ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः
गतिर् या भवतां राजंस् तां वयं गन्तुम् उद्यताः ॥
नार्हथास्मान् परित्यक्तुं भक्तान् सद्धर्मदर्शिनः ॥
अनुकम्पां हि भक्तेषु दैवतान्य् अपि कुर्वते ॥
विशेषतो ब्राह्मणेषु सदाचारावलम्बिषु ॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
ममापि परमा भक्तिर् ब्राह्मणेषु सदा द्विजाः ॥
सहायविपरिभ्रंशस् त्व् अयं सादयतीव माम् ॥
आहरेयुर् हि मे ये ऽपि फलमूलमृगांस् तथा ॥
त इमे शोकजैर् दुःखैर् भ्रातरो मे विमोहिताः ॥
द्रौपद्या विप्रकर्षेण राज्यापहरणेन च ॥
दुःखान्वितान् इमान् क्लेशैर् नाहं योक्तुम् इहोत्सहे ॥
ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः
अस्मत्पोषणजा चिन्ता मा भूत् ते हृदि पार्थिव ॥
स्वयम् आहृत्य वन्यानि अनुयास्यामहे वयम् ॥
अनुध्यानेन जप्येन विधास्यामः शिवं तव ॥
कथाभिश् चानुकूलाभिः सह रंस्यामहे वने ॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
एवम् एतन् न संदेहो रमेयं ब्राह्मणैः सह ॥
न्यूनभावात् तु पश्यामि प्रत्यादेशम् इवात्मनः ॥
कथं द्रक्ष्यामि वः सर्वान् स्वयम् आहृतभोजनान् ॥
मद्भक्त्या क्लिश्यतो ऽनर्हान् धिक् पापान् धृतराष्ट्रजान् ॥
brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ
gatir yā bhavatāṃ rājaṃs tāṃ vayaṃ gantum udyatāḥ ||
nārhathāsmān parityaktuṃ bhaktān saddharmadarśinaḥ ||
anukampāṃ hi bhakteṣu daivatāny api kurvate ||
viśeṣato brāhmaṇeṣu sadācārāvalambiṣu ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
mamāpi paramā bhaktir brāhmaṇeṣu sadā dvijāḥ ||
sahāyaviparibhraṃśas tv ayaṃ sādayatīva mām ||
āhareyur hi me ye 'pi phalamūlamṛgāṃs tathā ||
ta ime śokajair duḥkhair bhrātaro me vimohitāḥ ||
draupadyā viprakarṣeṇa rājyāpaharaṇena ca ||
duḥkhānvitān imān kleśair nāhaṃ yoktum ihotsahe ||
brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ
asmatpoṣaṇajā cintā mā bhūt te hṛdi pārthiva ||
svayam āhṛtya vanyāni anuyāsyāmahe vayam ||
anudhyānena japyena vidhāsyāmaḥ śivaṃ tava ||
kathābhiś cānukūlābhiḥ saha raṃsyāmahe vane ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
evam etan na saṃdeho rameyaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ saha ||
nyūnabhāvāt tu paśyāmi pratyādeśam ivātmanaḥ ||
kathaṃ drakṣyāmi vaḥ sarvān svayam āhṛtabhojanān ||
madbhaktyā kliśyato 'narhān dhik pāpān dhṛtarāṣṭrajān ||
The brahmins replied: ‘O king, we are ready to go wherever you go. You should not abandon us — devoted to you and seeing the true dharma. Even the gods show compassion to their devotees, especially to brahmins who hold to good conduct.’ Yudhishthira said: ‘I too have always held great devotion for brahmins, O twice-born. But the loss of my helpers seems to crush me. Those who might bring me fruits, roots, and game — my brothers — are bewildered by grief over Draupadi's humiliation and the seizing of the kingdom; I dare not burden them with further hardship.’ The brahmins said: ‘Let concern for our sustenance not enter your heart, O king. We ourselves will gather forest fare and follow you. Through contemplation, japa, and good stories we will bring you welfare and rejoice together in the forest.’ Yudhishthira answered: ‘So it is, without doubt: with the brahmins I would be glad. But, seeing my own insufficiency, I seem to hear a reproach to myself. How shall I look upon you, worthy of a better fate, when out of devotion to me you gather your own food? Cursed be the sinful sons of Dhritarashtra!’
fe789a001b74 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:33:27 PM UTC
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This dialogue shows two sides of service. The brahmins are ready to share hardship for the sake of a righteous king; Yudhishthira does not wish to accept devotion as a convenience. Love here is mutual: one side wishes to accompany, the other wishes not to become the cause of their pain.