Shloka 21
अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः
The Commencement of the Great Departure
तथैव जगृहुः सर्वे वल्कलानि नराधिप । इसके बाद कुरुकुलरत्न धर्मपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरने अपने अंगोंसे आभूषण उतारकर वल्कलवस्त्र धारण कर लिया। नरेश्वर! फिर भीमसेन, अर्जुन, नकुल, सहदेव तथा यशस्विनी द्रौपदी देवी--न सबने भी उसी प्रकार वल्कल धारण किये ।। १९-२० ई ।। विधिवत् कारयित्वेष्टिं नैप्ठिकीं भरतर्षभ
tathaiva jagṛhuḥ sarve valkalāni narādhipa | tato dharmaputro rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ svāṅgebhyo bhūṣaṇāni apahāya valkalavāsaḥ babhūva | naraśreṣṭha punaḥ bhīmasenaḥ arjunaḥ nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca yaśasvinī draupadī devī ca sarve’pi tathaiva valkalāni jagṛhuḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Just so, all of them took up garments of bark, O king. Then Dharmaputra, King Yudhiṣṭhira, removing the ornaments from his own limbs, put on bark-cloth. O lord of men, thereafter Bhīmasena, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, and the illustrious Lady Draupadī likewise all donned bark garments.” This signaled deliberate renunciation: royal insignia and pleasures were set aside for austere living, aligning their conduct with dharma at life’s final stage.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights renunciation as an ethical choice: relinquishing ornaments and royal identity to live austerely, aligning one’s outer conduct with inner detachment and dharma at the end of life.
As the great departure begins, Yudhiṣṭhira removes his ornaments and puts on bark garments; Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadī follow suit, adopting ascetic dress together.