Shloka 6

Devanagari script

उत्तरं परिपप्रच्छ क्व यात इति चाब्रवीत्‌ । आचरख्युस्तस्य तत्‌ सर्व स्त्रिय: कन्याश्व वेश्मनि,तदनन्तर मत्स्यदेशके राजा सेनाओंके स्वामी विराटने ब्राह्मणों तथा प्रजावर्गके लोगोंको विदा कर दिया और (अन्तःपुरमें जाकर) उत्तरके विषयमें पूछा--'राजकुमार उत्तर कहाँ गये हैं?” तब घरमें रहनेवाली स्त्रियों और कन्याओंने उनसे सब बातें बनायीं --

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | uttaraṃ paripapraccha kva yāta iti cābravīt | ācarakhyus tasya tat sarvaṃ striyaḥ kanyāś ca veśmani |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The king Virāṭa, having dismissed the brāhmaṇas and the townspeople, went within and asked about Uttara, saying, “Where has Uttara gone?” Then the women and maidens dwelling in the palace related to him the whole matter.

Word by Word

• उत्तरम्: Uttara (the prince)
• उत्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिपप्रच्छ: asked (inquired)
• परिपप्रच्छ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्व: where
• क्व: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व

• यातः: gone
• यातः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आचख्युः: they told / related
• आचख्युः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चक्ष्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तस्य: to him / of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• कन्याः: maidens / girls
• कन्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वेश्मनि: in the house / palace
• वेश्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Uttara (Prince Uttara)
• Virāṭa (King of Matsya)
• Matsya-deśa (Kingdom of Matsya)
• striyaḥ (palace women)
• kanyāḥ (maidens)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights accountable leadership and familial duty: a king must promptly investigate the whereabouts and welfare of his heir, and truthful reporting from those who witnessed events (here, the palace women and maidens) supports just decision-making.

What is happening in the narrative?

After concluding public proceedings, King Virāṭa goes into the palace and asks where Prince Uttara has gone. The women and maidens of the household then recount the full sequence of events to him.