Nala
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Nala ( ) is a legendary king of ancient Nishadha kingdom and the central protagonist of the Nalopakhyana, a sub-narrative within the Indian epic Mahabharata, found in its third book, Vana Parva (Book of the Forest). He is renowned for his valor, wisdom, and exceptional skill in charioteering. His story revolves around his love for Damayanti, the princess of Vidarbha, and his struggle to reclaim his lost fortune. According to Nalopakhyana, despite his virtues, Nala falls victim to a curse from the malicious deity Kali, who influences him to lose his kingdom in a game of dice against his brother Pushkara. Forced into exile, he abandons Damayanti in the forest, believing she would suffer less without him. Wandering in disguise under the name Bahuka after being transformed by a serpent’s bite, Nala takes service as a charioteer in the court of King Rituparna of Ayodhya, where he acquires new skills in gambling and horsemanship. Meanwhile, Damayanti devises a plan to find him. Their eventual reunion leads to Nala reclaiming his true identity, allowing him to challenge Pushkara in a new game and restore his kingdom. The story of Nala has had a profound influence on Indian literature, folklore, and performing arts. It has been retold in various Sanskrit and regional texts, including adaptations in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali literature.…
Nala ( ) is a legendary king of ancient Nishadha kingdom and the central protagonist of the Nalopakhyana, a sub-narrative within the Indian epic Mahabharata, found in its third book, Vana Parva (Book of the Forest). He is renowned for his valor, wisdom, and exceptional skill in charioteering. His story revolves around his love for Damayanti, the princess of Vidarbha, and his struggle to reclaim his lost fortune. According to Nalopakhyana, despite his virtues, Nala falls victim to a curse from the malicious deity Kali, who influences him to lose his kingdom in a game of dice against his brother Pushkara. Forced into exile, he abandons Damayanti in the forest, believing she would suffer less without him. Wandering in disguise under the name Bahuka after being transformed by a serpent’s bite, Nala takes service as a charioteer in the court of King Rituparna of Ayodhya, where he acquires new skills in gambling and horsemanship. Meanwhile, Damayanti devises a plan to find him. Their eventual reunion leads to Nala reclaiming his true identity, allowing him to challenge Pushkara in a new game and restore his kingdom. The story of Nala has had a profound influence on Indian literature, folklore, and performing arts. It has been retold in various Sanskrit and regional texts, including adaptations in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali literature. The 12th-century poet Sriharsha composed Naishadhiya Charita, an epic based on Nala’s tale, which is considered one of the five great Sanskrit Mahakavyas. Nala is also regarded as a great cook and the cookbook Pakadarpanam ( ) is attributed to him.
Biography
Nala's biography is attested in the Nalopakhyana section of Vana Parva, the third book of the Mahabharata.
Translations and student editions
Norman Mosley Penzer translated the tale of Nala and Damayanti in 1926. The story of Nala and Damayanti has introduced students to the study of Sanskrit since at least the early 19th century, when Franz Bopp published an introductory text Nalus, carmen sanscritum e Mahabharato edidit, Latine vertit, et adnotationi illustravit, Franciscus Bopp (18191). Later, the American Sanskrit scholar Charles Rockwell Lanman used the story of Nala and Damayanti as the first text in his introductory A Sanskrit Reader: Text and Vocabulary and Notes (1883).
See also
The Story of Nal and Damayanti in Bhakti and Sufism Accounts Nalodayam Kavyam Nala and Damayanti
References
Further reading
Jours d'amour et d'épreuve, l'histoire du roi Nala, pièce de Kathakali (Nalacaritam) de Unnâyi Vâriyar, (XVIIè-XVIIIè siècle), traduction du malayâlam, introduction et notes par Dominique Vitalyos, Gallimard, Connaissance de l'Orient, 1995.
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