Shloka 19
Kalmāṣapāda’s Encounter with Śakti and the Escalation of the Vasiṣṭha–Viśvāmitra Feud (कल्माषपाद–शक्ति प्रसङ्गः)
आचार्यवेतनं किंचिद् हृदि यद् वर्तते मम । कृतास्त्रैस्तत् प्रदेयं स्थात् तदृतं वदतानघा: । सोर्ड्जुनप्रमुखैरुक्तस्तथास्त्विति गुरुस्तदा,“निष्पाप शिष्यगण! मेरे मनमें तुमलोगोंसे कुछ गुरुदक्षिणा लेनेकी इच्छा है। अस्त्रविद्यामें पारंगत होनेपर तुम्हें वह दक्षिणा देनी होगी। इसके लिये सच्ची प्रतिज्ञा करो।' तब अर्जुन आदि शिष्योंने अपने गुरुसे कहा--“तथास्तु (ऐसा ही होगा)”
ācārya-vetanaṃ kiñcid hṛdi yad vartate mama | kṛtāstrais tat pradeyaṃ syāt tad ṛtaṃ vadata anaghāḥ | so 'rjuna-pramukhair uktas tathāstv iti gurur tadā |
Sinabi ng gurong Brahmin: “May isang gurudakṣiṇā na nasa aking dibdib. Kapag kayo’y naging ganap na bihasa sa paggamit ng mga sandata, dapat ninyong ibigay sa akin ang kabayarang iyon. Kayong mga walang sala, magsalita kayo ng tapat na panata.” Kaya si Arjuna at ang iba pang pangunahing alagad ay sumagot sa kanilang guro: “Tathāstu—mangyari nawa.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic ethic of learning: disciples must honor the teacher through truthfulness and a pledged obligation. Knowledge—especially martial knowledge—creates responsibility, and the student’s word (ṛta/satya) is treated as binding.
The Brahmin preceptor announces that he has a specific teacher’s fee in mind, to be given once the students have mastered weaponry. He asks them to make a truthful pledge, and Arjuna along with the other leading disciples agree, saying “tathāstu.”