Shloka 12
युधिछिर उवाच अरणीसहितं यस्य मृगो हयादाय गच्छति । तस्याग्नयो न लुप्येरन् प्रथमो5स्तु वरो मम,युधिष्ठिर बोले--भगवन्! पहला वर तो मैं यही माँगता हूँ कि जिस ब्राह्मणके अरणीसहित मन्थन-काष्ठको मृग लेकर भाग गया है, उसके अन्निहोत्रका लोप न हो
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: araṇī-sahitaṃ yasya mṛgo hayādāya gacchati | tasyāgnayo na lupyeran prathamo 'stu varo mama ||
Sinabi ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Kagalang-galang na ginoo, ito ang una kong biyaya: nawa’y hindi mamatay o maputol ang mga sagradong apoy ng brāhmaṇa—yaong ang mga patpat na pangpaapoy (araṇī), kasama ang kabayo, ay tinangay ng isang usa na tumakas. Huwag sanang mapalampas ang kanyang araw-araw na ritwal ng apoy, ang Agnihotra.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as attentive care for others’ sacred obligations: a righteous king prioritizes preventing the lapse of a brāhmaṇa’s agnihotra, valuing continuity of ritual duty and communal spiritual welfare over personal gain.
Yudhiṣṭhira requests a boon that the brāhmaṇa whose araṇīs (fire-kindling sticks) and horse were carried off by a deer should not suffer interruption of his sacred fires; he asks first for the protection of that man’s daily fire-ritual.