Shloka 23

अरण्यवृत्ति-वैराग्योपदेशः | Forest Discipline and the Program of Non-Attachment

Devanagari script

एककालं चरन्‌ भैक्ष्यं त्रीनथ द्वे च पज्च वा | स्नेहपाशं विमुच्याहं चरिष्यामि महीमिमाम्‌

Transliteration

ekakālaṃ caran bhaikṣyaṃ trīn atha dve ca pañca vā | snehapāśaṃ vimucyāhaṃ cariṣyāmi mahīm imām ||

Translation

ଦିନକୁ ଏକଥର ମାତ୍ର ଭିକ୍ଷା ନେଇ ମୁଁ ଦୁଇ, ତିନି କିମ୍ବା ଅଧିକତମ ପାଞ୍ଚ ଘର ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଯିବି। ସ୍ନେହପାଶ ଛେଦି ମୁଁ ଏହି ପୃଥିବୀରେ ବିଚରିବି।

Word by Word

• एककालम्: at one time (once a day)
• एककालम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: एककाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• चरन्: walking/going about
• चरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भैक्ष्यम्: alms (begging)
• भैक्ष्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अथ: or/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• स्नेहपाशम्: bond/cord of affection
• स्नेहपाशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेहपाश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विमुच्य: having released/after casting off
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+मुच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• चरिष्यामि: I shall wander
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• mahī (earth)
• bhaikṣya (alms)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches restraint and detachment: limiting one’s dependence on others (begging only once daily and from a few houses) and cutting the ‘bond of affection’ that fuels attachment, so one can live ethically with self-control and inner freedom.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira declares his intention to adopt a mendicant, wandering life. He outlines a disciplined routine for collecting alms and emphasizes renouncing emotional ties, reflecting the Śānti Parva’s focus on peace, self-mastery, and dharma after the war.