Shloka 19

Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

प्रत्राजनं च नगरादजिनैश्न विवासनम्‌ । महारण्यनिवासश्न न तस्य स्मर्तुमहसि

Transliteration

pratrājanaṃ ca nagarād ajinaiś ca nivāsanam | mahāraṇya-nivāsaṃ ca na tasya smartum arhasi ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «Fuiste expulsado de la ciudad, te hicieron vestir piel de ciervo y te enviaron a morar en la soledad. Tuviste que vivir en vastos bosques. ¿Cómo podrías olvidar tales cosas?»

Word by Word

• प्रत्राजनम्: banishment/expulsion (from kingship/realm)
• प्रत्राजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्राजन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नगरात्: from the city
• नगरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अजिनैः: with animal-skins
• अजिनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• निवासनम्: causing to dwell (exile)/making to reside
• निवासनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवासन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महा: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अरण्य: forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निवासम्: dwelling/residence
• निवासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• तस्य: of that/its
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• स्मर्तुम्: to remember
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are able (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• city (nagara)
• deerskin garments (ajina)
• great forest/wilderness (mahāraṇya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse appeals to moral memory: one who has endured injustice and hardship should not forget it, because remembrance supports discernment, accountability, and dharmic judgment rather than complacency or self-deception.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana recalls a person’s past humiliation—expulsion from the city, being made to wear deerskin, and forced forest-dwelling—using these facts as a pointed reminder that such experiences should not be ignored or forgotten when reflecting on conduct and consequences.