Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
ते त॑ प्रत्यूचुर्भगवंस्त्वयैव प्रेषितो गच्छ केदारखण्डं बधानेति | स एवमुक्तस्ताज्कछिष्यान् प्रत्युवाच तस्मात् तत्र सर्वे गच्छामो यत्र स गत इति,शिष्योंने उत्तर दिया--“भगवन्! आपहीने तो उसे यह कहकर भेजा था कि “जाओ, क्यारीकी टूटी हुई मेड़ बाँध दो।' शिष्योंके ऐसा कहनेपर उपाध्यायने उनसे कहा--“तो चलो, हम सब लोग वहीं चलें, जहाँ आरुणि गया है”
Te ta pratyūcur bhagavaṁs tvayaiva preṣito gaccha kedārakhaṇḍaṁ badhāneti | Sa evam uktas tāñ śiṣyān pratyuvāca tasmāt tatra sarve gacchāmo yatra sa gata iti |
Ellos respondieron: «Venerable señor, fuiste tú mismo quien lo enviaste, diciendo: “Ve y repara el terraplén roto del campo.”» Al oír esto, el maestro les dijo: «Entonces vayamos todos allí, adonde él haya ido.»
राम उवाच
The passage highlights dharma in the guru–śiṣya context: a disciple’s sincere obedience in service should be met with the teacher’s accountability and protective concern, and the community (fellow students) should not remain passive when a duty-bound act may endanger someone.
The students explain that the disciple was sent by the teacher to mend a broken field-embankment. Hearing this, the teacher decides that everyone should go to the place where the disciple has gone—implying urgency and support for the task and the disciple.