केशिन्य् उवाच
यो ऽसाव् अयोध्यां प्रथमं गतवान् ब्राह्मणस् तदा ॥
इमानि नारीवाक्यानि कथयानः पुनः पुनः ॥
क्व नु त्वं कितव छित्त्वा वस्त्रार्धं प्रस्थितो मम ॥
उत्सृज्य विपिने सुप्ताम् अनुरक्तां प्रियां प्रिय ॥
सा वै यथा समादिष्टा तत्रास्ते त्वत्प्रतीक्षिणी ॥
दह्यमाना दिवारात्रं वस्त्रार्धेनाभिसंवृता ॥
तस्या रुदन्त्याः सततं तेन दुःखेन पार्थिव ॥
प्रसादं कुरु वै वीर प्रतिवाक्यं प्रयच्छ च ॥
तस्यास् तत् प्रियम् आख्यानं प्रब्रवीहि महामते ॥
तद् एव वाक्यं वैदर्भी श्रोतुम् इच्छत्य् अनिन्दिता ॥
एतच् छ्रुत्वा प्रतिवचस् तस्य दत्तं त्वया किल ॥
यत् पुरा तत् पुनस् त्वत्तो वैदर्भी श्रोतुम् इच्छति ॥
बृहदश्व उवाच
एवम् उक्तस्य केशिन्या नलस्य कुरुनन्दन ॥
हृदयं व्यथितं चासीद् अश्रुपूर्णे च लोचने ॥
स निगृह्यात्मनो दुःखं दह्यमानो महीपतिः ॥
बाष्पसंदिग्धया वाचा पुनर् एवेदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
वैषम्यम् अपि संप्राप्ता गोपायन्ति कुलस्त्रियः ॥
आत्मानम् आत्मना सत्यो जितस्वर्गा न संशयः ॥
रहिता भर्तृभिश् चैव न क्रुध्यन्ति कदा चन ॥
प्राणांश् चारित्रकवचा धारयन्तीह सत्स्त्रियः ॥
प्राणयात्रां परिप्रेप्सोः शकुनैर् हृतवाससः ॥
आधिभिर् दह्यमानस्य श्यामा न क्रोद्धुम् अर्हति ॥
सत्कृतासत्कृता वापि पतिं दृष्ट्वा तथागतम् ॥
भ्रष्टराज्यं श्रिया हीनं क्षुधितं व्यसनाप्लुतम् ॥
एवं ब्रुवाणस् तद् वाक्यं नलः परमदुःखितः ॥
न बाष्पम् अशकत् सोढुं प्ररुरोद च भारत ॥
ततः सा केशिनी गत्वा दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत् ॥
तत् सर्वं कथितं चैव विकारं चैव तस्य तम् ॥
keśiny uvāca
yo 'sāv ayodhyāṃ prathamaṃ gatavān brāhmaṇas tadā ||
imāni nārīvākyāni kathayānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||
kva nu tvaṃ kitava chittvā vastrārdhaṃ prasthito mama ||
utsṛjya vipine suptām anuraktāṃ priyāṃ priya ||
sā vai yathā samādiṣṭā tatrāste tvatpratīkṣiṇī ||
dahyamānā divārātraṃ vastrārdhenābhisaṃvṛtā ||
tasyā rudantyāḥ satataṃ tena duḥkhena pārthiva ||
prasādaṃ kuru vai vīra prativākyaṃ prayaccha ca ||
tasyās tat priyam ākhyānaṃ prabravīhi mahāmate ||
tad eva vākyaṃ vaidarbhī śrotum icchaty aninditā ||
etac chrutvā prativacas tasya dattaṃ tvayā kila ||
yat purā tat punas tvatto vaidarbhī śrotum icchati ||
bṛhadaśva uvāca
evam uktasya keśinyā nalasya kurunandana ||
hṛdayaṃ vyathitaṃ cāsīd aśrupūrṇe ca locane ||
sa nigṛhyātmano duḥkhaṃ dahyamāno mahīpatiḥ ||
bāṣpasaṃdigdhayā vācā punar evedam abravīt ||
vaiṣamyam api saṃprāptā gopāyanti kulastriyaḥ ||
ātmānam ātmanā satyo jitasvargā na saṃśayaḥ ||
rahitā bhartṛbhiś caiva na krudhyanti kadā cana ||
prāṇāṃś cāritrakavacā dhārayantīha satstriyaḥ ||
prāṇayātrāṃ pariprepsoḥ śakunair hṛtavāsasaḥ ||
ādhibhir dahyamānasya śyāmā na kroddhum arhati ||
satkṛtāsatkṛtā vāpi patiṃ dṛṣṭvā tathāgatam ||
bhraṣṭarājyaṃ śriyā hīnaṃ kṣudhitaṃ vyasanāplutam ||
evaṃ bruvāṇas tad vākyaṃ nalaḥ paramaduḥkhitaḥ ||
na bāṣpam aśakat soḍhuṃ praruroda ca bhārata ||
tataḥ sā keśinī gatvā damayantyai nyavedayat ||
tat sarvaṃ kathitaṃ caiva vikāraṃ caiva tasya tam ||
Keshini said: 'The brahmin who came before to Ayodhya spoke again and again these womanly words: "Where are you, gambler, who cut off half my garment and departed, leaving your beloved, loving wife asleep in the forest? As you commanded, she waits for you there, burning day and night, covered by half a garment. Have mercy on her, weeping from this grief, hero, and give an answer." Damayanti wishes to hear from you once more the answer you gave then.' Hearing this, Nala's heart was pained, and his eyes filled with tears. Restraining his suffering, burning with grief, he spoke again in a voice choked with tears: 'Even in the direst distress, virtuous women guard themselves; being true, they have won heaven, without doubt. Even when abandoned by their husbands, they never grow angry. Shielded by the armor of chastity, good women sustain their lives. The dark-eyed one should not be angry with one who only sought to preserve his life, whose garment was carried off by birds, and who was burning with misfortune. Honored or dishonored, upon seeing her husband in such a state — stripped of his kingdom, bereft of fortune, hungry, overwhelmed by calamity — she should not be angry.' Speaking these words, Nala, in the depths of suffering, could not hold back his tears and wept. Keshini then went to Damayanti and told her everything: both the words and his changed state.
b7a9b18a495a · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:01:58 PM UTC
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The answer is no longer merely a sign but a confession. Bahuka defends Nala and weeps for him at the same time, because the defender and the one at fault are one and the same person.