Shloka 28
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
युष्माभिरपि कर्तव्यं वचनं मम नित्यश: । तपसास्मि परिश्रान्तो दृढे नियममास्थित:
yuṣmābhir api kartavyaṃ vacanaṃ mama nityaśaḥ | tapasāsmī pariśrānto dṛḍhe niyamam āsthitaḥ |
તમારે પણ દરરોજ મારું વચન પાલન કરવું પડશે. તપસ્યાથી હું અત્યંત થાકી ગયો છું, છતાં દૃઢ નિયમ-સંયમમાં સ્થિત છું.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as disciplined constancy: one who undertakes strict observances may still require practical support, and it becomes the listener’s duty to obey rightful instructions regularly. Ethical life includes both personal restraint (niyama) and compassionate service to those weakened by their vows.
A speaker (introduced as Sañjaya) conveys a request/command: due to exhaustion from austerities and strict observance, he lacks the strength to move and therefore asks that he be taken daily from his place to the riverbank.