Shloka 22
इदं तु याचे नृपते त्वामहं शिरसा नतः । क्रियतां तावदाहारस्ततो गच्छाश्रमं प्रति,'किंतु नरेश्वरर! इस समय आपके चरणोंमें मस्तक झुकाकर मैं यह प्रार्थना करता हूँ कि पहले भोजन कर लीजिये, फिर आश्रमको जाइयेगा”
idaṃ tu yāce nṛpate tvām ahaṃ śirasā nataḥ | kriyatāṃ tāvad āhāras tato gacchāśramaṃ prati ||
“ഹേ നൃപതേ! ഞാൻ ശിരസ്സു കുനിച്ച് അപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നു—ആദ്യം ആഹാരം സ്വീകരിക്കണം; അതിന് ശേഷം ആശ്രമത്തിലേക്ക് പോകണം.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even at moments of major life-transition (such as leaving for an āśrama/forest life), dharma expresses itself through basic care and propriety: ensuring nourishment, showing reverence, and proceeding in an orderly, considerate way.
The speaker, Vaiśampāyana, reports a respectful plea addressed to the king: the king is asked—after a formal bow—to eat first and only then go toward the hermitage, indicating concern for his immediate welfare and decorum.