Shloka 2
प्रातरेष्याम्यथेत्युक्त्वा कदाचिद् द्विजसत्तम: | तत आयाति राजेन्द्र सायं रात्रावथो पुन:,राजेन्द्र! वे श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण कभी यह कहकर कि “मैं प्रातःकाल लौट आऊँगा” चल देते और सायंकाल अथवा बहुत रात बीतनेपर पुनः: वापस आते थे
prātareṣyāmy athety uktvā kadācid dvijasattamaḥ | tata āyāti rājendra sāyaṃ rātrāv atho punaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “At times that foremost of Brahmins would depart after saying, ‘I shall return in the morning.’ Yet, O best of kings, he would come back only in the evening—or even after much of the night had passed.” The line underscores the Brahmin’s unpredictable movements and the king’s attentive concern, hinting at the ethical tension between promised return and delayed arrival.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral weight of one’s stated intention—saying ‘I will return in the morning’ sets an expectation, and repeated delay invites scrutiny. It subtly raises questions about reliability, duty to one’s word, and the king’s responsibility to observe and judge conduct without haste.
Vaiśampāyana describes a pattern: an eminent Brahmin leaves after promising a morning return, but actually comes back only in the evening or late at night. The king (addressed as rājendra) is being informed of this recurring behavior.