Shloka 1
Gālava’s Eastern Ascent with Garuḍa; Counsel on Kāla and Upāya (उद्योगपर्व, अध्याय ११०)
अपन का छा 2 एकादरशाधिकशततमोड< ध्याय: उत्तर दिशाका वर्णन युपर्ण उवाच यस्मादुत्तार्यते पापाद् यस्मान्नि:श्रेयसो 5 ्षुते । अस्मादुत्तारणबलादुत्तरेत्युच्यते द्विज,गरुड़ कहते हैं--गालव! इस मार्गसे जानेपर मनुष्यका पापसे उद्धार हो जाता है और वह कल्याणमय स्वर्गीय सुखोंका उपभोग करता है; अतः इस उत्तारण (संसारसागरसे पार उतारने)-के बलसे इस दिशाको उत्तरदिशा कहते हैं
yuparṇa uvāca | yasmād uttāryate pāpād yasmān niḥśreyaso 'śnute | asmād uttāraṇa-balād uttarety ucyate dvija ||
ಯುಪರ್ಣನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಗಾಲವನೇ! ಈ ಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಪಾಪದಿಂದ ಪಾರುಮಾಡಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಇದರಿಂದ ಪರಮ ಶ್ರೇಯಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಪಡೆದು ಅನುಭವಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಆದಕಾರಣ, ಹೇ ದ್ವಿಜ, ಈ ‘ಉತ್ತಾರಣ’ದ ಬಲದಿಂದ ಈ ದಿಕ್ಕನ್ನು ‘ಉತ್ತರ’ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ.
युपर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse gives an etymological and moral explanation of ‘uttara’ (north): it is called ‘uttara’ because it ‘carries one across’ (uttāraṇa) from sin and leads to the highest welfare (niḥśreyasa). Direction is framed not merely as geography but as a value-laden path associated with purification and ultimate good.
Yuparṇa (Garuda) is describing the northern direction to his interlocutor (addressed as dvija; the accompanying gloss identifies him as Gālava). He explains why that direction is named ‘uttara’ by linking the term to the idea of spiritual deliverance and attainment of blessed states.