Shloka 34

Kāmyake Pāṇḍavānāṃ Bhojana-vyavasthā

Provisioning and Welfare in the Kāmyaka Forest

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच तथेति सम्प्रतिज्ञाय लोमश: सुमहातपा: । काम्यकं वनमुद्दिश्य समुपायान्महीतलम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! “बहुत अच्छा” कहकर महातपस्वी लोमशजीने उनका अनुरोध मान लिया और काम्यकवनमें जानेके लिये भूलोककी ओर प्रस्थान किया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tatheti sampratijñāya lomaśaḥ sumahātapāḥ | kāmyakaṃ vanam uddiśya samupāyān mahītalam ||

Translation

Wika ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang sumang-ayon siya sa mga salitang “Gayon nga,” ang dakilang asceta na si Lomaśa, tapat sa kanyang pangako, ay tinanggap ang kanilang pakiusap at naglakbay sa ibabaw ng lupa, itinuro ang kanyang daan patungo sa gubat ng Kāmyaka.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

तथाso; thus

इतिthus (quotative)

सम्प्रतिज्ञायhaving promised; having assented

लोमशःLomaśa

सुमहातपाःof very great austerity

काम्यकम्Kāmyaka (name)

वनम्forest

उद्दिश्यhaving set out toward; aiming at

समुपायात्went forth; departed

महीतलम्the earth's surface; ground

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Lomaśa

Janamejaya

Kāmyaka forest

Mahītala (earth)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharma through fidelity to one’s word: once a promise is made, especially by a sage, it is honored through action without delay.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the ascetic Lomaśa agrees (“tathā”) and, having pledged, departs toward the Kāmyaka forest, initiating a journey episode within the Vana Parva frame-story told to King Janamejaya.