Shloka 9

धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति व्यवहार-रक्षा-नियमनोपदेशः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Administration, Punishment, and Daily Governance

Devanagari script

भीम राजा पिता वृद्धो वनवासाय दीक्षित:

Transliteration

bhīma rājā pitā vṛddho vanavāsāya dīkṣitaḥ

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“ഭീമാ! നമ്മുടെ വൃദ്ധനായ പിതാവായ രാജാവ് വനവാസത്തിനായി ദീക്ഷിതനായി (സങ്കൽപബദ്ധനായി) കഴിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു.”

Word by Word

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृद्धः: aged, old
• वृद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वनवासाय: for forest-dwelling (exile)
• वनवासाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनवास
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• दीक्षितः: initiated; having undertaken (a vow/preparation)
• दीक्षितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीक्षित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīma
• the king (rājā)
• the father (pitā)
• forest-dwelling (vanavāsa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic transition from royal life to vānaprastha-like withdrawal: in old age, a ruler (and elder) may embrace restraint and renunciation, signaling ethical readiness to relinquish power and accept a simpler, disciplined life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that the aged father-figure/king has formally undertaken the resolve (dīkṣā) to go to the forest, indicating a decisive step toward leaving the courtly world and adopting forest-dwelling as a life-stage of austerity and detachment.