Shloka 226
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
सारस्वतो महाभागे वेदानध्यापयिष्यति । “यह सारस्वत नामसे विख्यात महातपस्वी होगा। महाभागे! इस संसारमें बारह वर्षोतक जब वर्षा बंद हो जायगी, उस समय यह सारस्वत ही श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंको वेद पढ़ायेगा
sārasvato mahābhāge vedān adhyāpayiṣyati |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai wanita mulia, pertapa agung yang termasyhur dengan nama Sārasvata ini akan mengajarkan Weda. Ketika di dunia ini hujan berhenti selama dua belas tahun, dialah Sārasvata yang akan mengajar para Brāhmaṇa terkemuka dalam pengetahuan Weda.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in times of severe societal crisis (a prolonged drought), dharma is sustained by preserving and transmitting sacred knowledge; the responsibility of teaching the Vedas is portrayed as a stabilizing ethical duty.
Vaiśampāyana foretells that the ascetic Sārasvata, famed by name, will become the key teacher of the Vedas to leading Brāhmaṇas during a twelve-year period when the rains fail.