Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma
Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics
अप्यरण्यं समाश्रित्य चरेन्मृगगणै: सह
apy araṇyaṃ samāśritya caren mṛgagaṇaiḥ saha
ભીષ્મે કહ્યું—અરણ્યનો આશ્રય લઈને પણ મનુષ્ય જીવી શકે છે અને મૃગોના ઝુંડ સાથે ફરી શકે છે।
भीष्म उवाच
The verse points to the legitimacy of a simple, non-violent, nature-aligned mode of life—resorting to the forest and living quietly among harmless creatures—suggesting restraint and withdrawal from worldly entanglements as a dharmic option.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he describes an austere alternative lifestyle: retreating to the forest and living/roaming there in the company of deer, as part of a broader discussion on conduct and dharma.