Shloka 25
दमयन्त्याः अरण्यविहारः — Damayantī’s Passage through the Wilderness
ततः सा बाष्पकलया वाचा दु:खेन कर्शिता । उवाच दमयन्ती तं नैषधं करुणं वच:,तब दमयन्ती अत्यन्त दुःखसे दुर्बल हो नेत्रोंसे आँसू बहाती हुई गद्गद वाणीमें राजा नलसे यह करुण वचन बोली--
tataḥ sā bāṣpakalayā vācā duḥkhena karśitā | uvāca damayantī taṃ naiṣadhaṃ karuṇaṃ vacaḥ ||
അപ്പോൾ ദമയന്തി ദുഃഖംകൊണ്ട് ക്ഷീണിച്ച്, കണ്ണുനീരാൽ ശബ്ദം മുറുകി, നിഷധരാജനായ നളനോട് കരുണാഭരിതമായ വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു.
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights compassionate speech arising from suffering: even in intense grief, Damayantī’s response is framed as a humane, ethically charged appeal rather than anger—suggesting that dharmic communication can persist amid personal distress.
Damayantī, overwhelmed and weakened by sorrow, begins to speak to Nala (the Naiṣadha king). The verse serves as a narrative transition introducing her forthcoming lament or plea, emphasizing her tearful, choked voice and the pathos of the moment.