Shloka 24

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्र धर्मज्ञैर्बहुभिव॒ते | उज्छवृत्तिद्विज: कश्चित्‌ कापोतिरभवत्‌ तदा,कुछ दिनों पहलेकी बात है, धर्मक्षेत्र कुरुक्षेत्रमें, जहाँ बहुत-से धर्मज्ञ महात्मा रहा करते हैं, कोई ब्राह्मण रहते थे। वे उज्छवृत्तिसे अपना जीवन-निर्वाह करते थे। कबूतरके समान अन्नका दाना चुनकर लाते और उसीसे कुटुम्बका पालन करते थे

Transliteration

Nakula uvāca | dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre dharmajñair bahubhir vṛte | ucchavṛttir dvijaḥ kaścit kāpotir abhavat tadā |

Translation

ナクラは言った。「ダルマの地クルクシェートラ――多くの仙人や法（ダルマ）に通じた者たちが集うその地に、かつて一人のバラモンが住んでいた。彼は落ち穂を拾って生計を立て、鳩のように散った穀粒をついばみ集め、そのわずかな糧で家族を養っていた。」

Word by Word

धर्मक्षेत्रेin the holy field

कुरुक्षेत्रेin Kurukṣetra

धर्मज्ञैःby/with the knowers of dharma

बहुभिःby many

वृतेfrequented/inhabited

उच्छवृत्तिःone living by gleaning (uñchavṛtti)

द्विजःa brāhmaṇa (twice-born)

कश्चित्a certain/some

कापोतिःone like a pigeon (pigeon-like)

अभवत्was/became

तदाthen/at that time

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nakula

Dharmakṣetra

Kurukṣetra

a brāhmaṇa (unnamed)

pigeon (as simile)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic living through restraint and contentment: a brāhmaṇa sustains his family without exploitation, taking only what is left over, exemplifying ethical livelihood (ājīvika) and humility even while remaining a householder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula begins a moral tale set in sacred Kurukṣetra, introducing an unnamed brāhmaṇa who lives by gleaning scattered grains ‘like a pigeon’ and supports his household through this austere, non-possessive way of life.