Shloka 12
युधिछिर उवाच अरणीसहितं यस्य मृगो हयादाय गच्छति । तस्याग्नयो न लुप्येरन् प्रथमो5स्तु वरो मम
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: araṇī-sahitaṃ yasya mṛgo hayādāya gacchati | tasyāgnayo na lupyeran prathamo 'stu varo mama ||
युधिष्ठिर म्हणाला—भगवन्, माझा पहिला वर हा: ज्या ब्राह्मणाची अरणीसहित मंथन-काष्ठे मृग घेऊन पळून गेला आहे, त्याची पवित्र अग्नी (अग्निहोत्र) लुप्त होऊ नयेत; त्याचे नित्यकर्म अखंड राहो.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as attentive care for others’ sacred obligations: a righteous king prioritizes preventing the lapse of a brāhmaṇa’s agnihotra, valuing continuity of ritual duty and communal spiritual welfare over personal gain.
Yudhiṣṭhira requests a boon that the brāhmaṇa whose araṇīs (fire-kindling sticks) and horse were carried off by a deer should not suffer interruption of his sacred fires; he asks first for the protection of that man’s daily fire-ritual.