Shloka 17

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Śrāddha Request and Bhīma’s Objection (Āśramavāsika-parva, Adhyāya 17)

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ााभारत आश्रमवासिकपर्वके अन्तर्गत आश्रमवासपर्वमें कुन्तीका वाक्यविषयक सत्रहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,प्रादुष्कृता यथान्यायमग्नयो वेदपारगै: । व्यराजन्त द्विजश्रेष्ठैस्तत्र तत्र तपोवने वहाँके तपोवनमें वेदोंके पारंगत श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंने जहाँ-तहाँ विधिपूर्वक जो आग प्रकट करके प्रज्वलित की थी, वह बड़ी शोभा पा रही थी

Transliteration

prāduṣkṛtā yathānyāyam agnayo vedapāragaiḥ | vyarājanta dvijaśreṣṭhais tatra tatra tapovane ||

Translation

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: En aquel bosque de austeridad, los fuegos sagrados—encendidos conforme a la norma por eminentes brahmanes versados en los Vedas—resplandecían en muchos lugares.

Word by Word

प्रादुष्कृताःmanifested, brought forth

यथाas, according to

न्यायम्rule, proper procedure

अग्नयःfires

वेदपारगैःby those who have gone to the far shore of the Vedas (Veda-versed)

विराजन्तेthey shine, are splendid

द्विजश्रेष्ठैःby the best of the twice-born (brahmins)

तत्रthere

तत्रhere and there

तपोवनेin the grove/forest of austerities (hermitage-wood)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

agnis (ritual fires)

dvijaśreṣṭhas (eminent Brahmins)

tapovana (forest of austerity/hermitage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in renunciation and forest-dwelling, dharma is maintained through disciplined, rule-governed conduct—symbolized by the properly kindled sacred fires tended by Veda-knowing Brahmins.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes the hermitage-forest where learned Brahmins have kindled ritual fires in various places; these fires blaze and beautify the tapovana, setting a solemn Vedic-ascetic atmosphere.