page_title: Bahuk
section_title: Sarga 3
hierarchical_section_title: Bahuk / Synopsis / Sarga 3
caption_attribution_description: English: Nala leaving Damayanthi while she is sleeping. മലയാളം: ദമയന്തി ഉറങ്ങുമ്പോൾ നളൻ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു പോകുന്നു. සිංහල: නිදාසිටින අතරතුර දමයන්තිව හැර යන නල.
context_page_description: Bahuk is a Gujarati long narrative poem by Chinu Modi. The poem is composed both in metrical and non-metrical verse and centres on Nala, a character from the Mahabharata who metamorphosed into Bahuka. It is an acclaimed poem of Gujarati literature written in Sanskrit-styled figurative language. The poem was selected for the Ushnas Prize by the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad.
context_section_description: The third sarga begins with Damayanti’s monologue describing Nala’s mental state through the symbol of the banyan tree Vruksharaj and other elements of nature. Damayanti attempts to convince Nala to accept his new situation. Brihadashva’s monologue follows, describing Nala's situation using natural imagery such as darkness and the forest. At the beginning of the final monologue, by Nala, Nala finds a golden, fleshy bird. Hungry, he finds the bird fit to eat. This is the point at which his transformation into Bahuka commences. He makes a snare out of his only cloth to catch the bird, but it flies away carrying the cloth. Nala is left naked and feels his individuality dissolving, with a deep sense of grief. Finally, Nala turns into Bahuka, not as a result of the snake Karkotaka's bite as in the original story in the Mahabharata, but through the sting of loneliness. He leaves Damayanti and wanders away into the forest. The episode that begins with Nala’s desire to kill the bird closes with Nala leaving Damayanti, revealing his uglier side. The Nala of the poem is written as a displaced person.
caption: Nala leaving Damayanthi while she is sleeping; painting by Raja Ravi Varma
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