Shloka 18

कर्कोटक-उपदेशः

Karkoṭaka’s Counsel and Nala’s Concealment

Devanagari script

एवं तु विलपन्ती सा राज्ञो भार्या महात्मन: । अन्वेषमाणा भार्तरं बने श्वापदसेविते,इस प्रकार विलाप करती तथा हिंख्र जन्तुओंसे भरे हुए वनमें अपने पतिको ढूँढ़ती हुई महामना राजा नलकी पत्नी भीमकुमारी दमयन्ती उन्मत्त हुई रोती-बिलखती और “हा राजन! हा महाराज” ऐसा बार-बार कहती हुई इधर-उधर दौड़ने लगी

Transliteration

evaṃ tu vilapantī sā rājño bhāryā mahātmanaḥ | anveṣamāṇā bhartāraṃ vane śvāpadasevite ||

Translation

就这样，她——那位大心王的贤德王后——在猛兽出没的森林中寻觅夫君，哀号不已，痛苦徘徊；她一边哭泣一边奔走于此彼，反复呼喊：“啊，王啊！啊，大王啊！”此景彰显了妻子坚贞不渝的夫妇之义，以及逆境所要求的道德坚忍。

Word by Word

एवम्thus

तुbut/indeed

विलपन्तीlamenting

साshe

राज्ञःof the king

भार्याwife

महात्मनःof the great-souled (one)

अन्वेषमाणाseeking

भार्तरम्husband

वनेin the forest

श्वापद-सेवितेfrequented by wild beasts

Speaker

ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Damayantī

Nala

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic steadfastness under distress: Damayantī’s unwavering commitment to her husband and her endurance in danger illustrate moral resilience and fidelity even when circumstances become terrifying and uncertain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Damayantī, separated from King Nala, is shown wandering in a wild-beast-haunted forest, crying and searching for him, repeatedly calling out to him as she runs about in grief.