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"It's such a short verse; I wonder why you take so long over it,” the master chided him gently.
The Sun climbed higher and higher; now it was in the zenith and yet Yudhishthira had not finished his lesson.
"Well, Yudhishthira, how much longer will you . be at it?"
Bowing very humbly, the pupil replied, “Guruji, I have not yet learnt it."
Guruji was vexed at hearing this. How could such an intelligent boy like Yudhishthira be so slow! Why could he not concentrate today? It was now afternoon, and the master had lost all patience. Tweaking his pupil's ear, and slapping him not too hard, he asked, “What, haven't you yét learnt it?” That very instant, Yudhishthira replied with his usual humility, “Yes, Gurudeva, I have learnt the lesson; the experiment is over.”
: Duryodhana muttered to himself with a sarcastic smile, "Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
The evening Sun dyed Gurudeva's white beard pink and lit up Yudhishthira's eyes with the light of forgiveness.
. Caressing his pupil's head, the guru asked gently, "But you, told me a minute ago you did not know your lesson. Then how is it that you suddenly managed to learn it when I chastised you?"
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