Ashramavasika Parva Adhyaya 15 Shloka 163 - Mahabharata | Malayalam | Vedapath

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Shloka 163

अध्याय १५ (Āśramavāsika-parva): धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनवासानुज्ञायाचनम् — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s renewed plea for consent to forest-dwelling

Devanagari script

गान्धारीसहिता वत्स्ये तापसी मलपड्किनी । अब मैं वनमें गान्धारीके साथ शरीरपर मैल एवं कीचड़ धारण किये तपस्विनी बनकर रहूँगी और अपने इन सास-ससुरके चरणोंकी सेवामें लगी रहूँगी

Transliteration

gāndhārī-sahitā vatsye tāpasī mala-paṅkinī |

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഞാൻ ഗാന്ധാരിയോടൊപ്പം വനത്തിൽ തന്നെ വസിക്കും; ശരീരത്തിൽ പൊടിയും ചെളിയും ധരിച്ച തപസ്വിനിയായി. ഈ മൂപ്പന്മാരായ ശ്വശുര-ശ്വശ്രൂകളുടെ പാദസേവയിൽ ഞാൻ എപ്പോഴും ലീനയായിരിക്കും.

Word by Word

गान्धारीwith Gandhārī

सहिताtogether (accompanied)

वत्स्येI shall dwell

तापसीa female ascetic

मलdirt/filth

पङ्किनीmud-smeared (one having mire)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Gāndhārī

forest (vana)

elders (father-in-law and mother-in-law)

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 highlights dharma expressed through renunciation and humble service: choosing an austere forest life, accepting physical hardship, and honoring elders through devoted attendance. Ethical strength is shown as steadfast duty and self-discipline rather than comfort or status.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Ashramavāsika context—after the great war—royal elders and their family turn toward the forest life. The speaker’s declaration (as reported by Vaiśampāyana) describes living with Gāndhārī as an ascetic, embracing austerity, and serving the elder in-laws, marking a transition from palace life to vānaprastha/ascetic practice.