Shloka 10

अरण्यवृत्ति-वैराग्योपदेशः | Forest Discipline and the Program of Non-Attachment

Devanagari script

एकान्तशीली विमृशन्‌ पक्‍्वापकक्‍्वेन वर्तयन्‌ । पितृन्‌ देवांश्व वन्येन वाग्भिरद्धिश्च तर्पयन्‌

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | ekāntaśīlī vimṛśan pakvāpakvena vartayan | pitṝn devāṁś ca vanyena vāgbhir adbhiś ca tarpayann |

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Dalam kesunyian aku akan merenungkan hakikat adhyātma, dan aku akan bertahan hidup dengan buah apa pun yang kudapat—mentah ataupun masak. Dengan hasil rimba, dengan tutur kata yang lembut dan benar, serta dengan air, aku akan terus memuaskan para dewa dan para leluhur.”

Word by Word

• {'युधिष्ठिर उवाच (yudhiṣṭhira uvāca)': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'एकान्तशीली (ekāntaśīlī)': 'one whose habit is solitude

• devoted to seclusion', 'विमृशन् (vimṛśan)': 'reflecting, deliberating, contemplating', 'पक्वापक्वेन (pakvāpakvena)': 'with ripe or unripe (fruit)

• whatever state it may be', 'वर्तयन् (vartayan)': 'maintaining oneself

• carrying on one’s livelihood', 'पितॄन् (pitṝn)': 'the ancestors, manes', 'देवान् (devān)': 'the gods', 'वन्येन (vanyena)': 'with what is found in the forest

• wild produce (fruits, roots, etc.)', 'वाग्भिः (vāgbhiḥ)': 'with speech (especially pleasing/virtuous speech)', 'अद्भिः (adbhiḥ)': 'with waters', 'तर्पयन् (tarpayan)': 'satisfying, propitiating, offering contentment (through offerings/rites)'}

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Devas (gods)
• Forest produce (wild fruits/roots)
• Water

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethic of restrained living: cultivate solitude and reflection, accept simple sustenance without craving, and uphold ongoing duties of reverence—gratitude to gods and ancestors—through modest offerings, pure speech, and water.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira declares his intention to withdraw into a secluded, forest-based life, living on whatever wild fruits are available and continuing traditional acts of propitiation (tarpana) for the devas and pitṛs, emphasizing a disciplined, duty-centered renunciant posture.