Uttanka, a devoted disciple of the sage Veda, found himself entrusted with an arduous task. Veda left his hermitage, placing Uttanka in charge of all administrative duties. During this time, Veda’s wife entered her menstrual period. The women of the ashram, unaware of the religious restrictions, urged Uttanka to cohabit with her to avoid “wasting” her fertility. However, Uttanka, bound by his duty and morals, refused. Veda would commend this act of unwavering loyalty upon his return.
After Uttanka completed his education, he asked his guru, Veda, about the guru Dakshina (teacher’s fee). Veda suggested he ask his wife for a gift she desired. Veda’s wife held a grudge against Uttanka for not fulfilling her earlier desire. She asked Uttanka to bring her the earrings of King Pushya’s queen within three days, so she could wear them during a religious fast on the fourth day.
On his way to complete this task, Uttanka encountered a giant riding a huge bullock. The giant asked Uttanka to eat the dung and drink the urine of the animal. Uttanka hesitated but complied after learning that his guru, Veda, had done the same. When Uttanka reached King Pushya, he conveyed his request for the queen’s earrings as his guru, Dakshina. The king directed him to the queen’s chambers, but she did not appear as Uttanka had not performed the required ritual ablutions. After performing the ablutions, Uttanka met the queen, who gave him the earrings, but warned him that Takshaka, the king of Nagas (serpents), wanted them.
The king invited Uttanka to dine with him, but Uttanka found the food cold and containing a hair. Enraged, Uttanka cursed the king to lose his sight. The king, in turn, cursed Uttanka to be childless. They later reconciled and withdrew their curses.
On his way back to the ashram, Uttanka took a bath, leaving the earrings on the riverbank. Takshaka, in disguise as a naked mendicant, stole the earrings and fled to Naga-Loka, the realm of the Nagas. Uttanka tried to follow, but couldn’t. Indra, the king of gods, sent his weapon, Vajra (thunderbolt), to help Uttanka carve a tunnel to Naga-Loka. In the snake realm, Uttanka praised Takshaka and his clan but failed to retrieve the earrings. He then saw two beautiful women weaving with white and black threads on a wheel turned by six young people, with a horse and rider nearby. Uttanka praised the weaving process and equated the rider to Indra. The rider, pleased, granted Uttanka the power to control the snakes. Following the rider’s instructions, Uttanka blew on the horse, causing flames to fill Naga-Loka. The terrified Takshaka returned the earrings.
Worried about reaching his guru’s ashram in time, the rider gave Uttanka his horse, which swiftly brought him back. Uttanka arrived just as Veda’s wife was about to curse him for being late. After hearing Uttanka’s story, Veda and his wife blessed him. Veda explained the significance of the sights in Naga-Loka: the weavers were Dhata and Vidhata creating the world, the threads were day and night, the wheel was the year, the six boys were the seasons, the giant and bullock were Indra and his elephant Airavata, and the dung was amrita (elixir of life). The rider and horse were Indra and Agni (the fire god). Veda also revealed that Indra had helped Uttanka during his journey.
The story of Utanka offers several valuable life lessons:
Integrity and Morality: Uttanka refuses to cohabit with his guru’s wife, considering it immoral and out of respect for his guru. Maintaining integrity and moral values builds character and earns respect.
Dedication to one’s duty: Utanka’s commitment to fulfilling his “guru Dakshina” demonstrates the importance of honouring one’s obligations and showing gratitude to teachers.
Perseverance and Determination: Uttanka faces numerous challenges, including eating dung and urine, yet he remains determined to fulfil his task. Persistence in the face of adversity often leads to success.
Resourcefulness and adaptability: When faced with the loss of the earrings, Utanka quickly adapts and follows Takshaka into the underworld. This shows the importance of thinking on your feet and being flexible in approach.
Courage: Utanka’s willingness to enter the serpent realm shows courage in the face of the unknown and potentially dangerous situations.
The power of respect and praise: Utanka’s respectful praise of the beings in the serpent realm ultimately aids him in his quest. This illustrates how courtesy and respect can open doors.
Overcoming reluctance to complete tasks: Despite his initial hesitation, Utanka follows through on the strange request to blow into the horse’s rear. This teaches us sometimes we must do uncomfortable things to achieve our goals.
Patience and Endurance: Uttanka endures the long journey, and the challenges posed by Takshaka to complete his task. Patience and endurance help overcome difficulties and achieve long-term goals.
Humility and gratitude: Uttanka humbly complies with the giant’s request and shows gratitude to Indra for his help. Humility and gratitude strengthen relationships and open doors to further assistance.
The importance of timely completion: Utanka’s concern about returning late highlights the value of punctuality and meeting deadlines.
Faith and Devotion: Uttanka has faith in the guidance of his guru and the assistance of the gods. Faith and devotion provide strength and direction in challenging times.
The role of divine intervention: The help of Indra in Utanka’s return journey can be seen as a metaphor for unexpected help that may come our way when we’re earnestly pursuing a noble goal.
The deeper meaning behind appearances: The revelation that the visions in the serpent realm represented cosmic forces teaches us to look beyond the surface and seek deeper understanding.
The reward of completing difficult tasks: Utanka’s guru blesses him with the ability to remember everything he learned, illustrating how overcoming challenges can lead to great rewards.
The interconnectedness of all things: The story’s blend of the mundane (fetching earrings) with the cosmic (representations of time and universe) reminds us that our actions can have far-reaching consequences.
Ethical behaviour: Throughout his quest, Utanka maintains ethical behaviour, seeking permission and not resorting to deceit, which ultimately leads to his success.
The value of knowledge and learning: The entire quest is centred around Utanka’s completion of his education, emphasizing the high value placed on knowledge and learning.
Wisdom and Understanding: Uttanka gains insights from his experiences in Naga-Loka, and his guru explains their deeper significance. Reflecting on experiences and seeking understanding leads to personal growth and enlightenment.
These lessons from Utanka’s story can be applied to modern life in various ways, from persevering in our studies or career goals to maintaining ethical standards in our pursuits. The story encourages us to be dedicated, adaptable, and to look for deeper meanings in our experiences.