वैशंपायन उवाच
धर्मेण ते ऽभ्यनुज्ञाताः पाण्डवाः सत्यविक्रमाः ॥
अज्ञातवासं वत्स्यन्तश् छन्ना वर्षं त्रयोदशम् ॥
उपोपविश्य विद्वांसः सहिताः संशितव्रताः ॥
ये तद्भक्ता वसन्ति स्म वनवासे तपस्विनः ॥
तान् अब्रुवन् महात्मानः शिष्टाः प्राञ्जलयस् तदा ॥
अभ्यनुज्ञापयिष्यन्तस् तं निवासं धृतव्रताः ॥
विदितं भवतां सर्वं धार्तराष्ट्रैर् यथा वयम् ॥
छद्मना हृतराज्याश् च निःस्वाश् च बहुशः कृताः ॥
उषिताश् च वने कृच्छ्रं यत्र द्वादश वत्सरान् ॥
अज्ञातवाससमयं शेषं वर्षं त्रयोदशम् ॥
तद् वत्स्यामो वयं छन्नास् तद् अनुज्ञातुम् अर्हथ ॥
सुयोधनश् च दुष्टात्मा कर्णश् च सहसौबलः ॥
जानन्तो विषमं कुर्युर् अस्मास्व् अत्यन्तवैरिणः ॥
युक्ताचाराश् च युक्ताश् च पौरस्य स्वजनस्य च ॥
अपि नस् तद् भवेद् भूयो यद् वयं ब्राह्मणैः सह ॥
समस्ताः स्वेषु राष्ट्रेषु स्वराज्यस्था भवेमहि ॥
इत्य् उक्त्वा दुःखशोकार्तः शुचिर् धर्मसुतस् तदा ॥
संमूर्छितो ऽभवद् राजा साश्रुकण्ठो युधिष्ठिरः ॥
तम् अथाश्वासयन् सर्वे ब्राह्मणा भ्रातृभिः सह ॥
अथ धौम्यो ऽब्रवीद् वाक्यं महार्थं नृपतिं तदा ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
dharmeṇa te 'bhyanujñātāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ satyavikramāḥ ||
ajñātavāsaṃ vatsyantaś channā varṣaṃ trayodaśam ||
upopaviśya vidvāṃsaḥ sahitāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ||
ye tadbhaktā vasanti sma vanavāse tapasvinaḥ ||
tān abruvan mahātmānaḥ śiṣṭāḥ prāñjalayas tadā ||
abhyanujñāpayiṣyantas taṃ nivāsaṃ dhṛtavratāḥ ||
viditaṃ bhavatāṃ sarvaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrair yathā vayam ||
chadmanā hṛtarājyāś ca niḥsvāś ca bahuśaḥ kṛtāḥ ||
uṣitāś ca vane kṛcchraṃ yatra dvādaśa vatsarān ||
ajñātavāsasamayaṃ śeṣaṃ varṣaṃ trayodaśam ||
tad vatsyāmo vayaṃ channās tad anujñātum arhatha ||
suyodhanaś ca duṣṭātmā karṇaś ca sahasaubalaḥ ||
jānanto viṣamaṃ kuryur asmāsv atyantavairiṇaḥ ||
yuktācārāś ca yuktāś ca paurasya svajanasya ca ||
api nas tad bhaved bhūyo yad vayaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ saha ||
samastāḥ sveṣu rāṣṭreṣu svarājyasthā bhavemahi ||
ity uktvā duḥkhaśokārtaḥ śucir dharmasutas tadā ||
saṃmūrchito 'bhavad rājā sāśrukaṇṭho yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
tam athāśvāsayan sarve brāhmaṇā bhrātṛbhiḥ saha ||
atha dhaumyo 'bravīd vākyaṃ mahārthaṃ nṛpatiṃ tadā ||
Having received the sanction of Dharma, the truthful Pandavas, preparing to spend the thirteenth year in hiding, sat down together. To those ascetics who out of devotion had dwelt with them in the forest, the great Pandavas, joining their hands in reverence, said: 'You know everything -- how the sons of Dhritarashtra deceitfully seized our kingdom and many times reduced us to beggary. Twelve years we have lived in the forest; the thirteenth year of hidden dwelling remains. We shall live in secret, and you must grant us leave to depart. The wicked Suyodhana, Karna, and Saubala, knowing us, will work us harm, for they are our mortal enemies. May it come to pass once more that, together with the brahmins, we return to our own lands and our own kingdom.' Having spoken thus, the pure son of Dharma, Yudhishthira, overcome with grief, his voice breaking and his eyes filled with tears, fell into a swoon. The brahmins and his brothers set about consoling him.
504da1f7c517 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:37:35 PM UTC
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Even after Dharma's blessing, Yudhishthira feels the weight of parting from the brahmins. For him the kingdom matters, but no less does the community of dharma that walked with them through the forest.