Shloka 75
Ajñātavāsa-saṅkalpaḥ — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Resolve and Dhaumya’s Exempla on Concealment
नक्तंचराश्नरन्त्येते हृष्ट: क्रराभिभाषिण: । श्रूयन्ते पर्णशब्दाश्व॒ मृगाणां चरतां वने,ये क्रूर बोली बोलनेवाले निशाचर यहाँ प्रसन्नतापूर्वक विचर रहे हैं। वनमें घूमते हुए मृगोंके पैरोंसे लगकर पत्तोंके मर्मर शब्द सुनायी पड़ते हैं
naktamcarāś naranty ete hṛṣṭāḥ krūrābhibhāṣiṇaḥ | śrūyante parṇaśabdāś ca mṛgāṇāṃ caratāṃ vane ||
Yama said: “These night-roaming beings move about here in high spirits, speaking harshly. And in this forest one can hear the rustling of leaves, stirred by the feet of deer as they wander.”
यम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights discernment in uncertain surroundings: harsh speech and unsettling sounds are signs that call for alertness and self-control. Ethically, it contrasts inner steadiness with the cruelty and agitation suggested by “harsh-tongued” night-roamers.
Yama describes the immediate forest atmosphere: nocturnal beings are roaming nearby, and the rustle of leaves—caused by deer moving through the woods—can be heard, creating a tense, watchful setting.