Shloka 176
बालान् स तानण्डगतान् सह मात्रा मुनिर्वने । जरिताके गर्भसे चार ब्रह्मवादी पुत्रोंको मुनिने जन्म दिया। अंडेमें पड़े हुए उन बच्चोंको मातासहित वहीं छोड़कर वे मुनि वनमें लपिताके पास चले गये
vaiśampāyana uvāca | bālān sa tān aṇḍagatān saha mātrā munir vane | jaritāyāḥ garbhase cāra brahmavādī putrān muninā janma dīyate | aṇḍe nipatitān tān bālān mātrā saha tatraiva tyaktvā sa munir vane jaritākāśaṃ jagāma |
Vaiśampāyana said: The sage, while in the forest, begot four sons—brahma-vādins (devoted to sacred learning)—in the womb of Jaritā. Those infants remained enclosed in eggs; leaving the egg-bound children there together with their mother, the sage went on through the forest to Jaritā’s dwelling. The episode underscores the tension between ascetic detachment and the ethical responsibility owed to one’s dependents, setting the stage for later protection and recognition of the vulnerable.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights a dharmic tension: spiritual detachment does not erase ethical responsibility toward one’s dependents. It invites reflection on how ascetic ideals must be balanced with compassion and protection for the vulnerable.
A sage fathers four learned sons in Jaritā’s womb; the infants remain enclosed in eggs. The sage leaves the egg-bound children with their mother in the forest and proceeds to Jaritā’s abode, setting up subsequent developments concerning their safety and recognition.