Shloka 71

नलस्य बाहुकत्वेन ऋतुपर्णनगरप्रवेशः

Nala as Bāhuka enters Ṛtuparṇa’s city

Devanagari script

कुशलं वो महाभागा: स्वधर्माचरणेषु च | तैरुक्ता कुशलं भद्रे सर्वत्रेति यशस्विनि,उस समय सुन्दर अंगोंवाली दमयन्तीने उनसे कहा--“भगवन्‌! निष्पाप महाभागगण! यहाँ तप, अन्निहोत्र, धर्म, मृग और पक्षियोंके पालन तथा अपने धर्मके आचरण आदि विषयोंमें आपलोग सकुशल हैं न?' तब उन महात्माओंने कहा--“भद्रे! यशस्विनि! सर्वत्र कुशल है

Transliteration

bṛhadaśva uvāca | kuśalaṃ vo mahābhāgāḥ svadharmācaraṇeṣu ca | tair uktā kuśalaṃ bhadre sarvatreti yaśasvini ||

Translation

Bṛhadaśva nói: “Hỡi các bậc hữu phúc, các ngài có được an ổn chăng—nhất là trong việc hành trì bổn phận dharma của mình?” Được hỏi như vậy, những bậc ẩn sĩ đại hồn đáp lời người phụ nữ hiển danh: “Thưa hiền nương, chúng ta đều an ổn mọi bề.”

Word by Word

• {'bṛhadaśva uvāca': 'Bṛhadaśva said', 'kuśalam': 'well-being

• auspicious condition', 'vo': 'of you (plural)', 'mahābhāgāḥ': 'highly fortunate

• venerable (plural)', 'svadharma': 'one’s own prescribed duty

• personal dharma according to station and circumstance', 'ācaraṇeṣu': 'in practices

• in observances (locative plural)', 'ca': 'and', 'taiḥ': 'by them (instrumental plural)', 'uktā': 'having been addressed

• spoken to', 'bhadre': 'O gentle lady

• auspicious one (vocative)', 'sarvatra': 'everywhere

• in all respects', 'iti': 'thus', 'yaśasvini': 'O illustrious/famed lady (vocative)'}

Speaker

बृहृदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• Damayantī
• ascetics (ṛṣis/tapasvins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True ‘well-being’ (kuśala) is measured by steadfastness in svadharma—right conduct and disciplined observance—rather than by comfort alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bṛhadaśva’s narration, Damayantī respectfully inquires after the ascetics’ welfare, specifically regarding their religious duties; they respond that they are well in every way.