Shloka 17
नलस्य दमयन्त्युत्सर्गः
Nala’s Abandonment of Damayantī in the Lodging Hall
आविष्ट: कलिना राजा नाभ्यभाषत किंचन । ततस्ते मन्त्रिण: सर्वे ते चैव पुरवासिन:
āviṣṭaḥ kalinā rājā nābhyabhāṣata kiñcana | tataste mantriṇaḥ sarve te caiva puravāsinaḥ ||
Bị Kali chế ngự, nhà vua không thốt một lời. Khi ấy, tất cả các đại thần—cùng dân chúng trong thành—(đều đứng đó, chờ xem điều gì sẽ xảy đến).
ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
When adharma (here personified as Kali) gains influence over a ruler, clarity and righteous speech can collapse; the king’s silence signals a breakdown of moral agency, and the community is left dependent on counsel and collective vigilance.
Bṛhadaśva narrates that the king, seized by Kali, becomes mute and unresponsive; in response, his ministers and the city’s inhabitants gather, indicating public concern and the political consequences of a ruler’s inner corruption.