कुशकुसुमसमित्पलाशफलमूलोदकान्याहरिष्यमाणो वृकसालावृकादिभ्यो भयमाशंसमानो यदा सह हरिणकुणकेन वनं समाविशति ॥ १२ ॥
kusa-kusuma-samit-palasa-phala-mulodakany aharisyamano vrkasala-vrkadibhyo bhayam asamsamano yada saha harina-kunakena vanam samavisati.
- kusa
- a kind of grass required for ritualistic ceremonies
- kusuma
- flowers
- samit
- firewood
- palasa
- leaves
- phala-mula
- fruits and roots
- udakani
- and water
- aharisyamanah
- desiring to collect
- vrkasala-vrka
- from wolves and dogs
- adibhyah
- and other animals, such as tigers
- bhayam
- fear
- asamsamanah
- doubting
- yada
- when
- saha
- with
- harina-kunakena
- the deer calf
- vanam
- the forest
- samavisati
- enters.
When Maharaja Bharata wanted to enter the forest to collect kusa grass, flowers, wood, leaves, fruits, roots and water, he would fear that dogs, jackals, tigers and other ferocious animals might kill the deer. He would therefore always take the deer with him when entering the forest.