Shloka 14
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament on Kāla and Daiva after Draupadī’s Recovery (आरण्यक पर्व, अध्याय २५७)
वयमप्युपयास्यामो न त्विदानीं कथंचन । समय: परिपाल्यो नो यावद् वर्ष त्रयोदशम्,“हम भी उस यज्ञमें चलते, परंतु इस समय यह किसी तरह सम्भव नहीं है। हमें तेरह वर्षतक वनमें रहनेकी अपनी प्रतिज्ञाका पालन करना है”
vayam apy upayāsyāmo na tv idānīṃ kathaṃcana | samayaḥ paripālyo no yāvad varṣa trayodaśam ||
“เราก็ใคร่จะไปยังยัญพิธีนั้นเช่นกัน แต่บัดนี้หาเป็นไปได้ไม่ เราจำต้องรักษาสัตย์ปฏิญาณของเราไว้ จนกว่าจะครบสิบสามปี”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes dharma as fidelity to one’s pledged word (samaya). Even a desirable religious opportunity (attending a yajña) must yield to the higher ethical duty of keeping a vow—here, the commitment to complete the thirteen-year term.
The speaker reports that they would have gone to a sacrifice, but cannot at present because they are bound by an agreement to remain in the forest for a full thirteen years, and must therefore continue the exile without deviation.