Mahabharata 4.36.12 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 36, Shloka 12

उत्तरो भयविषण्णः — बृहन्नडेन धैर्योपदेशः

Uttara’s Panic and Bṛhannadā’s Stabilizing Counsel

Devanagari script

उवाच रहसि प्रीतः कृष्णां सर्वार्थकोविद: । उत्तरं ब्रृहि कल्याणि क्षिप्रं मद्गबघनादिदम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | uvāca rahasi prītaḥ kṛṣṇāṃ sarvārthakovidaḥ | uttaraṃ brūhi kalyāṇi kṣipraṃ mad-vacanād idam ||

Translation

ด้วยใจยินดี ผู้รอบรู้ในทุกกิจคืออรชุนกล่าวแก่กฤษณา (เทราปที) ในที่ลับว่า “โอ้สตรีผู้เป็นมงคล จงไปกล่าวถ้อยคำนี้แก่ อุตตระ โดยนามของเราโดยเร็วเถิด”

Word by Word

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद) / परोक्षभूत (perfect), 3, singular

• रहसि: in private/secretly
• रहसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस्
• Form: indeclinable (locative sense: 'in secret')

• प्रीतः: pleased/delighted
• प्रीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• कृष्णाम्: Krishnaa (Draupadi)
• कृष्णाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• सर्वार्थकोविदः: knowing all matters/skillful in every affair
• सर्वार्थकोविदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वार्थकोविद
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• उत्तरम्: Uttara (the prince)
• उत्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• ब्रूहि: say/tell (you)
• ब्रूहि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular

• कल्याणि: O auspicious one!
• कल्याणि: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्याणी
• Form: feminine, vocative, singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र
• Form: indeclinable adverb

• मत्: from me / my-
• मत्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, ablative (used as base for compound), singular

• गदघ्नात्: from the slayer of (the) mace-bearer (epithet; contextually of Arjuna/hero)
• गदघ्नात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदघ्न
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)
• Arjuna
• Uttara (Prince of Virāṭa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent, timely counsel delivered with discretion: when circumstances are sensitive, one should communicate privately, act promptly, and use trusted intermediaries responsibly—an ethical model of strategic speech (vāṅ-niyama) aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Uttara’s words, Arjuna—still operating under concealment—privately instructs Draupadī to convey a specific message to Prince Uttara quickly on his behalf, setting up the next action in the Virāṭa court episode.