Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

कं भवत्यै प्रयच्छामि गुर्वर्थ विनियुड्धक्ष्य माम्‌ । प्रियं हितं च काड्क्षामि प्राणैरपि धनैरपि

Transliteration

kaṃ bhavatyai prayacchāmi gurvarthaṃ viniyuddhakṣya mām | priyaṃ hitaṃ ca kāṅkṣāmi prāṇair api dhanair api ||

Translation

Gautama dit : «Que dois-je t’offrir en guru-dakṣiṇā, la rétribution due au maître ? Ordonne-moi. Je brûle d’accomplir ce qui t’est à la fois cher et bénéfique, fût-ce au prix de ma vie ou de toute ma fortune.»

Word by Word

• कम्: what (thing)
• कम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भवत्यै: to you (lady/mother)
• भवत्यै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Singular

• प्रयच्छामि: I give / I offer
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गुरु-अर्थम्: for the teacher’s purpose (as guru-fee)
• गुरु-अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विनियुद्धक्ष्ये: I shall fight/strive (undertake effort)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + युध्
• Form: Future, First, Singular, Atmanepada

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• प्रियम्: what is pleasing / dear (act/thing)
• प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हितम्: what is beneficial
• हितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• काङ्क्षामि: I desire / I wish
• Type: Verb
• Root: काङ्क्ष्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्राणैः: with (my) lives / even by (my) life
• प्राणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• धनैः: with wealth / by wealth
• धनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

गौतम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Guru (teacher)
• Bhavatī (addressed lady/mother figure)
• Guru-dakṣiṇā (teacher’s fee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the disciple’s dharma: gratitude and service to the teacher, seeking not merely what is pleasing (priya) but also what is truly beneficial (hita), even at personal cost.

What is happening in the narrative?

Gautama addresses a revered lady/motherly figure connected with his instruction and asks what he should give as guru-dakṣiṇā, declaring readiness to offer wealth or even life to fulfill what she deems right.