマヤンティーは、夫にまみえることを切に願い、ただちに旅立って、その商人たちの一行とともに道を進んだ。

Word by Word

बृहदश्वःBṛhadaśva (the sage)

उवाचsaid/spoke

साshe

तत्that (statement)

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

अनवद्याङ्गीshe whose limbs are faultless (blameless-limbed)

सार्थवाहवचःthe words of the caravan-leader

तदाthen

जगामwent

सहtogether with

तेनwith that (one/that group)

एवindeed/just

सार्थेनwith the caravan/company

पतिलालसाdesirous of (seeing) her husband

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Damayantī

sārthavāha (caravan-leader)

sārtha (merchant caravan)

pati (husband, i.e., Nala by implication)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in distress and uncertainty, steadfastness in dharma—here expressed as loyal commitment and purposeful effort—guides action; Damayantī chooses a practical path (joining a caravan) while keeping her ethical aim (reunion with her husband).

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the caravan-leader’s words, Damayantī decides to travel with the merchants’ caravan, motivated by her longing to find and see her husband.