Shloka 12
युधिछिर उवाच अरणीसहितं यस्य मृगो हयादाय गच्छति । तस्याग्नयो न लुप्येरन् प्रथमो5स्तु वरो मम,युधिष्ठिर बोले--भगवन्! पहला वर तो मैं यही माँगता हूँ कि जिस ब्राह्मणके अरणीसहित मन्थन-काष्ठको मृग लेकर भाग गया है, उसके अन्निहोत्रका लोप न हो
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: araṇī-sahitaṃ yasya mṛgo hayādāya gacchati | tasyāgnayo na lupyeran prathamo 'stu varo mama ||
যুধিষ্ঠিৰে ক’লে—ভগৱন, মোৰ প্ৰথম বৰ এই: যি ব্ৰাহ্মণৰ অৰণীসহ মথন-কাঠ মৃগে লৈ পলাই গ’ল, তেওঁৰ পবিত্ৰ অগ্নিসমূহ (অগ্নিহোত্ৰ) যেন লুপ্ত নহয়; তেওঁৰ নিত্যকৰ্ম যেন ব্যাহত নহয়।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as attentive care for others’ sacred obligations: a righteous king prioritizes preventing the lapse of a brāhmaṇa’s agnihotra, valuing continuity of ritual duty and communal spiritual welfare over personal gain.
Yudhiṣṭhira requests a boon that the brāhmaṇa whose araṇīs (fire-kindling sticks) and horse were carried off by a deer should not suffer interruption of his sacred fires; he asks first for the protection of that man’s daily fire-ritual.