वनप्रस्थानम् (Departure for the Forest) — Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 24
#2:8 #:23:.:7 (0) हि २ 7 चतुर्विशो$ध्याय: पाण्डवोंका द्वैतवनमें जाना वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्तेषु प्रयातेषु कौन्तेय: सत्यसंगर: । अभ्यभाषत धर्मात्मा भ्रातृन् सर्वान् युधिष्ठिर:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तदनन्तर प्रजाजनोंके चले जानेपर सत्यप्रतिज्ञ एवं धर्मात्मा कुन्तीनन्दन युधिष्ठिरने अपने सब भाइयोंसे कहा--
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tataḥ teṣu prayāteṣu kaunteyaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ | abhyabhāṣata dharmātmā bhrātṝn sarvān yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: O Janamejaya! Nang makaalis na ang mga taong iyon, si Yudhiṣṭhira—anak ni Kuntī, matatag sa panata at tapat sa dharma—ay nagsalita sa lahat ng kanyang mga kapatid.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse foregrounds Yudhiṣṭhira’s ethical authority: true leadership is grounded in satya (truth/faithfulness to vows) and dharma (righteous discernment), especially when guiding one’s closest companions in difficult circumstances.
After a group of people has left, the narration narrows to the Pāṇḍavas. Yudhiṣṭhira, characterized as steadfast in truth and righteous in nature, begins to speak to all his brothers, setting up the next counsel or decision in the forest episode.