Shloka 22
धन-निरुक्ति तथा गालवस्य गुरुदक्षिणा-प्रसङ्गः
Etymology of Wealth and the Gurudakṣiṇā Predicament of Gālava
सुपर्णो5थाब्रवीद् दीनं गालवं भृशदु:खितम् । प्रत्यक्ष खल्चिदानीं मे विश्वामित्रो यदुक्तवान्,तदनन्तर दीन और अत्यन्त दुःखी हुए गालव मुनिसे गरुड़ने कहा--'द्विजश्रेष्ठ गालव! विश्वामित्रजीने मेरे सामने जो कुछ कहा है, आओ, उसके विषयमें हम दोनों सलाह करें। तुम्हें अपने गुरुको उनका सारा धन चुकाये बिना चुप नहीं बैठना चाहिये”
suparṇo ’thābravīd dīnaṃ gālavaṃ bhṛśa-duḥkhitam | pratyakṣaṃ khalv idānīṃ me viśvāmitro yad uktavān, tad-anantaraṃ dīnaṃ atyanta-duḥkhitaṃ gālavaṃ munim suparṇo ’bravīt— “dvija-śreṣṭha gālava! viśvāmitreṇa mama pratyakṣaṃ yat kiñcid uktam, āgaccha, tad-viṣaye vayam ubhau mantrayāvahe. tvaṃ gurave sarva-dhanaṃ acchādayitvā vinā na niścalo bhavitum arhasi.”
Narada said: Then Suparna (Garuda) spoke to Galava, who was dejected and overwhelmed with sorrow: “What Visvamitra said to me directly has now become clear. Come—let us consult together about it. O best of the twice-born, you should not sit at ease until you have fully paid your teacher what is due.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the dharmic obligation of a disciple to honor the guru’s claim—especially the guru-dakṣiṇā—by not resting until the debt is fully discharged, and it also highlights the value of seeking wise counsel when facing a difficult duty.
Galava is distressed about fulfilling Visvamitra’s demand. Garuda addresses him compassionately, notes that Visvamitra’s words were spoken directly in his presence, and proposes that the two of them deliberate together on how Galava can complete the payment owed to his teacher.