Shloka 10

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

Devanagari script

अप्यरण्यं समाश्रित्य चरेन्मृगगणै: सह

Transliteration

apy araṇyaṃ samāśritya caren mṛgagaṇaiḥ saha

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Selbst wenn man im Wald Zuflucht sucht, kann man leben und umherziehen in der Gesellschaft von Hirschherden.“

Word by Word

• अपि: even; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अरण्यम्: forest
• अरण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to; having taken refuge in
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage as gerund)

• चरेत्: should roam; should live/wander
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Vidhi-ling (optative), Present-system, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मृगगणैः: with herds of deer
• मृगगणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगगण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• forest (araṇya)
• herds of deer (mṛgagaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse points to the legitimacy of a simple, non-violent, nature-aligned mode of life—resorting to the forest and living quietly among harmless creatures—suggesting restraint and withdrawal from worldly entanglements as a dharmic option.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he describes an austere alternative lifestyle: retreating to the forest and living/roaming there in the company of deer, as part of a broader discussion on conduct and dharma.