Shloka 86
Ākiṃcanya–Tyāga Upadeśa
The Instruction on Non-ownership and Renunciation
समन्ततो द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तत्राकूजन्त वै तदा । शाल
samantato dvijaśreṣṭhās tatrākūjanta vai tadā | śāla-tāla-tamāla-kāle ’guru-ke vane tathā śreṣṭha-candana-vṛkṣā vanaṃ suśobhitaṃ cakruḥ | tatra ramaṇīyeṣu sugandhiṣu parvatīya-samatalapradeśeṣu caturdiśaṃ śreṣṭha-pakṣiṇaḥ kalāravaṃ cakruḥ ||
Bhishma said: “All around, the best of the twice-born were then raising their cries. That forest was beautified by śāla, tāla, tamāla, dark-hued aguru trees, and excellent sandalwood. In those delightful, fragrant mountain plateaus, on every side, the finest birds were calling out.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic setting through auspicious natural imagery: a fragrant, orderly forest and melodious sounds surrounding learned brāhmaṇas. In Śānti Parva, such descriptions often signal a conducive environment for instruction, restraint, and the pursuit of peace-oriented dharma.
Bhīṣma describes a beautiful forested mountain region—rich with śāla, palm, tamāla, agarwood, and sandalwood—where birds sing in all directions and eminent brāhmaṇas are present, creating a vivid, serene backdrop for the ongoing discourse.