Shloka 21
उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy
Opening
वैशम्पायन उवाच मार्कण्डेयवच: श्रुत्वा कुरूणां प्रवरो नृप:
vaiśampāyana uvāca mārkaṇḍeyavacaḥ śrutvā kurūṇāṁ pravaro nṛpaḥ
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Setelah mendengar kata-kata Mārkaṇḍeya, sang raja—yang utama di antara para Kuru—(menjawab/bertindak sebagaimana mestinya).
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical posture of a ruler: attentive listening to a sage’s counsel. It frames dharma as something received through respectful hearing (śravaṇa) and reflection, especially by those responsible for governance.
Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, reports that the Kuru king—described as the foremost among the Kurus—has heard Mārkaṇḍeya’s words. The line functions as a transition, preparing for the king’s ensuing response or the next narrative development.