Shloka 20

Devanagari script

उत्तडुक उवाच गुर्वर्थ क॑ प्रयच्छामि ब्रूहि त्वं द्विजसत्तम । तमुपाहत्य गच्छेयमनुज्ञातस्त्वया विभो,उत्तंकने पूछा-<द्विजश्रेष्ठ! प्रभो! मैं आपको गुरुदक्षिणामें क्या दूँ? यह बताइये। उसे आपको अर्पित करके आज्ञा लेकर घरको जाऊँ

Transliteration

Uttaṅka uvāca: gurvarthaṃ kiṃ prayacchāmi? brūhi tvaṃ dvijasattama. tam upāhṛtya gaccheyam anujñātas tvayā vibho.

Translation

Uttaṅka said: “O best of Brahmins, tell me—what shall I offer as the teacher’s fee? Having brought and presented that to you, may I depart for home with your permission, O venerable one?”

Word by Word

उत्तङ्कःUttanka

उवाचsaid

गुर्वर्थम्the teacher's due (guru-fee), purpose for the guru

किम्what

प्रयच्छामिshall I give / do I offer

ब्रूहिtell (me)

त्वम्you

द्विजसत्तमO best of the twice-born (brahmin)

तम्that (gift/fee)

उपाहत्यhaving brought/placed near; having offered

गच्छेयम्may I go

अनुज्ञातःpermitted, granted leave

त्वयाby you

विभोO mighty one / O lord

Speaker

उत्तडुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttaṅka

Guru (unnamed teacher)

Dvijasattama (addressed Brahmin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in the guru–disciple bond: a student should seek to repay instruction through an appropriate guru-dakṣiṇā and should not presume independence, but depart only with the teacher’s consent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttaṅka addresses his teacher respectfully, asking what offering he should bring as the teacher’s fee; he requests permission to return home after presenting it.