Shloka 10
Bhīmasena’s Admonition to Yudhiṣṭhira on Rājya and the Ordering of Dharma–Artha–Kāma
Book 3, Chapter 34
त्वां चेच्छुत्वा तात तथा चरन्त- मवभोत्स्यन्ते भरतानां चराशक्ष । अन्यांक्षरेथास्तावतो<ब्दांस्त था त्व॑ निश्चित्य तत् प्रतिजानीहि पार्थ,“कुन्तीकुमार! यदि भरतवंशियोंके गुप्तचर आपके गुप्त निवासका समाचार सुनकर पता लगाने लगें और उन्हें यह मालूम हो जाय कि आपलोग अमुक जगह अमुक रूपमें रह रहे हैं, तब आपको पुनः उतने (बारह) ही वर्षोतक वनमें रहना पड़ेगा। इस बातको निश्चय करके इसके विषयमें प्रतिज्ञा कीजिये
tvāṃ cec chrutvā tāta tathā carantam avabhotsyante bharatānāṃ cārāś ca | anyāṃś carethās tāvato 'bdāṃs tathā tvaṃ niścitya tat pratijānīhi pārtha ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Dear brother, if the Bharata spies, on hearing of you living in this manner, should succeed in discovering you, then you must again live out the same number of years (as before) in the forest. Having firmly determined this, make your pledge regarding it, O Pārtha.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses accountability to agreed conditions: if secrecy in exile is broken and discovered by enemy spies, the consequence is to repeat the term. Dharma here is fidelity to one’s vow and acceptance of stipulated outcomes.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Arjuna (Pārtha), warning that if Kuru/Bharata spies discover their hidden residence and manner of living, the exile must be extended by the same number of years; he urges Arjuna to resolve this clearly and pledge to abide by it.