Shloka 9
वने समा द्वादश राजपुत्र यथाकामं विदितमजातशत्रो | अथापरं चाविदितं चरेथा: सर्वे: सह भ्रातृभिश्छझगूढ:,“राजकुमार अजातशत्रो! (यदि आप हार जायेँ तो) आपको बारह वर्षोतक इच्छानुसार सबकी जानकारीमें और पुनः एक वर्षतक गुप्त वेषमें छिपे रहकर अपने भाइयोंके साथ वनमें निवास करना पड़ेगा
vane samā dvādaśa rājaputra yathākāmaṃ viditam ajātaśatro | athāparaṃ cāviditaṃ carethāḥ sarvaiḥ saha bhrātṛbhiś channagūḍhaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai pangeran Ajātaśatru, engkau harus tinggal di hutan selama dua belas tahun penuh—berkelana sesukamu namun tetap diketahui semua orang; dan sesudah itu, selama satu tahun lagi engkau harus hidup tanpa dikenali—tersembunyi dan terselubung—mengembara bersama semua saudaramu.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores accountability and the binding force of agreed terms: a kṣatriya prince must accept the consequences of a wager or commitment, enduring hardship with discipline—first openly, then with strict concealment—without abandoning solidarity with his brothers.
Yudhiṣṭhira states the condition of exile: twelve years of forest-dwelling in a known identity, followed by a thirteenth year living incognito, hidden and unrecognized, together with his brothers.