Shloka 19
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
प्रत्राजनं च नगरादजिनैश्न विवासनम् । महारण्यनिवासश्न न तस्य स्मर्तुमहसि,“आप नगरसे निकाले गये, आपको मृगछाला पहनाकर वनवास दे दिया गया और बड़े-बड़े जंगलोंमें आपको रहना पड़ा। क्या इन सब बातोंको आप याद नहीं कर सकते?
pratrājanaṃ ca nagarād ajinaiś ca nivāsanam | mahāraṇya-nivāsaṃ ca na tasya smartum arhasi ||
प्रत्राजनं च नगरादजिनैश्च विवासनम् । महारण्यनिवासं च न तस्य स्मर्तुमर्हसि ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse appeals to moral memory: one who has endured injustice and hardship should not forget it, because remembrance supports discernment, accountability, and dharmic judgment rather than complacency or self-deception.
Vaiśampāyana recalls a person’s past humiliation—expulsion from the city, being made to wear deerskin, and forced forest-dwelling—using these facts as a pointed reminder that such experiences should not be ignored or forgotten when reflecting on conduct and consequences.