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Shloka 2

उत्तरोपदेशः

Uttara’s Fear and Arjuna’s Martial Reassertion

नैवंविधं मया मुक्तमालब्धुं क्षत्रयोनिना । महता राजपुत्रेण मन्त्रयज्ञविदा सता,एक तो मैं क्षत्रिय, दूसरे महान्‌ राजकुमार तथा तीसरे मन्त्र और यज्ञोंका ज्ञाता एवं सत्पुरुष हूँ, अतः मुझे ऐसी अपवित्र वस्तुका स्पर्श करना उचित नहीं है

naivaṃvidhaṃ mayā muktam ālabdhuṃ kṣatrayoninā | mahatā rājaputreṇa mantrayajñavidā satā ||

Uttara sprach: „Es ziemt sich nicht für mich—der ich in der Linie der Kṣatriyas geboren bin—etwas Derartiges zu berühren, das weggeworfen wurde. Ich bin ein großer Prinz und kenne zudem die heiligen Mantras und die Riten des Opfers; ich bin ein Mann von guter Führung. Darum geziemt es mir nicht, mit Unreinem in Berührung zu kommen.“

nanot
na:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna
evam-vidhamof such a kind
evam-vidham:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootevam-vidha
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
mayāby me
mayā:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootasmad
Form—, Instrumental, Singular
muktamreleased/let go (by me)
muktam:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootmukta
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ālabdhumto touch/lay hold of
ālabdhum:
TypeVerb
Rootā-labh
FormInfinitive
kṣatra-yonināby one born in the Kshatriya lineage
kṣatra-yoninā:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootkṣatra-yoni
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
mahatāby a great
mahatā:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootmahat
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
rāja-putreṇaby a prince (king's son)
rāja-putreṇa:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootrāja-putra
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
mantra-yajña-vidāby a knower of mantras and sacrifices
mantra-yajña-vidā:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootmantra-yajña-vid
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
satāby a good/virtuous man
satā:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootsat
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular

उत्तर उवाच

U
Uttara (Prince of Virāṭa)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights a social-ethical ideal: one should act in accordance with one’s dharma and standards of purity/propriety. Uttara appeals to his kṣatriya identity and ritual learning to justify avoiding contact with what he considers impure or unbecoming.

Uttara speaks defensively, asserting his status as a kṣatriya prince and a person versed in mantras and sacrifices. On that basis, he refuses to touch something described as discarded/impure, framing the refusal as a matter of honor and ritual propriety.