Shloka 5
रावणोत्पत्तिः—तपसा वरलाभश्च
Rāvaṇa’s Origins and the Acquisition of Boons
वयं मृगा द्वैतवने हतशिष्टास्तु भारत । नोत्सीदेम महाराज क्रियतां वासपर्यय:,“भारत! हम द्वैतवनके पशु हैं। आपलोगोंके मारनेसे हमारी इतनी ही संख्या शेष रह गयी है। महाराज! हमारा सर्वथा संहार न हो जाय, इसके लिये आप अपना निवासस्थान बदल दीजिये
vaiśampāyana uvāca | vayaṃ mṛgā dvaitavane hataśiṣṭās tu bhārata | notsīdema mahārāja kriyatāṃ vāsaparyayaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata, we are the deer of the Dvaitavana forest, left only as a remnant after being slain. O great king, so that we may not be utterly destroyed, please change your place of residence.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic restraint: even in hardship, the powerful (especially a king) should avoid causing needless destruction to vulnerable beings. When one’s presence leads to excessive harm, ethical conduct may require relocation and self-limitation rather than continued exploitation.
The forest animals of Dvaitavana, reduced to a small surviving number due to being hunted, appeal to the kingly figure addressed as ‘Bhārata’ and ‘Mahārāja’. They request that he and his party shift their campsite so the remaining animals are not wiped out.