Sages & Others
Uttara
उत्तर
The Boastful Prince of Matsya
Who was Uttara?
Uttara (उत्तर): The Boastful Prince of Matsya, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Son of King Virata, brother of Uttaraa.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | उत्तर |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Boastful Prince of Matsya |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | boastful, young, redeemed by courage |
| Featured in | 11 stories |
About Uttara
Son of King Virata, brother of Uttaraa. He boasted he would rout the Kuru army alone if only he had a charioteer, and fled at the first sight of it - until Brihannala turned the chariot around. He later fell on the first day of Kurukshetra, facing Shalya.
In Their Words
Turn the chariot back, Brihannala - the whole Kuru host is come!
Uttara
Traits
- boastful
- young
- redeemed by courage
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Uttara
10 further tales on this site name Uttara, in canonical reading order.
- Thirteen Years of FireThe exile teaches that suffering, accepted with dignity and used as a forge, transforms weakness into strength. The...
- The Year of MasksThe Virata Parva shows that even the mightiest must sometimes hide and endure. The Pandavas could have fought - but...
- The Year of DisguiseThe Pandavas Hidden at Virata's Court
- Matsya, the Kingdom of the FishThe realm that hid five kings and a queen
- Brihannala, the Dancer in the Guarded QuartersArjuna's year in disguise
- Eighteen Days of DestructionThe Kurukshetra War teaches that there is no such thing as a 'clean' war. Even a war fought for the most righteous...
- Kurukshetra Day 1: The Conches SoundThe First Royal Dead
- The Price of ShelterVirata, the old king who gave everything
- The Aftermath of WarThe Night Massacre, the Women's Lament, and a Curse on Krishna
- The Horse SacrificeArjuna Follows a Wandering Horse, and Dies at His Own Son's Hand
Places in Uttara's Story
Drawn from the stories Uttara appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.