Shloka 41
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
स एवमुक्त उपाध्यायं प्रत्युवाच भगवते निवेद्य पूर्वमपरं चरामि तेन वृत्तिं कल्पयामीति,उपाध्यायके ऐसा कहनेपर उपमन्युने उन्हें उत्तर दिया--“भगवन्! पहलेकी लायी हुई भिक्षा आपको अर्पित करके अपने लिये दूसरी भिक्षा लाता हूँ और उसीसे अपनी जीविका चलाता हूँ
sa evam ukta upādhyāyaṃ pratyuvāca—bhagavate nivedya pūrvam aparaṃ carāmi; tena vṛttiṃ kalpayāmīti.
Thus addressed, he replied to his teacher: “Revered sir, after first offering to you the alms I have obtained, I go again to seek a second portion for myself; by that I maintain my livelihood.”
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
A disciple should prioritize service and honesty toward the teacher: what is obtained is first offered to the guru, and only thereafter may one seek one’s own sustenance through rightful means, without deceit or appropriation.
After being questioned by his teacher about how he sustains himself, the disciple explains that he offers the first alms to the teacher and then goes again to beg a second time for his own livelihood.