Shloka 2
वनप्रस्थानम् (Departure for the Forest) — Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 24
द्वादशेमानि वर्षाणि वस्तव्यं निर्जने वने । समीक्षध्वं महारण्ये देशं बहुमृगद्धिजम्,“हमलोगोंको इन आगामी बारह वर्षोतक निर्जन वनमें निवास करना है, अतः इस महान् वनमें कोई ऐसा स्थान ढूँढ़ो, जहाँ बहुत-से पशु-पक्षी निवास करते हों
dvādaśemāni varṣāṇi vastavyaṃ nirjane vane | samīkṣadhvaṃ mahāraṇye deśaṃ bahu-mṛga-dvijam ||
“For the next twelve years we must dwell in a lonely, uninhabited forest. Therefore, in this vast wilderness, look about and find a suitable place—one rich in game and birds.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in hardship, one should plan life responsibly and in harmony with dharma—seeking a place that can sustain the community without needless harm, reflecting prudence, restraint, and foresight during exile.
The speaker states that a twelve-year residence in an uninhabited forest is required and instructs the group to survey the great forest to find a suitable region abundant in animals and birds, ensuring practical means of living during the exile.