स दृष्टवा विमल तोयं सारसै: परिवारितम् । पातुकामस्ततो वाचमन्तरिक्षात् स शुश्रुवे
sa dṛṣṭvā vimala-toyaṃ sārasaiḥ parivāritam | pātukāmas tato vācam antarīkṣāt sa śuśruve ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : Voyant l’eau limpide du lac, entourée de sārasas (grues), et désirant boire, il entendit alors une voix venue du ciel.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
A simple desire (to drink) becomes a dharma-test: one should not act merely on impulse but heed warnings, inquire properly, and practice restraint when confronted with the unknown or the sacred.
The character sees a clear lake ringed with cranes and approaches to drink; at that moment an unseen voice from the sky is heard, signaling an impending challenge and setting up the episode’s moral interrogation.