Shloka 3

धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्षमायाचनं तथा युधिष्ठिरे न्यासदानम् / Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Forgiveness and the Entrustment to Yudhiṣṭhira

Devanagari script

अगन्निहोत्रं पुरस्कृत्य वल्कलाजिनसंवृत: । वधूजनवृतो राजा निर्ययौ भवनात्‌ ततः

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

agannihotraṃ puraskṛtya valkalājinasaṃvṛtaḥ |

vadhūjanavṛto rājā niryayau bhavanāt tataḥ ||

Translation

ਅਗਨਿਹੋਤ੍ਰ ਨੂੰ ਅੱਗੇ ਰੱਖ ਕੇ, ਵਲਕਲ ਅਤੇ ਮ੍ਰਿਗਚਰਮ ਨਾਲ ਢੱਕਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ, ਅਤੇ ਪੁੱਤਰ-ਵਧੂਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਘਿਰਿਆ ਰਾਜਾ ਤਦੋਂ ਭਵਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਨਿਕਲ ਪਿਆ।

Word by Word

• अग्निहोत्रम्: the Agnihotra (sacred fire-rite)
• अग्निहोत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front / having put foremost
• पुरस्कृत्य: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• वल्कलाजिनसंवृतः: covered with bark-garments and deer-skin
• वल्कलाजिनसंवृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्कलाजिनसंवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वधूजनवृतः: surrounded by the daughters-in-law (womenfolk)
• वधूजनवृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वधूजनवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्ययौ: went out / departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यā (या)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भवनात्: from the palace/house
• भवनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, by context of the passage)
• Agnihotra (sacred fire/rite)
• palace (bhavana)
• daughters-in-law (vadhūjana)
• bark-garments (valkala)
• deer-skin (ājina)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma through orderly renunciation: even when leaving worldly life, one keeps sacred obligations (Agnihotra) foremost, showing that detachment is not neglect but a disciplined reorientation of life around duty and spiritual aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king departs from the palace for an ascetic/forest-oriented life. He adopts ascetic attire (bark and deer-skin), places the Agnihotra fire in front as a ritual and symbolic guide, and leaves accompanied by his daughters-in-law.