Shloka 19
नारद–शुक संवादः
Impermanence, Svabhāva, and Śuka’s Resolve for Yoga
मिषतो देवलस्यापि ततो<र्ध हृतवानहम् । स्ववेददक्षिणायार्थे विमर्दे मातुलेन ह
miṣato devalasyāpi tato 'rdhaṃ hṛtavān aham | svavedadakṣiṇāyārthe vimarde mātulena ha ||
ຍາຊະນະວັນກະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ແມ່ນແຕ່ໃນຂະນະທີ່ມະຫາລິສີ ເທວະລະ ກຳລັງເບິ່ງຢູ່ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກໍໄດ້ເອົາດັກຊິນາ (dakṣiṇā) ໄວ້ເປັນສ່ວນຂອງຕົນເອງເຄິ່ງໜຶ່ງ. ເພື່ອຄ່າຄູວິທີວິດ (ຄ່າຄູວິເທດ) ຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ ແລະເນື່ອງຈາກລຸງຝ່າຍແມ່ກົດດັນຢ່າງແຮງ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈຶ່ງມອບໃຫ້ລາວເຄິ່ງໜຶ່ງ ແລະເກັບໄວ້ອີກເຄິ່ງໜຶ່ງ.»
याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical conflict: fulfilling one’s legitimate obligation (guru-dakṣiṇā for one’s own Vedic study) can be complicated by improper claims and social pressure. It implicitly warns that even a seemingly practical compromise—splitting a gift—may be morally questionable when it violates the integrity of what should be offered wholly and transparently.
Yājñavalkya recounts an incident involving the sage Devala and his maternal uncle. Under the uncle’s insistent urging, and even in Devala’s presence, Yājñavalkya divides the dakṣiṇā: he gives half to the uncle and keeps half for his own Vedic teacher’s fee.