Shloka 3
कुन्ती-युधिष्ठिर-संवादः — Kuntī’s Counsel on Departing for Pāñcāla
जटा: कृत्वा55त्मन: सर्वे वल्कलाजिनवासस: । सह कुन्त्या महात्मानो बिशभ्रतस्तापसं वपु:,उन सबने अपने सिरपर जटाएँ रख ली थीं। वल्कल और मृगचर्मसे अपने शरीरको ढक लिया था और तपस्वीका-सा वेष धारण कर रखा था। इस प्रकार वे महारथी महात्मा पाण्डव माता कुन्तीदेवीके साथ कहीं तो उन्हें पीठपर ढोते हुए तीव्र गतिसे चलते थे, कहीं इच्छानुसार धीरे-धीरे पाँव बढ़ाते थे और कहीं पुन: अपनी चाल तेज कर देते थे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | jaṭāḥ kṛtvātmanāḥ sarve valkalājinavāsasaḥ | saha kuntyā mahātmāno bibhratas tāpasaṁ vapuḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: All of them, having matted their hair, wore garments of bark and deerskin. Those great-souled men, together with Kuntī, assumed the appearance of ascetics—signaling their withdrawal from royal life and their resolve to endure hardship in accordance with dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic resilience: when circumstances demand, even royal warriors can adopt austerity and simplicity, showing self-control and readiness to endure hardship without abandoning moral purpose.
The group (the Pāṇḍavas with their mother Kuntī) adopts the external marks of forest ascetics—matted hair and bark/deerskin clothing—indicating a transition from courtly life to a life of hardship and restraint.