Shloka 21

उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy

Opening

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच मार्कण्डेयवच: श्रुत्वा कुरूणां प्रवरो नृप:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca mārkaṇḍeyavacaḥ śrutvā kurūṇāṁ pravaro nṛpaḥ

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：听罢马尔坎德耶之言，俱卢族中最卓越的国王——（遂作回应/依言而行）。

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मार्कण्डेय: of Mārkaṇḍeya
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचः: speech; words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• कुरूणाम्: of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्रवरः: the foremost; best
• प्रवरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kuru(s)
• nṛpa (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical posture of a ruler: attentive listening to a sage’s counsel. It frames dharma as something received through respectful hearing (śravaṇa) and reflection, especially by those responsible for governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, reports that the Kuru king—described as the foremost among the Kurus—has heard Mārkaṇḍeya’s words. The line functions as a transition, preparing for the king’s ensuing response or the next narrative development.