Shloka 161
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
तमुत्तड़क उपाध्यायं प्रत्युवाच भोस्तक्षकेण मे नागराजेन विघ्न: कृतो5स्मिन् कर्मणि तेनास्मि नागलोक॑ गत:,तब उत्तंकने उपाध्यायको उत्तर दिया--'भगवन्! नागराज तक्षकने इस कार्यमें विघ्न डाल दिया था। इसलिये मैं नागलोकमें चला गया था
tam uttadaka upādhyāyaṃ pratyuvāca—bhoḥ, takṣakeṇa me nāgarājena vighnaḥ kṛto 'smin karmaṇi; tenāsmi nāgalokaṃ gataḥ.
He replied to his teacher: “Sir, the serpent-king Takṣaka created an obstruction in this undertaking of mine; therefore I went to the realm of the Nāgas.”
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truthful accountability to one’s teacher and duty: when an obligation is impeded, one should report honestly, identify the cause without evasion, and remain oriented toward completing the assigned task.
A disciple (Uttanka, implied by context) explains to his preceptor Uttadaka that the serpent-king Takṣaka interfered with his undertaking, which led him to go to Nāgaloka; this clarifies why the task faced delay or disruption.