Shloka 29
नियोगप्रसङ्गः — The Niyoga Episode: Births of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura
अथाश्रमपदं प्राप्त: फलान्यादाय वारुणि: । न चापश्यत् स गां तत्र सवत्सां काननोत्तमे
athāśramapadaṃ prāptaḥ phalāny ādāya vāruṇiḥ | na cāpaśyat sa gāṃ tatra savatsāṃ kānanottame ||
Beberapa waktu kemudian Vāruṇi, putra Varuṇa, kembali ke pertapaan sambil membawa buah-buahan; namun di rimba yang teramat indah itu ia tidak melihat sapinya di sana—bahkan anak sapinya pun tidak.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores accountability in āśrama life: when something under one’s care (especially a cow, a valued and protected being) is missing, one must respond with alertness and a sense of duty, seeking the cause rather than ignoring the lapse.
Vāruṇi arrives back at the hermitage carrying fruits, but he cannot find the cow and her calf in the forest-grove. This discovery sets up the next action—investigation and the unfolding of whatever event led to their disappearance.