भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
पज्चालराजं ट्रुपदं गृहीत्वा रणमूर्धनि । पर्यानयत भद्र व: सा स्थात् परमदक्षिणा,'शिष्यो! पंचालराज ट्रुपदको युद्धमें कैद करके मेरे पास ले आओ। तुम्हारा कल्याण हो। यही मेरे लिये सर्वोत्तम गुरुदक्षिणा होगी”
Pañcālarājaṃ Drupadaṃ gṛhītvā raṇamūrdhani | paryānayata bhadra vaḥ sā syāt paramadakṣiṇā ||
“ศิษย์ทั้งหลาย! จงจับทฺรุปทะ กษัตริย์แห่งปัญจาลา ณ กลางสมรภูมิ แล้วนำมาหาเรา ขอความสวัสดีจงมีแก่พวกเจ้า นั่นแลจักเป็นคุรุทักษิณาอันสูงสุดสำหรับเรา”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights the traditional obligation of dakṣiṇā (a student’s offering to the teacher) and shows how duty can become ethically complex when a guru frames a personal objective as a ‘highest’ fee, binding disciples to act in war for the sake of loyalty.
A teacher instructs his disciples to capture Drupada, king of the Pañcālas, during battle and bring him as the guru’s dakṣiṇā—setting up a conflict where martial success is demanded as repayment for instruction.