Shloka 24
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्र धर्मज्ञैर्बहुभिव॒ते | उज्छवृत्तिद्विज: कश्चित् कापोतिरभवत् तदा
Nakula uvāca | dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre dharmajñair bahubhir vṛte | ucchavṛttir dvijaḥ kaścit kāpotir abhavat tadā |
নকুলে ক’লে—ধৰ্মক্ষেত্ৰ কুৰুক্ষেত্ৰত, য’ত বহু ধৰ্মজ্ঞ ঋষি-মহাত্মা বাস কৰিছিল, তাত এক ব্ৰাহ্মণ বাস কৰিছিল। তেওঁ উঞ্ছবৃত্তিৰে জীৱিকা চলাইছিল; পাৰৰ দৰে অৱশিষ্ট শস্যকণা বুটলি আনি, সেই অল্প আহাৰেই পৰিয়াল পোহপাল দিছিল।
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharmic living through restraint and contentment: a brāhmaṇa sustains his family without exploitation, taking only what is left over, exemplifying ethical livelihood (ājīvika) and humility even while remaining a householder.
Nakula begins a moral tale set in sacred Kurukṣetra, introducing an unnamed brāhmaṇa who lives by gleaning scattered grains ‘like a pigeon’ and supports his household through this austere, non-possessive way of life.