स दृष्टवा विमल तोयं सारसै: परिवारितम् । पातुकामस्ततो वाचमन्तरिक्षात् स शुश्रुवे
sa dṛṣṭvā vimala-toyaṃ sārasaiḥ parivāritam | pātukāmas tato vācam antarīkṣāt sa śuśruve ||
সারসপাখিতে পরিবেষ্টিত সেই নির্মল জল দেখে, পান করতে উদ্যত নকুল তখন আকাশ থেকে ভেসে আসা এক বাণী শুনল।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
A simple desire (to drink) becomes a dharma-test: one should not act merely on impulse but heed warnings, inquire properly, and practice restraint when confronted with the unknown or the sacred.
The character sees a clear lake ringed with cranes and approaches to drink; at that moment an unseen voice from the sky is heard, signaling an impending challenge and setting up the episode’s moral interrogation.