Shloka 15
Araṇi Lost to the Deer: Pāṇḍavas Pursue to Preserve Agnihotra (अरणी-हरण प्रसङ्गः)
तुष्टासि यदि मे देवि वरमेतं वृणोम्यहम् । संतान परमो धर्म इत्याहुर्मा द्विजातय:,देवि! यदि आप प्रसन्न हैं तो मैं आपसे यह संतानसम्बन्धी वर ही माँगता हूँ; क्योंकि द्विजातिगण मुझसे बराबर यही कहते हैं कि “न्याययुक्त संतानोत्पादन (भी) परम धर्म है!
tuṣṭāsi yadi me devi varam etaṁ vṛṇomy aham | santānaḥ paramo dharma ity āhur māṁ dvijātayaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai Dewi, jika Engkau berkenan kepadaku, maka anugerah yang kupilih adalah keturunan. Sebab para dwija berulang kali berkata kepadaku, ‘Melahirkan keturunan yang saleh dan benar itulah dharma tertinggi.’”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames righteous progeny (santāna) as a paramount duty within dharma, reflecting the social-ethical ideal that sustaining a lawful lineage through proper conduct is a major obligation, especially for a king and householder.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a goddess who is ready to grant a boon; he requests the boon of offspring, justifying it by citing the counsel of the twice-born, who emphasize progeny as a supreme form of dharma.