Shloka 184
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
एवं पितुश्चापचितिं कृतवांस्त्वं भविष्यसि । मम प्रियं च सुमहत् कृतं राजन् भविष्यति,ऐसा करके आप अपने पिताकी मृत्युका बदला चुका सकेंगे एवं मेरा भी अत्यन्त प्रिय कार्य सम्पन्न हो जायगा। समूची पृथ्वीका पालन करनेवाले नरेश! तक्षक बड़ा दुरात्मा है। पापरहित महाराज! मैं गुरुजीके लिये एक कार्य करने जा रहा था, जिसमें उस दुष्टने बहुत बड़ा विघ्न डाल दिया था
evaṁ pituś cāpacitiṁ kṛtavāṁs tvaṁ bhaviṣyasi | mama priyaṁ ca sumahat kṛtaṁ rājan bhaviṣyati | takṣakaḥ sa mahādurātmā pṛthivīpāla nṛpa | anagha mahārāja ahaṁ gurave karma kartuṁ gacchāmi, yasmin tasya duṣṭasya bahu vighnaḥ kṛtaḥ |
“By doing this, you will have repaid the debt of retribution for your father’s death, and a very dear wish of mine will also be fulfilled, O king. O ruler who protects the whole earth, Takṣaka is exceedingly wicked. O blameless great king, I was going to carry out a task for my teacher, and that villain caused a grave obstruction in it.”
उत्तड़क उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames vengeance as a form of apaciti (requital) for a grave wrong (a father’s death) while also emphasizing dharma through guru-sevā: Uttanka’s grievance arises from an obstruction to a duty undertaken for his teacher, and he appeals to the king’s responsibility as pṛthivīpāla to address wickedness.
Uttanka urges the king to act against Takṣaka, arguing that such action will both avenge the king’s father and fulfill Uttanka’s own urgent purpose, since Takṣaka previously interfered with Uttanka’s mission performed for his guru.