Shloka 42

Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 1 — The Pandavas’ Exit from Gajasāhvaya and the Citizens’ Lament (जनमेजयप्रश्नः; पाण्डवानां वनप्रस्थानम्)

Devanagari script

ते तं दिवसशेषेण वर्टं गत्वा तु पाण्डवा: । ऊषुस्तां रजनीं वीरा: संस्पृश्य सलिलं शुचि,संध्या होते-होते उस वटके निकट पहुँचकर शूरवीर पाण्डवोंने पवित्र जलका स्पर्श (आचमन और संध्यावन्दन आदि) करके वह रात वहीं व्यतीत की

Transliteration

te taṁ divasaśeṣeṇa vaṭaṁ gatvā tu pāṇḍavāḥ | ūṣuḥ tāṁ rajanīṁ vīrāḥ saṁspṛśya salilaṁ śuci ||

Translation

ولمّا أوشك النهار على الانقضاء بلغ الباندافا تلك الشجرة. فمسّ الأبطالُ الماءَ الطاهر—مؤدّين طقوسَ التطهّر وشعائرَ المساء على العادة—ثم باتوا هناك تلك الليلة.

Word by Word

तेthey

तम्that (place/thing)

दिवस-शेषेणby/with the remainder of the day; towards day’s end

वटम्banyan tree

गत्वाhaving gone

तुbut/indeed

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

ऊषुःthey dwelt/stayed

ताम्that (night)

रजनीम्night

वीराःheroes

संस्पृश्यhaving touched

सलिलम्water

शुचिpure

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Pāṇḍavāḥ (the Pāṇḍavas)

vaṭa (banyan tree)

salila (water)

rajanī (night)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in adversity, the Pāṇḍavas uphold dharma through cleanliness, self-restraint, and regular religious duties (purificatory water-touch and evening observance), showing that ethical steadiness is maintained by disciplined daily conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Near day’s end the Pāṇḍavas arrive at a banyan tree, perform purification by touching clean water (implying ācamana and sandhyā rites), and then spend the night there.