Shloka 1
Gālava’s Eastern Ascent with Garuḍa; Counsel on Kāla and Upāya (उद्योगपर्व, अध्याय ११०)
अपन का छा 2 एकादरशाधिकशततमोड< ध्याय: उत्तर दिशाका वर्णन युपर्ण उवाच यस्मादुत्तार्यते पापाद् यस्मान्नि:श्रेयसो 5 ्षुते । अस्मादुत्तारणबलादुत्तरेत्युच्यते द्विज,गरुड़ कहते हैं--गालव! इस मार्गसे जानेपर मनुष्यका पापसे उद्धार हो जाता है और वह कल्याणमय स्वर्गीय सुखोंका उपभोग करता है; अतः इस उत्तारण (संसारसागरसे पार उतारने)-के बलसे इस दिशाको उत्तरदिशा कहते हैं
yuparṇa uvāca | yasmād uttāryate pāpād yasmān niḥśreyaso 'śnute | asmād uttāraṇa-balād uttarety ucyate dvija ||
یُپرن نے کہا—اے گالَو! اس راہ سے انسان گناہ سے پار اتار دیا جاتا ہے اور اسی کے ذریعے اعلیٰ ترین بھلائی کو پاتا اور اس سے بہرہ مند ہوتا ہے؛ پس اے دْوِج، اسی ‘اُتّارَن’ کی قوت کے سبب اس سمت کو ‘اُتّر’ کہا جاتا ہے۔
युपर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse gives an etymological and moral explanation of ‘uttara’ (north): it is called ‘uttara’ because it ‘carries one across’ (uttāraṇa) from sin and leads to the highest welfare (niḥśreyasa). Direction is framed not merely as geography but as a value-laden path associated with purification and ultimate good.
Yuparṇa (Garuda) is describing the northern direction to his interlocutor (addressed as dvija; the accompanying gloss identifies him as Gālava). He explains why that direction is named ‘uttara’ by linking the term to the idea of spiritual deliverance and attainment of blessed states.