Shloka 23
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
स॒उपाध्यायेन संदिष्ट आरुणि: पाज्चाल्यस्तत्र गत्वा तत् केदारखण्डं बद्धूं नाशकत् | स क्लिश्यमानोडपश्यदुपायं भवत्वेवं करिष्यामि,उपाध्यायके इस प्रकार आदेश देनेपर पांचालदेशवासी आरुणि वहाँ जाकर उस धानकी क्यारीकी मेड़ बाँधने लगा; परंतु बाँध न सका। मेड़ बाँधनेके प्रयत्नमें ही परिश्रम करते-करते उसे एक उपाय सूझ गया और वह मन-ही-मन बोल उठा--“अच्छा; ऐसा ही करूँ”
sopādhyāyena saṃdiṣṭa āruṇiḥ pāñcālyas tatra gatvā tat kedārakhaṇḍaṃ baddhuṃ nāśakat | sa kliśyamāno ’paśyad upāyaṃ bhavatu evaṃ kariṣyāmi iti manasā ||
Sa utos ng kanyang guro, si Āruṇi na taga-Pāñcāla ay nagtungo roon upang itali at patibayin ang pilapil ng palayang bahagi, ngunit hindi niya ito mapatatag. Habang siya’y nagpupunyagi hanggang mapagod, bigla niyang nakita ang isang paraan at nagpasiya sa loob-loob: “Sige—ganito ang gagawin ko.”
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores guru-śuśrūṣā (devoted service to the teacher) and perseverance: when a duty assigned by a legitimate authority becomes difficult, one should not abandon it but seek a practical, ethical means to fulfill it with sincerity.
Āruṇi, instructed by his teacher, goes to secure the embankment of a paddy-field plot. He fails despite effort, becomes exhausted, then suddenly thinks of a workable plan and resolves internally to carry it out.