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

布利哈达湿婆说道：“诸位有福之人，你们可安好——尤其在各自本分之法（dharma）的修持上？”被如此问及，那些大心的苦行仙人答复这位声名卓著的女子：“贤淑的夫人，我们诸事皆安。”

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.