Shloka 145
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
स तान् सर्वास्तुष्टाव एभिममन्त्रवदेव श्लोकै:,इस प्रकार नागोंकी स्तुति करते रहनेपर भी जब वे उन दोनों कुण्डलोंको प्राप्त न कर सके, तब उन्हें वहाँ दो स्त्रियाँ दिखायी दीं, जो सुन्दर करघेपर रखकर सूतके तानेमें वस्त्र बुन रही थीं, उस तानेमें उत्तंक मुनिने काले और सफेद दो प्रकारके सूत और बारह अरोंका एक चक्र भी देखा, जिसे छः कुमार घुमा रहे थे। वहीं एक श्रेष्ठ पुरुष भी दिखायी दिये। जिनके साथ एक दर्शनीय अश्व भी था। उत्तंकने इन मन्त्रतुल्य श्लोकोंद्वारा उनकी स्तुति की --
sa tān sarvās tuṣṭāva ebhir mantravadeva ślokaiḥ | evaṃ nāgān stuvato 'pi tayor ubhayor kuṇḍalayor aprāptau tatra dve striyau dadarśa—sundare karghake nidhāya sūtasya tāne vastraṃ vayantyau | tasmin tāne uttanko munir kṛṣṇaśukle dve sūte, dvādaśārāṃ caikaṃ cakraṃ dadarśa, yat ṣaṭkumārāḥ parivartayanti sma | tatraiva caikaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ puruṣo dadarśa, yasya saha darśanīyo 'śvaś ca āsīt | uttanka ebhir mantratulyaiḥ ślokair teṣāṃ stutim akarot ||
అప్పుడు ఉత్తంకుడు మంత్రసమానమైన ఈ శ్లోకాలతో వారందరినీ స్తుతించాడు।
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Persistent effort alone may not yield results unless one aligns with a deeper order (dharma/ṛta). The imagery of weaving, contrasting threads, and the twelve-spoked wheel suggests that events unfold within a structured cosmic rhythm; the seeker must recognize and respond to that higher guidance.
Uttanka, unable to recover the pair of earrings despite praising the Nāgas, is led to a visionary scene: two women weaving, a twelve-spoked wheel turned by six youths, and a noble Person with a horse. He then praises these figures with mantra-like verses, indicating a shift from ordinary negotiation to a more symbolic/divine encounter.