Shloka 3

धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्षमायाचनं तथा युधिष्ठिरे न्यासदानम् / Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Forgiveness and the Entrustment to Yudhiṣṭhira

Devanagari script

अगन्निहोत्रं पुरस्कृत्य वल्कलाजिनसंवृत: । वधूजनवृतो राजा निर्ययौ भवनात्‌ ततः

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

agannihotraṃ puraskṛtya valkalājinasaṃvṛtaḥ |

vadhūjanavṛto rājā niryayau bhavanāt tataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Das Agnihotra vorangestellt, verließ der König, in Rindenkleid und Hirschfell gehüllt, den Palast. Von seinen Schwiegertöchtern umgeben zog er hinaus—ein bewusstes Abwenden von königlichem Komfort hin zum disziplinierten Leben der Entsagung und Pflicht.“

Word by Word

• अग्निहोत्रम्: the Agnihotra (sacred fire-rite)
• अग्निहोत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front / having put foremost
• पुरस्कृत्य: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• वल्कलाजिनसंवृतः: covered with bark-garments and deer-skin
• वल्कलाजिनसंवृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्कलाजिनसंवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वधूजनवृतः: surrounded by the daughters-in-law (womenfolk)
• वधूजनवृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वधूजनवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्ययौ: went out / departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यā (या)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भवनात्: from the palace/house
• भवनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, by context of the passage)
• Agnihotra (sacred fire/rite)
• palace (bhavana)
• daughters-in-law (vadhūjana)
• bark-garments (valkala)
• deer-skin (ājina)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma through orderly renunciation: even when leaving worldly life, one keeps sacred obligations (Agnihotra) foremost, showing that detachment is not neglect but a disciplined reorientation of life around duty and spiritual aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king departs from the palace for an ascetic/forest-oriented life. He adopts ascetic attire (bark and deer-skin), places the Agnihotra fire in front as a ritual and symbolic guide, and leaves accompanied by his daughters-in-law.