Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 46
Kṛṣṇasya Dvārakā-praveśaḥ — Krishna’s Return to Dvārakā and the Raivataka Festival
अश्व उवाच गुरो्गुरुं मां जानीहि ज्वलनं जातवेदसम् | त्वया हाहं सदा विप्र गुरोरर्थेंडभिपूजित:
aśva uvāca: guroḥ guruṁ māṁ jānīhi jvalanaṁ jātavedasam | tvayā ha ahaṁ sadā vipra guror arthe ’bhipūjitaḥ |
那马说道：“你当明明白白地知道：我乃火神——阇多吠陀（Jātavedas）——甚至是你师之师的导师。婆罗门啊，你为你的师长之故，常以清净之身，依正法仪轨供奉我。故我将成就你的福祉。如今照我所言而行——不可迟延。”
अश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
True service to one’s guru—performed with purity and according to rite—draws divine support. The verse elevates disciplined devotion (guru-artha worship) as a dharmic act that yields welfare, and it stresses prompt obedience to righteous instruction.
The sacrificial horse reveals its deeper identity as Agni (Jātavedas) and addresses a brāhmaṇa, acknowledging that the brāhmaṇa has long worshipped fire on behalf of his teacher. Pleased, the speaker promises the brāhmaṇa’s good and urges him to carry out the next action without delay.