Shloka 28

Uttaṅka’s Petition for Madayantī’s Divine Earrings (Maṇikuṇḍala) — Agreement, Proof, and Vigilance

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच उत्तड़कस्तु महाराज पुनरेवाब्रवीद्‌ वच: । आज्ञापयस्व मां मात: कर्तव्यं च तव प्रियम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca uttaṅkas tu mahārāja punar evābravīd vacaḥ | ājñāpayasva māṃ mātaḥ kartavyaṃ ca tava priyam |

Translation

毗湿摩衍那说道：“大王啊，乌坦迦听罢师母之言，又复说道：‘母亲，请命令我——我当作何事？我必定要成就您所喜悦之事。’”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'vaiśampāyana uvāca', 'definition': 'Vaiśampāyana said (narrator’s speech marker)'}, {'term': 'uttaṅkaḥ', 'definition': 'Uttaṅka (a brahmacārin/ascetic disciple figure)'}, {'term': 'mahārāja', 'definition': 'O great king (address to the listener/king)'}, {'term': 'punar eva', 'definition': 'again, once more'}, {'term': 'abravīt', 'definition': 'said, spoke'}, {'term': 'vacaḥ', 'definition': 'speech, words'}, {'term': 'ājñāpayasva', 'definition': 'command (me), give an order (imperative)'}, {'term': 'mām', 'definition': 'me'}, {'term': 'mātaḥ', 'definition': 'O mother (respectful address

• here to the guru’s wife)'}, {'term': 'kartavyam', 'definition': 'what ought to be done

• task to be performed'}, {'term': 'tava', 'definition': 'your'}, {'term': 'priyam', 'definition': 'dear, pleasing

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Uttaṅka
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)
• Guru-patnī (teacher’s wife, addressed as 'Mother')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed as respectful obedience and readiness to serve: Uttaṅka treats the guru’s wife as ‘mother’ and seeks her command, showing that ethical conduct includes honoring the guru’s household and fulfilling rightful requests with sincerity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration to the king, Uttaṅka responds after hearing the guru’s wife speak. He asks her to instruct him and declares his determination to carry out whatever task will please her.