Shloka 12
युधिछिर उवाच अरणीसहितं यस्य मृगो हयादाय गच्छति । तस्याग्नयो न लुप्येरन् प्रथमो5स्तु वरो मम
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: araṇī-sahitaṃ yasya mṛgo hayādāya gacchati | tasyāgnayo na lupyeran prathamo 'stu varo mama ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai yang mulia, anugerah pertamaku adalah ini: semoga api suci (agnihotra) milik brāhmaṇa itu tidak padam atau terputus—dia yang kayu penggesek apinya (araṇī), beserta kuda, telah dirampas dan dibawa lari oleh seekor rusa. Semoga kewajiban hariannya tidak terlalaikan.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as attentive care for others’ sacred obligations: a righteous king prioritizes preventing the lapse of a brāhmaṇa’s agnihotra, valuing continuity of ritual duty and communal spiritual welfare over personal gain.
Yudhiṣṭhira requests a boon that the brāhmaṇa whose araṇīs (fire-kindling sticks) and horse were carried off by a deer should not suffer interruption of his sacred fires; he asks first for the protection of that man’s daily fire-ritual.