Shloka 31
Araṇi Lost to the Deer: Pāṇḍavas Pursue to Preserve Agnihotra (अरणी-हरण प्रसङ्गः)
यौवनस्थां तु तां दृष्टवा स्वां सुतां देवरूपिणीम् । अयाच्यमानां स वरैर्नपतिर्दु:खितो5भवत्,अपनी देवस्वरूपिणी पुत्रीको युवावस्थामें प्रविष्ट हुई देख और अभीतक इसके लिये किसी वरने याचना नहीं की, यह सोचकर मद्रनरेशको बड़ा दुःख हुआ
yauvanasthāṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā svāṃ sutāṃ devarūpiṇīm | ayācyamānāṃ sa varair napatir duḥkhito 'bhavat ||
قال ماركانديّا: لما رأى الملك ابنته، متألقةً بجمالٍ كجمال الآلهة، وقد بلغت ريعان الشباب، ومع ذلك لم يتقدّم أحدٌ لخطبتها، استولى عليه حزنٌ شديد. وفي ذلك إشارةٌ إلى قلق الأب من واجبه في تأمين زوجٍ لائقٍ وحمايةٍ اجتماعية لابنته.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a ruler-father’s dharma: ensuring a daughter’s welfare through a suitable marriage alliance. When social recognition (suitors seeking her) does not arise even for a worthy, beautiful daughter, it becomes a source of grief and moral anxiety about unfulfilled responsibility.
Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that the king sees his daughter has reached youth and is exceptionally beautiful, yet no suitor has come to ask for her hand. This unexpected lack of proposals makes the king deeply sorrowful.