Shloka 28
अध्याय १५ (Āśramavāsika-parva): धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनवासानुज्ञायाचनम् — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s renewed plea for consent to forest-dwelling
प्रसीद मातर्मा गास्त्वं वनमद्य यशस्विनि । श्रियं यौधिष्ठिरी मातर्भुड्क्ष्य तावद् बलार्जिताम्
prasīda mātarmā gāstvaṁ vanam adya yaśasvini | śriyaṁ yaudhiṣṭhirī mātār bhuṅkṣva tāvad balārjitām ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Xin mẹ nguôi lòng, thưa Mẫu thân; hôm nay xin đừng vào rừng, hỡi người phụ nữ lừng danh. Mẫu thân, trước mắt xin hãy hưởng lấy phú quý vương quyền của Yudhiṣṭhira—được giành về bằng sức lực và nỗ lực.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension central to dharma: the pull between renunciation (going to the forest) and responsibility within the household and kingdom. It urges restraint and patience—asking the mother to remain and accept the present order—while also acknowledging the morally complex nature of sovereignty described as “won by force.”
In the Āśramavāsika context, an elder woman addressed as “Mother” is inclined to depart for the forest (a step toward ascetic life). The speaker, as narrated by Vaiśampāyana, pleads with her to be calm and not leave immediately, and to continue, for now, to partake in Yudhiṣṭhira’s royal prosperity.