Shloka 119
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
अथ तदन्नं मुक्तकेश्या स्त्रिया यत् कृतमनुष्णं सकेशं चाशुच्येतदिति मत्वा तमृषिमुत्तड़क॑ प्रसादयामास,वह भोजन खुले केशवाली स्त्रीने तैयार किया था। अतः उसमें केश पड़ गया था। देरका बना होनेसे वह ठण्डा भी हो गया था। इसलिये वह अपवित्र है, इस निश्चयपर पहुँचकर राजाने उत्तंक ऋषिको प्रसन्न करते हुए कहा--
atha tad annaṃ muktakeśyā striyā yat kṛtam anuṣṇaṃ sakeśaṃ cāśucy etad iti matvā tam ṛṣim uttaṅkaṃ prasādayāmāsa |
Then, considering that the food had been prepared by a woman with her hair left loose, and that it had become cold and even had hair in it, the king judged it to be impure. With this conclusion, he sought to appease the sage Uttaṅka and spoke in a conciliatory manner—framing his refusal not as disrespect, but as a concern for ritual purity and propriety.
राम उवाच