Shloka 28

Uttaṅka’s Petition for Madayantī’s Divine Earrings (Maṇikuṇḍala) — Agreement, Proof, and Vigilance

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच उत्तड़कस्तु महाराज पुनरेवाब्रवीद्‌ वच: । आज्ञापयस्व मां मात: कर्तव्यं च तव प्रियम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--महाराज! गुरुपत्नीकी बात सुनकर उत्तंकने फिर कहा --“माताजी! मुझे आज्ञा दीजिये--मैं क्या करूँ? मुझे आपका प्रिय कार्य अवश्य करना है!

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca uttaṅkas tu mahārāja punar evābravīd vacaḥ | ājñāpayasva māṃ mātaḥ kartavyaṃ ca tava priyam |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, then Uttaṅka, having heard the words of his teacher’s wife, spoke again: ‘Mother, command me—what shall I do? I must surely accomplish what is dear to you.’”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'vaiśampāyana uvāca', 'definition': 'Vaiśampāyana said (narrator’s speech marker)'}, {'term': 'uttaṅkaḥ', 'definition': 'Uttaṅka (a brahmacārin/ascetic disciple figure)'}, {'term': 'mahārāja', 'definition': 'O great king (address to the listener/king)'}, {'term': 'punar eva', 'definition': 'again, once more'}, {'term': 'abravīt', 'definition': 'said, spoke'}, {'term': 'vacaḥ', 'definition': 'speech, words'}, {'term': 'ājñāpayasva', 'definition': 'command (me), give an order (imperative)'}, {'term': 'mām', 'definition': 'me'}, {'term': 'mātaḥ', 'definition': 'O mother (respectful address

• here to the guru’s wife)'}, {'term': 'kartavyam', 'definition': 'what ought to be done

• task to be performed'}, {'term': 'tava', 'definition': 'your'}, {'term': 'priyam', 'definition': 'dear, pleasing

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Uttaṅka
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)
• Guru-patnī (teacher’s wife, addressed as 'Mother')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed as respectful obedience and readiness to serve: Uttaṅka treats the guru’s wife as ‘mother’ and seeks her command, showing that ethical conduct includes honoring the guru’s household and fulfilling rightful requests with sincerity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration to the king, Uttaṅka responds after hearing the guru’s wife speak. He asks her to instruct him and declares his determination to carry out whatever task will please her.