Shloka 18

उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy

Opening

Devanagari script

इदं चैवापरं भूय: सह भ्रातृभिरच्युत । धर्मसंशयमोक्षार्थ निबोध वचनं मम,धर्ममर्यादासे कभी च्युत न होनेवाले युधिष्ठिर! तुम अपने भाइयोंसहित यह मेरी एक बात और सुनो। धर्मविषयक संदेहका निवारण करनेके लिये मेरे वचनको ध्यान देकर सुनो

Transliteration

idaṃ caivāparaṃ bhūyaḥ saha bhrātṛbhir acyuta | dharmasaṃśayamokṣārtha nibodha vacanaṃ mama ||

Translation

മാർകണ്ഡേയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ അച്യുതനേ (ധർമ്മമര്യാദയിൽ നിന്ന് ഒരിക്കലും ച്യുതനാകാത്ത) യുധിഷ്ഠിരാ! സഹോദരന്മാരോടുകൂടെ എന്റെ മറ്റൊരു വാക്കും കേൾക്കുക. ധർമ്മത്തെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള സംശയങ്ങൾ നീക്കുന്നതിനായി ഞാൻ പറയുന്ന വചനം ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ ഗ്രഹിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• {'idam': 'this', 'ca eva': 'and indeed', 'aparam': 'another, further (point/statement)', 'bhūyaḥ': 'again

• once more', 'saha': 'together with', 'bhrātṛbhiḥ': 'with (your) brothers', 'acyuta': 'the unfallen/unyielding one

• an epithet meaning ‘one who does not slip from righteousness’ (here used as an address)', 'dharma': 'righteous duty

• right conduct', 'saṃśaya': 'doubt

• uncertainty', 'mokṣārtham': 'for the purpose of release/removal (here: removal of doubt)', 'nibodha': 'understand

• take heed', 'vacanam': 'speech

• instruction', 'mama': 'my'}

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• the brothers (Pāṇḍavas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should approach dharma with attentive listening and discernment, seeking clarification from trustworthy instruction so that moral uncertainty is removed and right action becomes possible.

What is happening in the narrative?

The sage Mārkaṇḍeya addresses Yudhiṣṭhira (with his brothers present) and introduces a further instruction, explicitly stating that his words are intended to resolve Yudhiṣṭhira’s doubts about dharma.