Shloka 9

नलस्य पुष्करजयो द्यूते

Nala’s Victory over Puṣkara in the Dice-Game

Devanagari script

तमानाय्य नलं राजा क्षमयामास पार्थिवम्‌,उन्होंने राजा नलको बुलवाकर उनसे क्षमा माँगी

Transliteration

tam ānāyya nalaṃ rājā kṣamayāmāsa pārthivam

Translation

Nhà vua cho mời vua Nala đến và xin người tha thứ. Khoảnh khắc ấy nêu bật lý tưởng của dharma: ngay cả bậc quân vương cũng phải nhận lỗi, chế ngự kiêu mạn, và khôi phục mối tương giao đúng đắn bằng khiêm cung và hòa giải.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आनाय्य: having brought (summoned)
• आनाय्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (नीञ्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Active, Non-finite

• नलम्: Nala
• नलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षमयामास: begged pardon / asked forgiveness
• क्षमयामास: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (क्षमुँष्/क्षमँ) + याम् (causative) + आस्
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (लिट्, periphrastic), 3rd, Singular, Active

• पार्थिवम्: the king (earthly ruler)
• पार्थिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

बृहृदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

• नल (Nala)
• राजा (the king)
• पार्थिव (the royal person/king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣamā (forbearance/forgiveness) as a royal virtue: true authority is compatible with admitting wrongdoing and seeking reconciliation, thereby restoring dharma and social harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bṛhadaśva’s narration of the Nala story, the king has Nala summoned and then asks his pardon, marking a turn from conflict or error toward repair through humility.