Shloka 37
उत्तड़कमेघा इत्युक्ता: ख्यातिं यास्यन्ति चापि ते । “ब्रह्म! आपकी तीव्र पिपासाको मैं अवश्य सफल करूँगा। जिन दिनों आपको जल पीनेकी इच्छा होगी, उन्हीं दिनों मरुप्रदेशमें जलसे भरे हुए मेघ प्रकट होंगे। भूगुनन्दन! वे आपको सरस जल प्रदान करेंगे और इस पृथ्वीपर उत्तंक मेघके नामसे विख्यात होंगे” ।। इत्युक्त: प्रीतिमान् विप्र: कृष्णेन स बभूव ह । अद्याप्युत्तड़कमेघाश्व मरौ वर्षन्ति भारत,भारत! भगवान् श्रीकृष्णके ऐसा कहनेपर विप्रवर उत्तंक मुनि बड़े प्रसन्न हुए। इस समय भी मरुभूमिमें उत्तंक मेघ प्रकट होकर जलकी वर्षा करते हैं
uttaduka uvāca | uttadukameghā ity uktāḥ khyātiṃ yāsyanti cāpi te | “brahman! tava tīvra-pipāsāṃ ahaṃ niyataṃ saphalayiṣyāmi | yāsu yāsu divaseṣu te jala-pāne icchā bhaviṣyati, tāsu tāsu divaseṣu maru-pradeśe jala-pūrṇā meghāḥ prādurbhaviṣyanti | bhṛgu-nandana! te tubhyaṃ sarasaṃ jalaṃ pradāsyanti, asyāṃ ca pṛthivyāṃ ‘uttaduka-megha’ iti nāmnā vikhyātā bhaviṣyanti” || ity uktaḥ prītimān vipraḥ kṛṣṇena sa babhūva ha | adyāpy uttaduka-meghāś ca marau varṣanti bhārata ||
Uttaduka said: “Those clouds will indeed become renowned by the name ‘Uttaduka-clouds.’ O brahmin, I will surely fulfill your intense thirst. On whatever days you desire to drink water, on those very days, in the desert region, clouds filled with water will appear. O descendant of Bhṛgu, they will grant you sweet, refreshing water, and on this earth they will be celebrated as the ‘Uttaduka-clouds.’” Thus addressed, the brahmin sage was delighted by Kṛṣṇa’s words. Even today, O Bhārata, those Uttaduka-clouds are said to rain in the desert—an enduring sign that a divine assurance, when spoken in truth, becomes continuing protection for the righteous.
उत्तडुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
A truthful promise made to support a righteous seeker becomes a lasting safeguard: compassion expressed through reliable commitment (satya + anugraha) is portrayed as dharmic power that continues to benefit beyond the immediate moment.
Uttaduka declares that special clouds, named after him, will appear in the desert whenever the sage Uttanka feels the need for water, providing him refreshing water. The text adds that Uttanka is pleased by Kṛṣṇa’s words and that these ‘Uttaduka-clouds’ are said to rain in the desert even to the present day.