Shloka 18

Uttaṅka’s Petition for Madayantī’s Divine Earrings (Maṇikuṇḍala) — Agreement, Proof, and Vigilance

Devanagari script

गौतम उवाच त्वत्प्रीतियुक्तेन मया गुरुशुश्रूषया तव । व्यतिक्रामन्महाकालो नावबुद्धो द्विजर्षभ,गौतमने कहा--विप्रवर! तुम्हारी गुरुशुश्रूषासे तुम्हारे ऊपर मेरा बड़ा प्रेम हो गया था। इसीलिये इतना अधिक समय बीत गया तो भी मेरे ध्यानमें यह बात नहीं आयी

Transliteration

Gautama uvāca: tvat-prīti-yuktena mayā guru-śuśrūṣayā tava | vyatikrāman mahā-kālo nāvabuddho dvijarṣabha ||

Translation

Gautama sprach: „Weil ich, durch deinen hingebungsvollen Dienst an deinem Lehrer, von Zuneigung zu dir erfüllt wurde, verstrich eine große Zeitspanne – und ich bemerkte es nicht einmal, o Bester der Zweimalgeborenen.“

Word by Word

गौतमःGautama

उवाचsaid

त्वत्-प्रीति-युक्तेनendowed with affection for you

मयाby me / I

गुरु-शुश्रूषयाby service to the teacher

तवof you / your

व्यतिक्रामन्passing by / elapsing

महाकालःgreat Time

नnot

अवबुद्धःwas understood/realized

द्विज-ऋषभO bull among the twice-born (best Brahmin)

Speaker

गौतम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Gautama

dvijarṣabha (addressed Brahmin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sincere service to one’s teacher (guru-śuśrūṣā) generates trust and affection, and such dharmic conduct can make hardships and even the passage of time feel light—highlighting the ethical value of devoted discipleship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Gautama addresses a Brahmin (likely a disciple) and explains that, because he grew affectionate due to the disciple’s devoted service, a long time elapsed without Gautama noticing it.