Shloka 21

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे कश्चिदृषिर्धोम्यो नामायोदस्तस्य शिष्यास्त्रयो बभूवुरुपमन्युरारुणिवेंदश्वेति,(गुरुकी आज्ञाका किस प्रकार पालन करना चाहिये, इस विषयमें आगेका प्रसंग कहा जाता है--) इन्हीं दिनों आयोदधौम्य नामसे प्रसिद्ध एक महर्षि थे। उनके तीन शिष्य हुए-- उपमन्यु, आरुणि पांचाल तथा वेद

Transliteration

Etasminn antare kaścid ṛṣir Dhaumyo nāmāyodaḥ; tasya śiṣyās trayo babhūvuḥ—Upamanyur, Āruṇir Vedaśva iti.

Translation

Unterdessen lebte ein Rishi namens Dhaumya, berühmt als Ayoda. Er hatte drei Schüler: Upamanyu, Āruṇi und Vedaśva. (Hier beginnt die folgende Begebenheit, die zeigt, wie ein Schüler den Befehl des Guru auszuführen hat.)

Word by Word

एतस्मिन्in this

अन्तरेin the interval / meanwhile

कश्चित्a certain

ऋषिःsage

धौम्यःDhaumya (name)

नामby name / named

आयोदःĀyoda (name)

तस्यof him / his

शिष्याःdisciples

त्रयःthree

बभूवुःbecame / were

उपमन्युःUpamanyu (name)

आरुणिःĀruṇi (name)

वेदःVeda (name)

अश्वःhorse

इतिthus

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhaumya (Ayoda)

Upamanyu

Āruṇi

Vedaśva

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse sets up an instructive exemplum: the proper dharma of a disciple is to follow the guru’s command with sincerity and discipline. By introducing Dhaumya and his three students, the text signals that ethical instruction will be conveyed through their conduct under the teacher’s orders.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narration transitions to a new episode: it introduces the sage Dhaumya (also called Ayoda) and names his three disciples—Upamanyu, Āruṇi, and Vedaśva—preparing the reader for subsequent stories that demonstrate how students should carry out a teacher’s instructions.