Dharma Patni: The Story of Nala - Part 2

Nala loses all to Kali's dice

Possessed by the dark spirit Kali, King Nala descends into gambling madness. He loses his kingdom, his wealth, even the clothes on his back, and finally, in a moment of Kali-driven cruelty, abandons his faithful wife Damayanti in a dangerous forest. This is the story's darkest hour.

The Game Begins

Pushkara, Nala's younger brother, had always lived in his shadow. Now, with Kali whispering in his ear, he saw an opportunity.

"Brother," Pushkara said one day, "I challenge you to a game of dice. Surely the great Nala is not afraid of a friendly wager?"

The old Nala would have recognized the danger. But Kali had taken residence in his mind, stoking the flames of a gambling impulse that had always been minor. Now it consumed him.

"I accept," Nala said. His eyes had a strange gleam that Damayanti had never seen before.

The Descent

The game began, and Nala could not stop losing.

Damayanti watched in horror as her husband threw away everything they had built. She pleaded with him to stop. His ministers begged him to walk away. Even Pushkara, at one point, offered to end the game.

But Kali would not let Nala stop. The spirit fed on the destruction, growing stronger with each loss.

"One more game," Nala would say. "I will win it all back."

He never did.

The Citizens' Grief

The people of Nishadha watched their beloved king destroy himself. They gathered outside the gaming hall, weeping.

"What madness has seized our lord?" they cried. "This is not Nala! Something dark possesses him!"

They were right, of course. But knowing the cause did not stop the catastrophe.

After months of continuous gambling, Nala had lost everything. Pushkara, bloated with ill-gotten gains, declared himself king.

"Leave my kingdom," he told Nala. "You are no longer welcome here. Take only what you wear, and be grateful I spare your life."