Shloka 81
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
स उपाध्यायेनानुज्ञातः समावृतस्तस्माद् गुरुकुलवासाद गृहाश्रमं प्रत्यपद्यत । तस्यापि स्वगृहे वसतस्त्रय: शिष्या बभूवु: स शिष्यान् न किंचिदुवाच कर्म वा क्रियतां गुरुशुश्रूषा चेति । दुःखाभिज्ञो हि गुरुकुलवासस्य शिष्यान् परिक्लेशेन योजयितुं नेयेष,तदनन्तर उपाध्यायकी आज्ञा होनेपर वेद समावर्तन-संस्कारके पश्चात् स्नातक होकर गुरुगहसे लौटे। घर आकर उन्होंने गृहस्थाश्रममें प्रवेश किया। अपने घरमें निवास करते समय आचार्य वेदके पास तीन शिष्य रहते थे, किंतु वे “काम करो अथवा गुरुसेवामें लगे रहो” इत्यादि रूपसे किसी प्रकारका आदेश अपने शिष्योंको नहीं देते थे; क्योंकि गुरुके घरमें रहनेपर छात्रोंको जो कष्ट सहन करना पड़ता है, उससे वे परिचित थे। इसलिये उनके मनमें अपने शिष्योंको क्लेशदायक कार्यमें लगानेकी कभी इच्छा नहीं होती थी
sa upādhyāyenānujñātaḥ samāvṛtas tasmād gurukulavāsād gṛhāśramaṃ pratyapadyata | tasyāpi svagṛhe vasatas trayaḥ śiṣyā babhūvuḥ | sa śiṣyān na kiñcid uvāca karma vā kriyatāṃ guruśuśrūṣā ceti | duḥkhābhijño hi gurukulavāsasya śiṣyān parikleśena yojayituṃ neyeṣa |
With his teacher’s permission, he completed his course of study and, after leaving the residence of the preceptor, entered the householder stage of life. Even while living in his own home, he had three students. Yet he gave them no commands such as, “Do this work,” or “Engage in service to the teacher.” For he knew from experience the hardships of life in a teacher’s household, and therefore he did not wish to burden his students with distressing tasks.
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
A teacher who understands the hardships of student life should not impose unnecessary burdens; instruction and discipline should be guided by compassion and awareness of what students can reasonably bear.
After completing Vedic study and receiving his teacher’s permission to depart, the protagonist returns home and enters the householder stage. Though three students live with him, he refrains from ordering them to perform work or even formal service, because he remembers the difficulties of gurukula life and does not want to subject them to similar hardship.