Shloka 31
Araṇi Lost to the Deer: Pāṇḍavas Pursue to Preserve Agnihotra (अरणी-हरण प्रसङ्गः)
यौवनस्थां तु तां दृष्टवा स्वां सुतां देवरूपिणीम् । अयाच्यमानां स वरैर्नपतिर्दु:खितो5भवत्,अपनी देवस्वरूपिणी पुत्रीको युवावस्थामें प्रविष्ट हुई देख और अभीतक इसके लिये किसी वरने याचना नहीं की, यह सोचकर मद्रनरेशको बड़ा दुःख हुआ
yauvanasthāṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā svāṃ sutāṃ devarūpiṇīm | ayācyamānāṃ sa varair napatir duḥkhito 'bhavat ||
Mārkaṇḍeya nói: Thấy ái nữ của mình, rực rỡ như dáng thần, đã bước vào độ xuân thì mà vẫn chưa có một ai đến cầu hôn, nhà vua liền chìm trong nỗi sầu muộn. Đó là nỗi lo của người cha trước bổn phận phải tìm cho con một nơi nương tựa xứng đáng.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a ruler-father’s dharma: ensuring a daughter’s welfare through a suitable marriage alliance. When social recognition (suitors seeking her) does not arise even for a worthy, beautiful daughter, it becomes a source of grief and moral anxiety about unfulfilled responsibility.
Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that the king sees his daughter has reached youth and is exceptionally beautiful, yet no suitor has come to ask for her hand. This unexpected lack of proposals makes the king deeply sorrowful.