Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 19
Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Renunciation, Austerities, Departure, and the Glory of Hearing His History
अर्चिर्नाम महाराज्ञी तत्पत्न्यनुगता वनम् । सुकुमार्यतदर्हा च यत्पद्भ्यां स्पर्शनं भुव: ॥ १९ ॥
arcir nāma mahā-rājñī tat-patny anugatā vanam sukumāry atad-arhā ca yat-padbhyāṁ sparśanaṁ bhuvaḥ
الملكة أَرْتشي، زوجة بريثو مهاراجا، تبعت زوجها إلى الغابة. كانت رقيقة الجسد كملكة ولا يليق بها سكنى البرية، ومع ذلك طوعًا لامست الأرض بقدميها اللوتسيتين.
Because Pṛthu Mahārāja’s wife was the Queen and also a daughter of a king, she never experienced walking on the ground, for queens used to never come out of the palace. They certainly never went to the forests and tolerated all the difficulties of living in the wilderness. In Vedic civilization there are hundreds of similar examples of such renunciation on the part of queens and dedication to the husband. The goddess of fortune mother Sītā followed her husband, Rāmacandra, when He went to the forest. Lord Rāmacandra went to the forest in compliance with the order of His father, Mahārāja Daśaratha, but mother Sītā was not so ordered. Nonetheless, she voluntarily accepted the path of her husband. Similarly, Gāndhārī, the wife of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, also followed her husband into the forest. Being the wives of great personalities like Pṛthu, Lord Rāmacandra and Dhṛtarāṣṭra, these were ideal chaste women. Such queens also instructed the general people by showing them how to become a chaste wife and follow the husband in every stage of life. When the husband is king, she sits beside him as the queen, and when he goes to the forest, she also follows, despite having to tolerate all kinds of difficulties in living in the forest. Therefore it is said here ( atad-arhā ) that although she did not want to touch her feet to the ground, she nonetheless accepted all difficulties when she went to the forest with her husband.
FAQs
This verse shows Queen Arci following Pṛthu Mahārāja into the forest, emphasizing loyal devotional companionship even when the path is physically difficult.
Because she was deeply devoted to her husband and shared his spiritual purpose; her love expressed itself as service and accompaniment in his vānaprastha life.
Support sincere spiritual goals within family life—encourage simplicity, shared practice, and commitment to dharma even when it requires personal comfort to be reduced.