Shloka 15
Sanatsujāta on Vedic Learning, Truth (Satya), and the Discipline of Dama–Tyāga–Apramāda
नाचार्यस्यानपाकृत्य प्रवासं प्राज्ञ: कुर्वीत नैतदहं करोमि । इतीव मन्येत न भाषयेत स वै चतुर्थो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पाद:,आचार्यके उपकारका बदला चुकाये बिना अर्थात् गुरुदक्षिणा आदिके द्वारा उन्हें संतुष्ट किये बिना विद्वान् शिष्य वहाँसे अन्यत्र न जाय। [दक्षिणा देकर या गुरुकी सेवा करके] कभी मनमें ऐसा विचार न लावे कि मैं गुरुका उपकार कर रहा हूँ तथा मुँहसे भी कभी ऐसी बात न निकाले। यह ब्रह्मचर्यका चौथा पाद है
nācāryasyānāpākṛtya pravāsaṃ prājñaḥ kurvīta naitad ahaṃ karomi | itīva manyeta na bhāṣayeta sa vai caturtho brahmacaryasya pādaḥ ||
Sanatsujāta said: A wise student should not depart to live elsewhere without first discharging what is due to his teacher—without satisfying him through service, fees, or other proper acts of gratitude. Even then, he should not entertain the thought, “I am doing my teacher a favor,” nor should he ever speak in that manner. This is declared to be the fourth quarter of brahmacarya: humility and gratitude toward the teacher, free from pride.
सनत्सुजात उवाच
Educational Q&A
A student should not leave the teacher’s care without properly repaying obligations through service or appropriate gifts, and even then must avoid pride—neither thinking nor saying, “I have done my teacher a favor.” True brahmacarya includes humility and gratitude.
In Sanatsujāta’s instruction (within Udyoga Parva), he outlines disciplines of brahmacarya. Here he specifies a rule of conduct toward one’s ācārya: do not depart without settling one’s duty to the teacher, and do so without self-congratulation.