Shloka 21

Devanagari script

प्रीतो मधुरया वाचा विश्वामित्र॑ महाद्युतिम्‌ । दक्षिणा: का: प्रयच्छामि भवते गुरुकर्मणि

Transliteration

prīto madhurayā vācā viśvāmitraṁ mahādyutim | dakṣiṇāḥ kāḥ prayacchāmi bhavate gurukarmaṇi ||

Translation

Нарада сказал: «Услаждённый твоими сладкими речами, о Вишвамитра великого сияния, какую дакшину (dakṣiṇā) мне принести тебе в воздаяние за служение учителя?»

Word by Word

प्रीतःpleased

मधुरयाwith sweet

वाचाspeech/words

विश्वामित्रम्Viśvāmitra

महाद्युतिम्of great splendor

दक्षिणाःgifts/fees (honorarium)

काःwhich?/what kind of?

प्रयच्छामिI give / shall I give

भवतेto you (sir)

गुरुकर्मणिin the teacher’s service/duty

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Viśvāmitra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical gratitude and propriety in the guru–śiṣya (teacher–student) framework: sweet, respectful speech fosters goodwill, and sincere acknowledgment of guidance is expressed through an appropriate dakṣiṇā—an offering that honors the teacher’s role rather than treating knowledge as a commodity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada, pleased by Viśvāmitra’s gracious words, addresses him respectfully and asks what dakṣiṇā he should give in return for the guru’s service—framing their interaction within the norms of reverence, reciprocity, and dharmic conduct.