Shloka 3
शकुनि (हिरण्मय-पक्षी) उपदेशः — Vighasāśin and the Difficulty of Gārhasthya
धर्मोडयमिति मन्वाना: समृद्धा ब्रह्मचारिण: । त्यक्त्वा भ्रातृन् पितृश्चैव तानिन्द्रोडन्वकृपायत
dharma udayam iti manvānāḥ samṛddhā brahmacāriṇaḥ | tyaktvā bhrātṝn pitṝṃś caiva tān indro ’nvakṛpāyata ||
Believing that this course was the very rise and essence of dharma, those prosperous young men undertook the discipline of brahmacarya. Renouncing their brothers and even their parents, they went to the forest, holding this to be righteousness. One day, Indra took compassion upon them.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic ideal: genuine righteousness may require renouncing comfort and even familial attachments to pursue disciplined self-restraint (brahmacarya), and such sincerity can draw divine compassion.
A group of prosperous brahmacārins, convinced that this path is true dharma, leave their family ties and live in the forest practicing celibate discipline; Indra later becomes compassionate toward them.