Shloka 15

Akṣa-hṛdaya-dāna and Phalāśruti of the Nalopākhyāna (अक्षहृदयदानम् / नलोपाख्यान-फलश्रुतिः)

Devanagari script

देवनेन मम प्रीतिर्न भवत्यसुहद्रणै: । जित्वा त्वद्य वरारोहां दमयन्तीमनिन्दिताम्‌

Transliteration

devanena mama prītir na bhavaty asuhṛd-raṇaiḥ | jitvā tv adya varārohāṃ damayantīm aninditām ||

Translation

சூதாட்டத்தில் எனக்கு இன்பம் இல்லை; பகை கொண்டவர்களுடன் போட்டியிடுவதிலும் இல்லை. ஆனால் இன்று குற்றமற்ற, உயர்ந்த வடிவமுடைய தமயந்தியை வென்று நான் நிறைவு அடைவேன்.

Word by Word

देवनेनby gambling / by the game of dice

ममof me / my

प्रीतिःaffection / satisfaction

नnot

भवतिis / arises / becomes

असुहृद्रणैःby battles with non-friends / by hostile combats

जित्वाhaving conquered

तुbut

अद्यtoday / now

वरारोहाम्the fair-thighed (lady)

दमयन्तीम्Damayantī

अनिन्दिताम्blameless / faultless

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Damayantī

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts ethically suspect pleasures—gambling and hostile contention—with the desire for a ‘victory’ framed as legitimate conquest. It implicitly raises a dharmic question: true satisfaction should not arise from vice (dice) or enmity-driven struggle, and even ‘victory’ must be examined for its moral basis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva speaks about what does and does not please him: he rejects delight in gambling and in fighting with ill-disposed opponents, yet declares that he will be pleased today after ‘conquering’ Damayantī, described as noble and blameless—language that signals a contest or claim over her within the episode’s unfolding events.