उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानम् — Maṇi-Kuṇḍala Retrieval and Entry into Nāgaloka
Chapter 57
उत्तड्ुक उवाच एवमस्तु महाराज समय: क्रियतां तु मे । गुर्वर्थमभिनिर्वर्त्य पुनरेष्यामि ते वशम्
uttaṅka uvāca evam astu mahārāja samayaḥ kriyatāṁ tu me | gurvartham abhinirvartya punar eṣyāmi te vaśam ||
ອຸຕຕັງກະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ເປັນດັ່ງນັ້ນເຖີດ ຂ້າແຕ່ມະຫາລາຊາ. ແຕ່ຂໍໃຫ້ມີຂໍ້ຕົກລົງກັບຂ້າພະອົງ: ເມື່ອຂ້າພະອົງໄດ້ສຳເລັດພະລະກິດເພື່ອອາຈານ ແລະຈ່າຍຄ່າຄູ (ຄູດັກຊິນາ) ຄົບແລ້ວ ຂ້າພະອົງຈະກັບຄືນມາ ແລະຂໍຢູ່ໃຕ້ອຳນາດຂອງພະອົງອີກຄັ້ງ».
उत्तड्ुक उवाच
The verse highlights dharma through fidelity to one’s obligations: Uttaṅka prioritizes completing his guru’s purpose (including guru-dakṣiṇā) while also honoring a social-political commitment by returning afterward. Ethical action is framed as keeping agreements without abandoning higher duties.
Uttaṅka accepts the king’s proposal in principle but sets a condition: he must first finish the task connected to his teacher and settle the teacher’s due. Only after fulfilling that responsibility will he return and submit again to the king’s authority.