Shloka 21
वे एक-एक बच्चेसे बोलते और जरिताको भी बारबार बुलाते, परंतु वे लोग उन मुनिसे भला या बुरा कुछ भी नहीं बोले
te ekaikaṃ bālakaṃ sambhāṣamāṇā jaritām api punaḥ punaḥ āhvayanti sma, kintu te janāḥ tasmin munau śubham aśubhaṃ vā kiñcid api na abruvan.
They spoke to each child one by one and repeatedly called for Jaritā as well; yet those people did not utter to that sage anything—neither kind nor harsh. The scene underscores a guarded restraint: attention is shown to the vulnerable, while judgment toward the ascetic is withheld.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint (vāg-niyama): even when people are anxious and repeatedly calling out, they refrain from speaking either praise or blame toward a sage, suggesting caution in judging ascetics and a preference for measured speech.
A group addresses the children individually and repeatedly calls Jaritā, but they do not say anything—good or bad—to the muni present, indicating a tense or delicate situation where they focus on the children while withholding comment toward the ascetic.