Chapter 5

Half a Garment

A king, faint with hunger, threw his last garment at golden birds — and they carried it off, because they were not birds at all, they were the very dice

Golden birds

After three nights of hunger, Nala saw some birds with golden feathers. It struck him that catching them might bring both food and some wealth.

Nala threw his one remaining garment over them. The birds flew off carrying that very garment — and called down from the sky — "We are the very dice that won your kingdom. Now we are taking this last garment too, so that you are left with nothing at all."

Nala looked at Damayanti. Between them now there was truly nothing left — except each other.

At a traveller's shelter

Along the way they came to a traveller's shelter. Nala suggested that Damayanti return to her father's kingdom, or to some other safe place — he even told her the roads to take.

Damayanti refused. "I will stay with you, whether it is forest or palace. Do not leave me behind."

Night fell, and Damayanti, exhausted, fell asleep. Nala stayed awake — held by Kali, weighed down by guilt, and by the thought that Damayanti might fare better with her own family.

Half a garment

Nala could find no other garment. Nearby lay a sword. He cut Damayanti's garment, as she slept, in half with it — keeping half for himself, leaving half on her.

Then he rose, walked a few steps, turned back, looked at her sleeping, and walked away again. This happened several times. At last, overcome by Kali's touch, he left her sleeping and walked into the darkness.

Damayanti was left alone, with no idea that her husband had left her.

Note: This is the most decisive night of Nala's fall in the Nalopakhyana. The story itself shows this as both Nala's own weakness and Kali's influence — words like "Nala, overcome" appear in the original. The detail of Nala turning back repeatedly before finally leaving is clear in the text; this site keeps it exactly as it is, without softening it. The English dialogue lines are flowing paraphrases of the Sanskrit verses, not word-for-word translations.

Source: Mahabharata, Vana Parva — Nalopakhyana, Half a Garment

Now — how much stayed with you?

What happened?

Why did Nala throw away his one remaining garment?

  • To keep warm
  • To give it to Damayanti
  • To catch golden birds, hoping for food and wealth
  • For some ritual
Read the whole story — An attempt born of hunger

After three nights of hunger, Nala saw golden birds.

He thought catching them might bring food and wealth.

He threw his one remaining garment over them.

The texts disagree

What were those golden birds, in truth?

  • The very dice that had won Nala's kingdom
  • Ordinary birds
  • Messengers of the gods
  • Servants of Kali
Read the whole story — The dice's last blow

The birds flew off carrying Nala's garment.

They called down that they were the very dice that had won his kingdom.

Now they were taking his last garment too.

What happened?

What did Nala suggest to Damayanti after losing the garment?

  • Begging together
  • Asking Pushkara for forgiveness
  • Building a hermitage in the forest
  • Returning to her father's kingdom or some other safe place
Read the whole story — A hard suggestion

Nala now had nothing left to give Damayanti.

He told her the way back to her father's home, or to any safe place.

Damayanti flatly refused.

Who said it?

"I will stay with you, whether it is forest or palace. Do not leave me behind." — Who said this?

  • Nala, to Damayanti
  • Damayanti, to Nala
  • Varshneya, to Damayanti
  • Bhima, to Nala
Read the whole story — A vow not to leave

Nala had suggested that Damayanti return to safety.

Damayanti refused, saying she would stay with him no matter what.

This very vow becomes Nala's test that same night.

What happened?

What did Nala do during the night at the shelter?

  • He cut Damayanti's garment in half with a sword, and left her sleeping
  • He woke Damayanti and asked leave to go
  • He stayed awake all night keeping watch over her
  • He went to a nearby village for help
Read the whole story — A decision made at night

Nala was under Kali's influence, weighed down by guilt and confusion.

He cut Damayanti's garment in half with a sword — half for himself, half for her.

After turning back to look several times, he at last left her sleeping.

Why is that?

Why did Nala eventually leave, despite turning back to look at Damayanti several times?

  • Because he did not love her
  • Because Damayanti had told him to go
  • Because he feared Pushkara
  • Because his mind was infatuated by Kali's touch, and he believed she would fare better with her family
Read the whole story — Infatuation and guilt

The story states directly that this was Kali's touch at work.

Alongside it, Nala also believed Damayanti would be better off with her family.

Even so, the story presents this as a weakness, not a right decision.

What happened?

Why did Nala cut Damayanti's garment in half?

  • As a punishment
  • Because he himself had nothing left to wear
  • As a signal to wake her
  • For some ritual
Read the whole story — One garment, two halves

The birds had already carried off Nala's one remaining garment.

He had nothing to wear except Damayanti's garment.

He cut it in half and kept half for himself.

What happened?

What will Damayanti find on waking — recall it from the end of this chapter?

  • Nala sitting right beside her
  • This is revealed only in the next chapter
  • She was left alone, with no idea that Nala had left her
  • Varshneya had already come to fetch her
Read the whole story — Alone, unaware

Nala left only after turning back to look several times.

Damayanti stayed asleep, unaware that her husband was gone.

The next chapter opens with this same lonely waking.

Put it in order

Arrange the events leading up to Nala's leaving, in order.

  • Garment torn → suggestion at the shelter → garment cut at night → leaving
  • Garment cut at night → garment torn → suggestion at the shelter → leaving
  • Leaving → garment cut at night → garment torn → suggestion at the shelter
  • Golden birds take the garment → suggestion to return, at the shelter → garment cut in half at night → Nala leaves
Read the whole story — One thing after another

First the golden birds carried off Nala's last garment.

Then, at the shelter, Nala suggested Damayanti return, which she refused.

At night he cut her garment in half, and at last left her.

Riddle

I am the thing cut in half by a sword — half for a king, half for his sleeping queen. What am I?

  • Damayanti's garment
  • The king's crown
  • Nala's belt
  • A chariot curtain
Read the whole story — What was split in two

Once the birds flew off, Nala had no garment left.

He cut the garment Damayanti was wearing as she slept in half with a sword.

With that same half garment he walked into the darkness, leaving Damayanti asleep.