Shloka 22

Devanagari script

मम चान्धस्य वृद्धस्य हतपुत्रस्य का गति: । ऋते वन॑ महाभागास्तन्मानुज्ञातुमरहथ

Transliteration

mama cāndhasya vṛddhasya hataputrasya kā gatiḥ | ṛte vanaṃ mahābhāgās tan mānu jñātum arhatha ||

Translation

“As for me—blind, aged, and bereft of my sons—what course, what refuge remains? O noble ones, apart from going to the forest there is nothing left; therefore you should grant me permission for that.”

Word by Word

ममof me / my

चand

अन्धस्यof (one who is) blind

वृद्धस्यof (one who is) old

हतपुत्रस्यof one whose son is slain / bereft of sons

काwhat (kind of)

गतिःcourse, refuge, fate, way

ऋतेwithout, except (for)

वनम्the forest

महाभागाःO greatly fortunate ones / O noble ones

तत्that (request/act)

अनुज्ञातुम्to permit, to grant leave

अरहथyou are fit / you ought

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'blind, aged, bereaved of sons')

forest (vana)

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?

When worldly supports collapse—through age, loss, and the aftermath of wrongdoing—dharma may require withdrawal from power and possessions. The verse frames the forest life as a morally appropriate refuge, sought with humility and proper consent rather than impulsive escape.

What is happening in the narrative?

The blind, elderly king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) laments that his sons are dead and asks the assembled noble persons to allow him to depart for the forest. It marks his resolve to leave the courtly life behind and enter a stage of austere retirement.