Shloka 20

Devanagari script

उत्सृज्याभरणान्यज्राज्जगृहे वल्कलान्युत । भीमार्जुनयमाश्चैव द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी

Transliteration

utsṛjyābharaṇāny ajrāj jagṛhe valkalāny uta | bhīmārjunayamāś caiva draupadī ca yaśasvinī ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Casting aside their ornaments, the king took up garments of bark; and so too did Bhīma, Arjuna, Yama (Yudhiṣṭhira), and the illustrious Draupadī. This act marked their deliberate renunciation of royal identity and comfort, embracing austerity as they set out on the final journey, in keeping with dharma’s ideal of detachment at life’s end.

Word by Word

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned
• उत्सृज्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्सृज् (उद्+सृज्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), कर्तरि

• आभरणानि: ornaments
• आभरणानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अग्रात्: in front; first
• अग्रात्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रम्
• Form: अव्यय (स्थान/कालवाचक)

• जगृहे: took; accepted
• जगृहे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत), परस्मैपद, 3rd, Singular

• वल्कलानि: bark-garments
• वल्कलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्कल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• उत: and; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत
• Form: निपात

• भीम: Bhima
• भीम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्जुन: Arjuna
• अर्जुन: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यमाः: the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)
• यमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: निपात

• एव: indeed; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: निपात

• द्रौपदी: Draupadi
• द्रौपदी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौपदी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: निपात

• यशस्विनी: glorious; renowned
• यशस्विनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira (Yama/Dharma)
• Bhīma
• Arjuna
• Draupadī
• ornaments (ābharaṇa)
• bark-garments (valkala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of renunciation at the close of worldly duties: relinquishing symbols of power and luxury (ornaments) and adopting austere attire (bark-garments) to cultivate detachment and readiness for the final passage.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the Mahāprasthāna begins, Yudhiṣṭhira and his companions—Bhīma, Arjuna, and Draupadī—discard royal ornaments and take up bark-garments, outwardly marking their transition from rulers to ascetics setting out on their last journey.