Shloka 35

Bhīmasena’s Discourse on Kāla, Resolve, and the Feasibility of Ajñātavāsa (भीमसेनस्य कालोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

वनादस्माच्च कौन्तेय वनमन्यद्‌ विचिन्त्यताम्‌ । निवासार्थाय यत्‌ युक्त भवेद्‌ व: पृथिवीपते,“कुन्तीकुमार! पृथिवीपते! अब तुम अपने निवासके लिये इस वनसे किसी दूसरे वनमें, जो तुम्हारे लिये उपयोगी हो, जानेकी बात सोचो

Transliteration

vanād asmāc ca kaunteya vanam anyad vicintyatām | nivāsārthāya yat yuktaṁ bhaved vaḥ pṛthivīpate ||

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: „O Sohn der Kuntī, o Herr der Erde! Denke nun daran, diesen Wald zu verlassen und einen anderen zu suchen, der sich für euren Aufenthalt eignet. Wähle einen Ort, der euren Bedürfnissen wahrhaft dient, damit das Leben im Exil in Sicherheit, Selbstzucht und Standhaftigkeit fortschreite.“

Word by Word

वनात्from the forest

अस्मात्from this

चand

कौन्तेयO son of Kuntī

वनम्forest

अन्यत्another

विचिन्त्यताम्let it be considered / please consider

निवासार्थायfor the purpose of dwelling

यत्which (that which)

युक्तम्suitable / proper

भवेत्may be / should be

वःfor you (pl.)

पृथिवीपतेO lord of the earth (king)

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

व्यास (Vyāsa)

क

कौन्तेय (Kaunteya—son of Kuntī, i.e., a Pāṇḍava, commonly Yudhiṣṭhira)

प

पृथिवीपति (Pṛthivīpati—king/lord of the earth)

व

वन (forest)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wise leadership includes practical discernment: one should choose a dwelling that is truly suitable for sustaining dharma—supporting safety, stability, and disciplined living—especially during hardship like exile.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses the Pāṇḍavas’ leader (Kaunteya, the king) and advises them to leave the present forest and deliberate on another forest better suited for their residence during exile.