Nala Loses His Kingdom to Pushkara at Dice
Pushkara challenges his brother Nala to dice, and Nala — possessed by Kali — cannot refuse. Over months of gambling, he loses silver, gold, vehicles, and garments while Damayanti watches helplessly, and no well-wisher can stop him from throwing the next throw.
Pushkara went to Nala and asked him to play dice. Nala, possessed by Kali, was incapable of refusing the challenge. Damayanti — the daughter of Vidarbha, his wife — looked on as he decided that the time for setting a stake had come.
The first throw was not the last.
Nala lost his silver. He lost his gold. He lost his vehicles, his yokes, his garments. Everything he owned went across the gaming board, piece by piece, over the course of several months. He was so crazed about the dice that none of his well-wishers could make him stop. His insensible craving for gambling overrode every appeal.
The citizens and advisers came to see the king, hoping to restrain him. A suta (charioteer) came to Damayanti and told her: "All the citizens are waiting at the gate with a specific purpose. Nishadha should be told why they have assembled. They know the king is learned in dharma and artha. They are miserable at his addiction."
Damayanti, oppressed with distress, her mind overcome by grief, went to Nala. In a voice choked with tears, she told him: "O king! The citizens are waiting at the gate with a desire to see you. They are accompanied by the advisers. All of them are driven by devotion to the king. They wish to see you."
She said this repeatedly. Nala, possessed by Kali, did not reply at all. He did not look at her. He did not acknowledge the citizens. He did not stop playing.
The citizens and advisers decided that his standing was gone. In shame and misery, they returned home.
The gambling between Pushkara and Nala went on for months. Punyashloka — Nala — kept on losing. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 353