Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अतीव शोकसंततप्ता मुहुर्नि:श्वस्य विद्नला । उवाच भैमी नि:श्वस्य रुदत्यथ पतिव्रता,अत्यन्त शोकसंतप्त हो बार-बार लंबी साँसें खींचती हुई व्याकुल पतिव्रता दमयन्ती दीर्घ नि:श्वास लेकर रोती हुई बोली--

Transliteration

atīva śokasantaptā muhur niḥśvasya vidnalā | uvāca bhaimī niḥśvasya rudaty atha pativratā ||

Translation

மிகுந்த துயரால் வாட்டமுற்று, மீண்டும் மீண்டும் நீண்ட மூச்சை இழுத்து தளர்ந்த பத்திவிரதை பைமி (தமயந்தி) மீண்டும் ஒரு நீண்ட நெடுமூச்சுடன் அழுதபடியே பேசினாள்।

Word by Word

अतीवexceedingly, very much

शोक-संतत-तप्ताburnt/afflicted by continuous grief

मुहुःagain and again

निःश्वस्यhaving sighed

विह्वलाdistressed, agitated

उवाचsaid

भैमीBhīmī (Damayantī)

निःश्वस्यhaving sighed

रुदतीweeping

अथthen

पतिव्रताa devoted wife

Speaker

ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Bhīmī (Damayantī)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in dharma—especially pativratā-dharma—showing that even when overwhelmed by grief, one may continue to uphold fidelity, restraint, and moral resolve rather than collapsing into despair alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bṛhadaśva’s narration of the Nala–Damayantī episode, Damayantī (Bhīmī) is depicted as intensely grief-stricken, repeatedly sighing and weeping; after this emotional build-up, she begins to speak.