Shloka 23

Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)

Devanagari script

तथा भारत धर्मेषु धर्मज्शैरिह दृश्यते । अहोरात्रं महाराज तुल्यं संवत्सरेण ह,“भरतवंशी महाराज! धर्मशास्त्रमें इसी प्रकार धर्मपरायण धर्मज्ञ पुरुषोंद्वारा यहाँ एक दिन-रात एक संवत्सरके समान देखा जाता है

Transliteration

tathā bhārata dharmeṣu dharmajñair iha dṛśyate | ahorātraṃ mahārāja tulyaṃ saṃvatsareṇa ha ||

Translation

பரதகுலத்து மகாராஜா! தர்மவிஷயங்களில் இங்குள்ள தர்மஞானிகளும் தர்மநிலையுடையவர்களும் இவ்வாறே காண்கிறார்கள்—மகாராஜா, ஒரு பகலும் ஒரு இரவும் ஒரு ஆண்டிற்கு சமம் எனக் கருதப்படுகிறது.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in that manner

भारतO Bharata

धर्मेषुin matters of dharma / in dharmas

धर्मज्ञैःby the knowers of dharma

इहhere (in this world/context)

दृश्यतेis seen / is regarded

अहोरात्रम्a day and night (a full day)

महाराजO great king

तुल्यम्equal, comparable

संवत्सरेणwith a year / as (equal) to a year

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)

Mahārāja (the king addressed)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those grounded in dharma experience and evaluate time differently: intense discipline, vigilance, and moral awareness can make even a single day-night feel as weighty and consequential as an entire year.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, addresses a Bhārata king and states a traditional dharma-based viewpoint: among dharma-knowers, a day and night are spoken of as equivalent to a year, emphasizing the heightened moral and spiritual valuation of time.