Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामृषिपुत्राणामेष आसीन्मनोरथ: । औत्तड़कीं गुरुवृत्तिं वै प्राप्तुयामेति भारत,भरतनन्दन! जब वे गुरुकुलमें रहते थे, उन दिनों सभी ऋषिकुमारोंके मनमें यह अभिलाषा होती थी कि हमें भी उत्तंकके समान गुरुभक्ति प्राप्त हो

Transliteration

sarveṣām ṛṣiputrāṇām eṣa āsīn manorathaḥ | auttaṅkīṁ guruvṛttiṁ vai prāptuyāmeti bhārata bharatanandana ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “This was the cherished wish in the hearts of all the sons of sages: ‘O Bhārata, O delight of the Bharatas, may we too attain that very conduct of devotion to the teacher which belonged to Uttaṅka.’”

Word by Word

सर्वेषाम्of all

ऋषि-पुत्राणाम्of the sages' sons (young ascetics)

एषःthis

आसीत्was

मनोरथःwish, desire

औत्तङ्कीम्like (that) of Uttanka / pertaining to Uttanka

गुरु-वृत्तिम्conduct/attitude toward the teacher (guru-devotion)

वैindeed

प्राप्तुम्to obtain

यामwe would go / we would strive (toward)

इतिthus

भारतO Bharata

भरत-नन्दनO descendant/son of Bharata

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhārata (addressee)

Bharatanandana (addressee)

Uttaṅka

Ṛ

ṛṣiputrāḥ (sons of sages)

guru (teacher)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 upholds guruvṛtti—humble, disciplined service and loyalty to one’s teacher—as an ethical ideal, presenting Uttaṅka’s devotion as a model that other students aspire to emulate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the shared aspiration of the sage-students: while living in the guru’s household, they longed to gain devotion and proper conduct toward the teacher like that of Uttaṅka.