Shloka 143
समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः
Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī
वनवासं प्रयातेषु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु । पौरानुगमन चैव धर्मपुत्रस्य धीमत:,जिस समय महात्मा पाण्डव वनवासके लिये यात्रा कर रहे थे, उस समय बहुत-से पुरवासी लोग बुद्धिमान् धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरके पीछे-पीछे चलने लगे
vanavāsaṃ prayāteṣu pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu | paurānugamanaṃ caiva dharmaputrasya dhīmataḥ ||
महात्मा पांडव वनवासासाठी निघाले असता नगरातील अनेक पौरजन बुद्धिमान धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिराच्या मागोमाग चालू लागले.
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Righteousness (dharma) commands allegiance: when a just leader suffers exile, the people’s impulse to follow reflects moral solidarity and recognition of true legitimacy beyond mere power.
As the Pāṇḍavas depart for forest exile, many city-dwellers accompany and follow Yudhiṣṭhira, showing grief, support, and attachment to the dharmic ruler despite the political injustice that sent him away.