Shloka 5
कालविभाग-निरूपणं तथा युद्धव्यवस्था
Time-Reckoning and Mobilization Counsel
अनिवत्ते तु निर्वासे यदि बीभत्सुरागत: । पुनर्द्घादेश वर्षाणि बने वत्स्यन्ति पाण्डवा:
anivṛtte tu nirvāse yadi bībhatsur āgataḥ | punar dvy-ādaśa varṣāṇi vane vatsyanti pāṇḍavāḥ ||
വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—നിർവാസകാലം പൂർണ്ണമാകുന്നതിന് മുമ്പേ ബീഭത്സു (അർജുനൻ) പുറത്തുവന്നാൽ, പാണ്ഡവർ വീണ്ടും പന്ത്രണ്ടു വർഷം വനത്തിൽ വസിക്കേണ്ടിവരും.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores dharma as strict fidelity to agreed terms: even an early return that violates the exile’s conditions brings renewed hardship. Ethical life here is framed as accountability—actions have binding consequences, and vows/conditions must be honored precisely.
Vaiśampāyana states a conditional rule: if Arjuna (Bībhatsu) comes back before the exile period is properly completed, the Pāṇḍavas would have to undergo another full twelve-year forest exile, indicating the seriousness of the exile’s stipulations.