Shloka 19
Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 1 — The Pandavas’ Exit from Gajasāhvaya and the Citizens’ Lament (जनमेजयप्रश्नः; पाण्डवानां वनप्रस्थानम्)
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुकक््त्वानुजग्मुस्ते पाण्डवांस्तान् समेत्य च । ऊचुः प्राउज्जलय: सर्वे कौन्तेयान् माद्रिनन्दनान्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--ऐसा कहकर वे पुरवासी पाण्डवोंके पास गये और उन कुन्तीकुमारों तथा माद्रीपुत्रोंस मिलकर वे सब-के-सब हाथ जोड़कर इस प्रकार बोले --
vaiśampāyana uvāca evam uktvā anujagmus te pāṇḍavāṁs tān sametya ca | ūcuḥ prāñjalayaḥ sarve kaunteyān mādrīnandanān ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: Tendo falado assim, aqueles habitantes da cidade foram até os Pāṇḍava; e, reunindo-se em torno dos filhos de Kuntī e dos filhos de Mādrī, todos, com as mãos postas em reverência, dirigiram-lhes estas palavras. A cena ressalta o respeito público pelos justos e o peso ético do conselho comunitário oferecido a reis exilados.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic ethic of approaching the virtuous with humility: the community recognizes moral authority and offers counsel respectfully, suggesting that righteous leadership is accountable to public conscience and collective welfare.
After speaking earlier (in the preceding lines), the townsmen go to the Pāṇḍavas, assemble around the sons of Kuntī and Mādrī, and begin to address them with folded hands, signaling reverence and earnest petition.