Shloka 20
Akṣa-hṛdaya-dāna and Phalāśruti of the Nalopākhyāna (अक्षहृदयदानम् / नलोपाख्यान-फलश्रुतिः)
जित्वा च पुष्करं राजा प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् । मम सर्वमिदं राज्यमव्यग्रं हतकण्टकम्,पुष्करको परास्त करके राजा नलने हँसते हुए उससे कहा--“नृपाधम! अब यह शान्त और अकण्टक सारा राज्य मेरे अधिकारमें आ गया। विदर्भकुमारी दमयन्तीकी ओर तू आँख उठाकर देख भी नहीं सकता। मूर्ख! आजसे तू परिवारसहित दमयन्तीका दास हो गया
bṛhadaśva uvāca | jitvā ca puṣkaraṃ rājā prahasann idam abravīt | mama sarvam idaṃ rājyam avyagraṃ hatakaṇṭakam | puṣkarako parāstaḥ kṛtvā rājā nalaṃ haṃsate huye usse kahā— “nṛpādhama! aba yaha śānta aura akaṇṭaka sārā rājya mere adhikāra meṃ ā gayā. vidarbhakumārī damayantī kī ora tū āṅkh uṭhākar dekh bhī nahīṃ saktā. mūrkha! āj se tū parivār-sahit damayantī kā dāsa ho gayā.”
పుష్కరుణ్ని జయించిన రాజు నలుడు నవ్వుతూ ఇలా అన్నాడు—“ఈ సమస్త రాజ్యం ఇప్పుడు నాదే—నిశ్చింతగా, నిర్బాధగా, కంటకరహితంగా.”
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that victory, especially gained through exploitative means, can breed arrogance and cruelty. Ethical kingship (rāja-dharma) requires restraint and protection of dignity; using power to mock, dispossess, and claim control over another’s spouse and household is portrayed as a moral degradation.
After the dice contest, Puṣkara has defeated Nala and, smiling in triumph, declares that the kingdom is now his—safe and obstacle-free. He then insults Nala and asserts that Nala may not even look at Damayantī, claiming that Nala and his family have become Damayantī’s slaves, intensifying Nala’s humiliation and loss.