Shloka 5
अक्षद्यूतप्रवेशः — Kali’s Entry and the Initiation of the Dice-Contest
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह | तिष्ठत्सु लोकपालेषु कथं मानुषमिच्छसि,दमयन्तीके ऐसा कहनेपर राजा नलने उससे पूछा--'(तुम्हें पानेके लिये उत्सुक) लोकपालोंके होते हुए तुम एक साधारण मनुष्यको कैसे पति बनाना चाहती हो?
evam uktas tu vaidarbhya nalas tāṃ pratyuvāca ha | tiṣṭhatsu lokapāleṣu kathaṃ mānuṣam icchasi, damayantī ||
毗陀婆国的公主如此言说，纳罗回答她道：“达摩延蒂啊，诸世界的守护者——世间护法（Lokapāla）——都已在此等候，你怎能愿意择一介凡人作夫君？”
बृहदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between personal choice (love and preference) and perceived social-cosmic hierarchy (divine claimants). Nala’s question foregrounds humility and the ethical concern of choosing a mortal when powerful divine guardians are present.
In Bṛhadaśva’s narration of the Nala–Damayantī episode, Damayantī has expressed her wish, and Nala responds by questioning how she can select him—a human—when the Lokapālas (divine suitors) are available, setting up the conflict of choice at the svayaṃvara.