Shloka 216

उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy

Opening

Devanagari script

उवाच वचन धीमान्‌ परमं परमद्युति: । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! मार्कण्डेयजीकी यह बात सुनकर परम तेजस्वी और बुद्धिमान कुरुकुलरत्न राजा युधिष्ठिरने यह उत्तम वचन कहा--

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca — janamejaya! mārkaṇḍeyasya etad vacanaṃ śrutvā paramatejā dhīmān kurukularatnaḥ rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ idaṃ paramam uttamaṃ vacanam uvāca.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Janamejaya! Having heard this statement of the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, the supremely radiant and wise jewel of the Kuru line—King Yudhiṣṭhira—spoke these excellent words.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'उवाच (uvāca)', 'definition': 'said

• spoke'}, {'term': 'वचनम् (vacanam)', 'definition': 'speech

• words'}, {'term': 'धीमान् (dhīmān)', 'definition': 'wise

• discerning'}, {'term': 'परमम् (paramam)', 'definition': 'supreme

• excellent'}, {'term': 'परमद्युति/परमतेजस् (paramadyuti/paramatejas)', 'definition': 'of supreme splendor

• exceedingly radiant/majestic'}, {'term': 'श्रुत्वा (śrutvā)', 'definition': 'having heard'}, {'term': 'कुरुकुलरत्न (kurukularatna)', 'definition': '‘jewel of the Kuru dynasty’

• an honorific for a foremost Kuru'}, {'term': 'राजा (rājā)', 'definition': 'king'}, {'term': 'युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ)', 'definition': 'Yudhiṣṭhira (eldest Pāṇḍava)'}, {'term': 'जनमेजय (janamejaya)', 'definition': 'Janamejaya (listener/king addressed by the narrator)'}, {'term': 'मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya)', 'definition': 'Mārkaṇḍeya (sage)'}]

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuru dynasty

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse functions as a framing transition: it highlights the ethical authority of the discourse by showing Yudhiṣṭhira—renowned for dharma and discernment—responding thoughtfully after hearing a sage. The emphasis is on attentive listening to wise counsel and replying with measured, excellent speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, narrating to King Janamejaya, reports that after Mārkaṇḍeya finishes speaking, King Yudhiṣṭhira—described as supremely radiant and wise—begins his reply, introducing the next portion of the dialogue.