Shloka 8
उत्तरो भयविषण्णः — बृहन्नडेन धैर्योपदेशः
Uttara’s Panic and Bṛhannadā’s Stabilizing Counsel
शून्यमासाद्य कुरव: प्रयान्त्यादाय गोधनम् | कि नु शक््यं मया कर्तु यदहं तत्र नाभवम्,गोष्ठको सूना पाकर कौरवलोग मेरा गोधन लिये जा रहे हैं। परंतु अब मैं यहाँसे क्या कर सकता हूँ? जबकि वहाँ उस समय मैं मौजूद नहीं था
śūnyam āsādya kuravaḥ prayānty ādāya godhanam | ki nu śakyaṃ mayā kartuṃ yad ahaṃ tatra nābhavam ||
Uttara sprach: „Da sie den Ort verlassen vorfanden, ziehen die Kurus nun davon und treiben das Vieh fort. Was kann ich jetzt noch tun, da ich damals nicht dort war?“
उत्तर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights accountability and timely action: when one is absent at the decisive moment, the capacity to protect people and property is diminished. It also underscores the ethical weight of safeguarding communal wealth (godhana) and the regret that follows missed responsibility.
Uttara observes that the Kurus have found the cattle-station unguarded and are leaving with the herd. He laments his absence at the time of the raid and questions what he can do now that the opportunity to prevent it has passed.