Shloka 53
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
तानाह उपाध्यायो मयोपमन्यु: सर्वतः प्रतिषिद्धः स नियतं कुपितस्ततो नागच्छति चिरं ततो<न्वेष्य इत्येवमुक्त्वा शिष्यै: सार्थमरण्यं गत्वा तस्याद्वानाय शब्दं चकार भो उपमन्यो क्वासि वत्सैहीति,तब उपाध्यायने कहा--'मैंने उपमन्युकी जीविकाके सभी मार्ग बंद कर दिये हैं, अतः निश्चय ही वह रूठ गया है; इसीलिये इतनी देर हो जानेपर भी वह नहीं आया, अतः हमें चलकर उसे खोजना चाहिये।” ऐसा कहकर शिष्योंके साथ वनमें जाकर उपाध्यायने उसे बुलानेके लिये आवाज दी--'ओ उपमन्यु! कहाँ हो बेटा! चले आओ”
tān āha upādhyāyo mayopamanyuḥ sarvataḥ pratiṣiddhaḥ sa niyataṃ kupitas tato nāgacchati ciraṃ tato ’nveṣya ityevam uktvā śiṣyaiḥ sārtham araṇyaṃ gatvā tasyāhvānāya śabdaṃ cakāra—bho upamanyo kvāsi vatsa ehi iti
The teacher said, “I have blocked all means of livelihood for Upamanyu; he must surely be offended. That is why, even after so long, he has not come. Therefore we should go and search for him.” Having spoken thus, he went with the students into the forest and called out loudly to summon him: “Ho, Upamanyu! Where are you, my child? Come here!”
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension in a guru’s discipline: strict restraint is used as a test, yet the teacher remains responsible and compassionate, actively seeking the student when the trial appears to cause harm or alienation.
The teacher, believing he has cut off Upamanyu’s means of sustenance and that the boy has become upset, goes with other students into the forest to search for him and calls out loudly for Upamanyu to come.