Reading Guide A Week 12: Nala leaves Damayanti

Yudhishthira accepted the gambling match and stakes gold, pearls, elephants and other material wealth. He then gambles away his brothers and then himself. He loses everything to Shankuni. He even loses Draupadi who is then summoned to work in the kitchen. Dhritarashtra intervenes. Then frees Bhima and the other brothers and restores their wealth. Duryodhana suggest one more throw of the dice loser is exiled to the forrest. Yudhishthira loses and the pandavas are exiled.

(Nala leaves Dmayanti with half a robe: Screenshot)

Then we learn of King Nala and his dice game with Pushkara. Nala lost and had to leave his palace with Damayanti. Both only had one robe to themselves, Nala lost his trying to catch some birds. He decides to adbandon Damayanti while she was asleep. He divided the sole robe in half. Damayanti looked for Nala everywhere. The asectices advised her to go home to her father…but she followed a caravan to the kindom of Chedi where she was attacked. Sudeva saved her. Damayantis father promised he would search for Nala everywhere.