Shloka 18
दमयन्त्याः कार्यनिश्चयः — Damayantī’s Crisis Plan and Vārṣṇeya’s Departure
तत्पश्चात् मन एवं वाणीद्वारा देवताओंको नमस्कार करके दोनों हाथ जोड़कर काँपती हुई वह इस प्रकार बोली--'मैंने हंसोंकी बात सुनकर निषधनरेश नलका पतिरूपमें वरण कर लिया है। इस सत्यके प्रभावसे देवतालोग स्वयं ही मुझे राजा नलकी पहचान करा दें ।। मनसा वचसा चैव यथा नाभिचराम्यहम् | तेन सत्येन विबुधास्तमेव प्रदिशन्तु मे,“यदि मैं मन, वाणी एवं क्रियाद्वारा कभी सदाचारसे च्युत नहीं हुई हूँ तो उस सत्यके प्रभावसे देवतालोग मुझे राजा नलकी ही प्राप्ति करावें
bṛhadaśva uvāca |
tatpaścāt manasaiva vāṇīdvārā devatābhyo namaskṛtya ubhau karau saṃyojya kampamānā sā evam uvāca— “haṃsānāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā niṣadhanṛpaṃ nalaṃ patirūpeṇa vṛtaṃ mayā | asya satyasya prabhāvena devāḥ svayam eva māṃ rājñā nalaṃ pratyabhijñāpayantu ||
manasā vacasā caiva yathā nābhicarāmy aham |
tena satyena vibudhās tam eva pradiśantu me ||
‘yadi ahaṃ manaḥ-vāk-karmabhiḥ kadācit sadācārāt na cyutā, tad asya satyasya prabhāvena devāḥ mama rājānaṃ nalaṃ eva prāpayantu’ ”
Bṛhadaśva disse: Depois disso, ela reverenciou os deuses com a mente e com as palavras; unindo ambas as mãos, tremendo, falou assim: “Tendo ouvido as palavras dos cisnes, escolhi Nala, rei de Niṣadha, como meu esposo. Pelo poder desta verdade, que os próprios deuses me façam reconhecer o verdadeiro rei Nala. Se eu jamais me desviei — por mente ou por fala — da reta conduta, então, por essa verdade, que os seres divinos me indiquem esse mesmo Nala.”
बृहदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights satya as an active moral power: steadfast integrity in thought and speech (and implied conduct) becomes a force that clarifies reality and protects righteous choice.
Damayantī, trembling, prays to the gods with folded hands, declaring that she has chosen Nala after hearing the swans. She invokes her truthfulness and unbroken good conduct so the gods will help her identify and obtain the real Nala amid confusion.