Shloka 2736

पञ्चमहाभूतगुण-इन्द्रियनिग्रह-उपदेशः | Teaching on the Qualities of the Five Elements and Sense-Control

Devanagari script

उत्तड़क: प्राञ्जलियरतव्रे वरं भरतसत्तम । मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--भरतश्रेष्ठ इस प्रकार भगवान्‌ विष्णुके द्वारा वर लेनेके लिये आग्रह होनेपर उत्तड्कने हाथ जोड़कर इस प्रकार वर माँगा

Transliteration

Uttaḍakaḥ prāñjalir atavre varaṁ bharatasattama | Mārkaṇḍeya-jī kathayati—bharataśreṣṭha, evaṁ bhagavān Viṣṇunā vara-grahaṇāya āgrahe kṛte, Uttaḍakaḥ karau saṁyojya evaṁ varaṁ yayāce |

Translation

Markandeya said: “O best of the Bharatas, when the blessed Lord Vishnu urged Uttanka to choose a boon, Uttanka—joining his hands in reverence—requested a boon in this manner.”

Word by Word

• उत्तडकः: Uttanka (name)
• उत्तडकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तडक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राञ्जलिः: with joined hands
• प्राञ्जलिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतव्रे: O one of unfailing vow / steadfast in vows
• अतव्रे: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भरतसत्तम: O best of the Bharatas
• भरतसत्तम: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Uttanka (Uttaḍaka)
• Viṣṇu
• Bharata (as a dynastic epithet)
• Yudhiṣṭhira (implied addressee by epithet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical posture of humility and reverence when approaching divine power: even when urged to ask, one should remain disciplined, respectful, and mindful that boons are to be sought in alignment with dharma rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Markandeya continues his narration to Yudhiṣṭhira, describing a moment where Vishnu presses Uttanka to choose a boon; Uttanka responds by folding his hands and formally stating his request.