Shloka 10

नलस्य पुष्करजयो द्यूते

Nala’s Victory over Puṣkara in the Dice-Game

Devanagari script

सचतंकक्षमयामास हेतुभिरद्धिसम्मित: । स सत्कृतो महीपालो नैषध॑ं विस्मितानन:

Transliteration

sa cataṅkakṣamayāmāsa hetubhir addhisammitaḥ | sa satkṛto mahīpālo naiṣadhaṁ vismitānanaḥ ||

Translation

బృహదశ్వుడు అన్నాడు—సముచితమైన, సువిచారితమైన కారణాలతో అతడు చతంకుని శాంతింపజేశాడు. అలా సత్కరింపబడిన నిషధరాజు ఆశ్చర్యముఖుడై నిలిచెను.

Word by Word

सःhe

चand

तंhim

क्षमयामासforgave

हेतुभिःwith reasons, by arguments

अद्धिindeed, truly

सम्मितःmeasured/limited; well-considered

सःhe

सत्कृतःhonoured, well-received

महीपालःking (protector of the earth)

नैषधंthe Naiṣadha (Nala)

विस्मितastonished

आननःface; (one) having a face

Speaker

बृहृदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

बृहदश्व (Bṛhadaśva)

च

चतङ्क (Cataṅka)

न

नैषध (Naiṣadha/Nala)

न

निषध (Niṣadha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sound reasoning (hetu) combined with respectful conduct (satkāra) can pacify conflict and restore harmony; a ruler’s dignity is upheld not by force alone but by wise counsel and honor shown to others.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva narrates that Cataṅka is calmed through well-considered arguments. The king of Niṣadha (Nala) is then honored and appears astonished, indicating a shift from tension to respectful reconciliation.