Shloka 4
उत्तरो भयविषण्णः — बृहन्नडेन धैर्योपदेशः
Uttara’s Panic and Bṛhannadā’s Stabilizing Counsel
स लभेयं यदा त्वन्यं हययानविदं नरम् । त्वरावानद्य यात्वाहं समुच्छितमहाध्वजम्,अतः यदि घोड़े हाँकनेकी कला जाननेवाले किसी दूसरे मनुष्यको भी पा जाऊँ, तो अभी बड़े वेगसे जाकर ऊँची-ऊँची विशाल ध्वजाओंसे विभूषित एवं हाथी, घोड़े तथा रथोंसे भरी हुई शत्रुओंकी सेनामें घुस जाऊँ और अपने आयुधोंके प्रतापसे कौरवोंको निर्वीर्य (पराक्रमशून्य) तथा परास्त करके सम्पूर्ण पशुओंको लौटा लाऊँ
sa labheyaṁ yadā tv anyaṁ hayayānavidaṁ naram | tvarāvān adya yātvāhaṁ samucchritamahādhvajam ||
Uttara disse: “Se ao menos eu pudesse encontrar outro homem que soubesse conduzir os cavalos e manejar um carro de guerra, então hoje mesmo eu partiria de imediato, em grande velocidade, para dentro do exército inimigo—ornado de estandartes altos e imponentes—e, pelo poder das minhas armas, tornaria os Kauravas impotentes, derrotá-los-ia e traria de volta todo o gado.”
उत्तर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the gap between martial ambition and practical competence: valor in speech must be matched by skill, support, and preparedness. It also reflects the kshatriya ideal of protecting wealth (here, cattle) and confronting aggression, while implicitly warning against rash overconfidence.
Prince Uttara, stirred to face the Kauravas who have seized cattle, declares that if he can find a capable charioteer he will immediately charge into the bannered enemy host, defeat them by his weapons, and recover the cattle.