Shloka 22
Akṣa-hṛdaya-dāna and Phalāśruti of the Nalopākhyāna (अक्षहृदयदानम् / नलोपाख्यान-फलश्रुतिः)
न त्वया तत् कृतं कर्म येनाहं विजित: पुरा । कलिना तत् कृतं कर्म त्वं च मूढ न बुध्यसे,'पहले तेरे द्वारा जो मैं पराजित हो गया था, उसमें तेरा कोई पुरुषार्थ नहीं था। मूढ़! वह सब कलियुगकी करतूत थी, जिसे तू नहीं जानता है
na tvayā tat kṛtaṃ karma yenāhaṃ vijitaḥ purā | kalinā tat kṛtaṃ karma tvaṃ ca mūḍha na budhyase ||
“Bukan dengan usaha dirimu perbuatan itu terjadi, yang dahulu membuat aku tewas kalah. Wahai yang terpedaya, itulah perbuatan Kali; namun engkau tidak memahaminya.”
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes genuine personal merit from victory gained through corrupting forces: the speaker attributes the earlier defeat not to the opponent’s prowess but to Kali’s influence, warning against pride and urging discernment about the real causes behind success and failure.
Bṛhadaśva addresses the opponent who once overcame him, asserting that the earlier conquest was not due to that person’s skill but due to Kali’s intervention, and rebukes the opponent for failing to recognize this.