Shloka 5

दमयन्तीस्वयंवरः — देववेषधारणं, सत्यप्रार्थना, नलवरणम्

Damayantī’s Svayaṃvara: Divine Disguises, Truth-Vow, and Choosing Nala

Devanagari script

तामस्वस्थां तदाकारां सख्यस्ता जज्ञुरिज्धितै: ततो विदर्भपतये दमयन्त्या: सखीजन:

Transliteration

tām asvasthāṁ tad-ākārāṁ sakhyas tā jajñur ijjhitaiḥ | tato vidarbha-pataye damayantyāḥ sakhī-janaḥ ||

Translation

Melihat dia tidak sihat dan rupa parasnya berubah demikian, para sahabatnya mengenalinya melalui tanda-tanda yang mereka sudah maklum. Lalu sahabat-sahabat Damayantī pun menyampaikan khabar itu kepada penguasa Vidarbha.

Word by Word

ताम्her

अस्वस्थाम्unwell, distressed

तदाकाराम्of that appearance/form

सख्यःfemale friends

ताःthey (those women)

जज्ञुःknew, recognized

ऋद्धितैःby (their) prosperities/marks of prosperity

ततःthen, thereafter

विदर्भपतयेto the lord/king of Vidarbha

दमयन्त्याःof Damayantī

सखीजनःthe group of (her) female friends

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Damayantī

Vidarbha (kingdom)

Vidarbha-pati (king of Vidarbha)

Damayantī’s sakhīs (female companions)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights responsible care: those close to a person should notice distress, recognize it even when outward appearance changes, and promptly inform the rightful guardian/authority so protection and support can be arranged—an ethical duty grounded in compassion and social responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Damayantī is found in a weakened, altered condition. Her companions identify her through familiar signs and then report the situation to the king of Vidarbha, initiating the next step of assistance and response from her family and court.