Shloka 4
Bhīmasya paruṣa-vākyaṃ
Bhīma’s Harsh Speech Heard by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī
अहमप्येतदेव त्वां ब्रवीमि कुरु मे वच: । अनुज्ञां लभतां राजा मा वृथेह मरिष्यति
aham apy etad eva tvāṃ bravīmi kuru me vacaḥ | anu-jñāṃ labhatāṃ rājā mā vṛtheha mariṣyati ||
Vyāsa berkata: “Aku pun menyampaikan nasihat yang sama kepadamu—turutilah ucapanku. Biarkan sang raja memperoleh izin darimu untuk berangkat ke rimba; jika tidak, dengan tetap tinggal di sini ia akan menemui kematian yang sia-sia.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vyāsa urges that dharma at the end of life requires timely withdrawal from courtly life into forest-discipline (vānaprastha). Denying this transition risks a meaningless, spiritually unfruitful death; granting permission supports right conduct and inner purification.
In the Āśramavāsika context, Vyāsa reinforces the same advice to the addressed party: Dhṛtarāṣṭra should be allowed to leave for the forest. Vyāsa frames it as urgent—remaining in the palace will lead to a ‘vain’ death, whereas departure aligns with the proper stage of life.