Shloka 41

Sudeva Identifies Damayantī in Cedi (सुदेवेन दमयन्ती-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

मन्ये स्वयंवरकृते लोकपाला: समागता:,“मैं समझती हूँ, स्वयंवरके लिये जो लोकपाल देवगण पधारे थे, नलके कारण मैंने उनका तिरस्कार कर दिया था। अवश्य उन्हीं देवताओंके प्रभावसे आज मुझे वियोगका कष्ट प्राप्त हुआ है।” इस प्रकार दुःखसे आतुर हुई सुन्दरी पतिव्रता दमयन्तीने उस समय अनेक प्रकारसे विलाप एवं प्रलाप किये

Transliteration

manye svayaṃvarakṛte lokapālāḥ samāgatāḥ | nalakāraṇād ahaṃ tān avamanyam avamānayāṃ cakāra | avaśyaṃ teṣāṃ devānāṃ prabhāvena adya me viyogaduḥkhaṃ prāptam iti | evaṃ duḥkhāturā sundarī pativratā damayantī tadā nānāvidhaṃ vilāpaṃ pralāpaṃ ca cakāra |

Translation

布利哈达湿婆说道：“我想，护世诸神（Lokapāla）曾为自择婚（svayaṃvara）而来；可我因那罗而轻慢了他们。必是这些神祇的威力，使我如今受尽离别之苦。”于是，美丽而守贞的达摩延蒂被悲痛折磨，当时以种种方式哀号悲泣。

Word by Word

[{'term''manye', 'definition': 'I think

I consider'}, {'term''svayaṃvara', 'definition': 'a maiden’s self-choice ceremony for selecting a husband'}, {'term': 'svayaṃvarakṛte', 'definition': 'for the purpose of the svayaṃvara'}, {'term': 'lokapāla', 'definition': 'guardian of the world(s)

often the directional deities (e.g., Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera)'}, {'term''samāgata', 'definition': 'arrived

assembled'}, {'term''nala-kāraṇāt', 'definition': 'because of Nala

on account of Nala'}, {'term''avamāna / avamanyate', 'definition': 'disrespect

to slight, to treat with contempt'}, {'term''prabhāva', 'definition': 'power, influence, effective force'}, {'term': 'viyoga', 'definition': 'separation (especially from a beloved)'}, {'term': 'duḥkha', 'definition': 'sorrow, suffering'}, {'term': 'pativratā', 'definition': 'a wife devoted to her husband

one who maintains conjugal fidelity as a vow'}, {'term''vilāpa', 'definition': 'lamentation, wailing'}, {'term': 'pralāpa', 'definition': 'incoherent grief-speech

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Damayantī

Nala

Lokapālas (guardian deities of the worlds)

Svayaṃvara

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights moral causality and reverence: Damayantī interprets her present suffering as a consequence of having slighted divine guardians at the svayaṃvara out of single-minded attachment to Nala. It underscores the ethical ideal of honoring worthy beings (especially deities and guests) and the Mahābhārata theme that actions—intentional or negligent—can bear painful results.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bṛhadaśva’s narration of the Nala–Damayantī episode, Damayantī, separated from Nala, reflects on the past svayaṃvara where the lokapālas had appeared. She believes she offended them by choosing Nala and now suffers separation by their power. Overwhelmed, she breaks into varied lamentations.