Shloka 28
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
युष्माभिरपि कर्तव्यं वचनं मम नित्यश: । तपसास्मि परिश्रान्तो दृढे नियममास्थित:
yuṣmābhir api kartavyaṃ vacanaṃ mama nityaśaḥ | tapasāsmī pariśrānto dṛḍhe niyamam āsthitaḥ |
三阇耶说道：“你们也当日日遵行我的吩咐。我因苦行而疲惫不堪，却仍坚住于严厉的自制与戒律之中。纵使反复思量，我也觉不出体内尚有行走之力；因此，孩子啊，你须常常将我从此处送至河岸。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as disciplined constancy: one who undertakes strict observances may still require practical support, and it becomes the listener’s duty to obey rightful instructions regularly. Ethical life includes both personal restraint (niyama) and compassionate service to those weakened by their vows.
A speaker (introduced as Sañjaya) conveys a request/command: due to exhaustion from austerities and strict observance, he lacks the strength to move and therefore asks that he be taken daily from his place to the riverbank.