Shloka 6

कौशिकस्य क्रोधविनिवृत्तिः — Kauśika’s Anger Checked by Householder Dharma

Devanagari script

नास्ति सम्भवो गुर्वर्थ दातुमिति,“एक दिन कोई वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्न ब्राह्मण राजा सेदुकके पास आया और उन्हें आशीर्वाद देकर गुरु-दक्षिणाके लिये भिक्षा माँगता हुआ बोला--'राजन्‌! आप मुझे एक हजार घोड़े दीजिये।” तब सेदुकने उस ब्राह्मण-से कहा--'ब्रह्मनम! आपकी अभीष्ट गुरु- दक्षिणा देना मेरे लिये सम्भव नहीं है

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | nāsti sambhavo gurvarthaṃ dātum iti | ekadā kaścid vedādhyayana-sampannaḥ brāhmaṇo rājānaṃ sedukaṃ samupāgamat | sa taṃ āśīrbhir abhinandya guru-dakṣiṇārthaṃ bhikṣām ayācata | uvāca ca—rājan, me sahasraṃ aśvān dehi iti | tataḥ sedukena sa brāhmaṇaḥ pratyuktaḥ—brāhmaṇa, tava iṣṭāṃ guru-dakṣiṇāṃ dātuṃ mama na sambhavati iti |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “It is not possible for me to give such a gift for the sake of the teacher.” Once, a Brahmin accomplished in Vedic study came to King Seduka. After blessing him, he begged alms as a teacher’s fee and said, “O King, give me a thousand horses.” Seduka replied to that Brahmin, “O Brahmin, it is not possible for me to grant the teacher’s fee you desire.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'वैशम्पायन उवाच (vaiśampāyana uvāca)', 'definition': '‘Vaiśampāyana said’—narratorial attribution'}, {'term': 'नास्ति सम्भवः (nāsti sambhavaḥ)', 'definition': 'there is no possibility

• it cannot be done'}, {'term': 'गुर्वर्थम् (gurvartham)', 'definition': 'for the sake of the guru/teacher

• as teacher’s due'}, {'term': 'दातुम् (dātum)', 'definition': 'to give'}, {'term': 'वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्न (vedādhyayana-sampanna)', 'definition': 'accomplished/qualified through Vedic study'}, {'term': 'ब्राह्मण (brāhmaṇa)', 'definition': 'a Brahmin

• here, a Vedic scholar seeking support'}, {'term': 'आशीर्वाद (āśīrvāda)', 'definition': 'blessing

• benediction'}, {'term': 'गुरु-दक्षिणा (guru-dakṣiṇā)', 'definition': 'teacher’s fee/tribute offered at completion of study'}, {'term': 'भिक्षा (bhikṣā)', 'definition': 'alms

• a request for support'}, {'term': 'सहस्रम् (sahasram)', 'definition': 'a thousand'}, {'term': 'अश्व (aśva)', 'definition': 'horse

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• सेदुक (Seduka)
• ब्राह्मण (a Veda-learned Brahmin)
• गुरु-दक्षिणा (teacher’s fee)
• सहस्र अश्व (one thousand horses)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the ethical tension between the duty to honor learning and teachers (guru-dakṣiṇā, dāna) and the practical limits of one’s resources. Dharma is not merely the ideal of giving, but also truthful acknowledgment of capacity and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Veda-trained Brahmin approaches King Seduka, blesses him, and requests a guru-dakṣiṇā in the form of a thousand horses. The king responds that fulfilling such a request is not possible for him.