Shloka 18
Damayantī’s Proposal of a Witnessed Choice; Nala Reports to the Lokapālas
Adhyāya 53
अशव्नुवन् नल: काम तदा धारयितुं हृदा । अन्तःपुरसमीपस्थे वन आस्ते रहोगत:,जब राजा नल उस कामवेदनाको हृदयके भीतर छिपाये रखनेमें असमर्थ हो गये, तब वे अन्तः:पुरके समीपवर्ती उपवनमें जाकर एकान्तमें बैठ गये
aśaknuvan nalaḥ kāmaṃ tadā dhārayituṃ hṛdā | antaḥpurasamīpastha vane āste rahogataḥ ||
Disse Bṛhadaśva: Quando o rei Nala já não conseguiu conter no coração o ímpeto do desejo, retirou-se para um bosque perto dos aposentos internos e ali se sentou em solidão.
बृहृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Unchecked kāma can overwhelm even a king; the ethical response begins with recognizing the impulse and seeking conditions (privacy, calm) that support restraint and right action rather than public impropriety or harm.
Nala, unable to contain his rising desire in his heart, leaves the vicinity of the palace life and sits alone in a nearby grove close to the inner apartments, indicating an intensifying inner turmoil.