Shloka 12

Akṣa-hṛdaya-dāna and Phalāśruti of the Nalopākhyāna (अक्षहृदयदानम् / नलोपाख्यान-फलश्रुतिः)

Devanagari script

दिष्ट्या त्वयार्जित वित्त प्रतिपाणाय नैषध । दिष्ट्या च दुष्कृतं कर्म दमयन्त्या: क्षयं गतम्‌,“नैषध! सौभाग्यकी बात है कि तुमने दाँवपर लगानेके लिये धनका उपार्जन कर लिया है। यह भी आनन्दकी बात है कि दमयन्तीके दुष्कर्मोंका क्षय हो गया

Transliteration

bṛhadaśva uvāca |

diṣṭyā tvayārjitaṃ vittaṃ pratipānāya naiṣadha |

diṣṭyā ca duṣkṛtaṃ karma damayantyāḥ kṣayaṃ gatam ||

Translation

Bṛhadaśva nói: “Phúc lành cho ngài, hỡi vua Naiṣadha: ngài đã gom đủ của cải để đem ra đặt cược trong cuộc chơi. Và cũng là phúc lành rằng nghiệp ác gắn với Damayantī nay đã tiêu tan, đến hồi chấm dứt.”

Word by Word

• {'bṛhadaśva uvāca': 'Bṛhadaśva said', 'diṣṭyā': 'by good fortune

• it is well that', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'ārjitam': 'earned

• acquired', 'vittam': 'wealth

• money', 'pratipānāya': 'for staking

• for wagering (in play)', 'naiṣadha': 'O king of Niṣadha

• Nala', 'ca': 'and', 'duṣkṛtam': 'evil done

• misdeed', 'karma': 'act

• karmic action', 'damayantyāḥ': 'of Damayantī', 'kṣayam gatam': 'has gone to destruction

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• Naiṣadha (Nala)
• Damayantī
• wealth (vitta)
• wager/stake in gambling (pratipāna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames events through the lens of karma and moral consequence: prosperity and relief are seen as ‘good fortune’ when the conditions for a destined turning-point arise, and when the residue of wrongdoing is said to be exhausted. It suggests that suffering linked to misdeeds can reach an end, opening the way for restoration.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva addresses Nala (Naiṣadha), noting that Nala has obtained the money required to stake in a game and that the harmful karmic burden associated with Damayantī has come to an end—signaling a shift toward resolution in their story.