Shloka 174
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
उत्तड्ुक उवाच अन्यस्मिन् करणीये तु कार्ये पार्थिवसत्तम | बाल्यादिवान्यदेव त्वं कुरुषे नृपसत्तम,उत्तंक बोले--नृपश्रेष्ठ! जहाँ तुम्हारे लिये करनेयोग्य दूसरा कार्य उपस्थित हो, वहाँ अज्ञानवश तुम कोई और ही कार्य कर रहे हो
Uttaṅka uvāca—anyasmin karaṇīye tu kārye pārthivasattama | bālyādivānyad eva tvaṃ kuruṣe nṛpasattama ||
Uttaṅka sprach: „O bester der Könige! Wenn eine andere Pflicht wahrhaft zu tun ist, so tust du—aus kindischer Unwissenheit—stattdessen etwas anderes, o erhabenster Herrscher.“
उत्तड्ुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses discernment in dharma: when a genuine obligation is present, one should not be diverted into irrelevant actions. Neglecting the proper duty is portrayed as a lapse born of immaturity or ignorance, especially blameworthy in a ruler.
Uttaṅka rebukes the addressed king, calling him ‘best of kings’ while criticizing him for misdirected action—doing something else when a different, more fitting task demands attention. The tone is corrective, urging the king to realign his conduct with the duty at hand.