# उत्तरा (uttarā)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/uttara

उत्तरा (uttarā) is a Sanskrit word meaning upper, higher, or superior, northern, left, later, following, or subsequent, followed by sma, superior, excellent, or more powerful. Its 57 recorded definitions are grouped into 16 contexts, among them North / Northern / Northward, Later / Following / End / Conclusion, Answer / Reply / Defense.

- **Etymology:** E. उत्तर and आच् aff — E. uttara and āc aff
- **SLP1:** `uttarA`  **IAST:** uttarā  **Devanagari:** उत्तरा
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar%C4%81
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/uttara/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** उत्तार (uttāra), उत्तर (uttara)

## Meanings by context

### North / Northern / Northward (16 definitions)
- northern  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > northern (because the northern part of India is high), AV.; Mn.; Suśr.; Pañcat. &c. [ ID=31141 ]
- the northern quarter or the north  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 178,1] उत्तरा (uttarā) a f. ( आ (ā) ), of. ( scil. दिश् (diś) ) the northern quarter, the north, Kathās. &c. [ ID=31153 ]
- the north  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the north, R.; Dhūrtas. [ ID=31160 ]
- towards the north  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 179,1] उत्तरा (uttarā) b ind. north, northerly [ ID=31356 ]
- northward  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > northward (with gen. or abl. ), Pāṇ.; Vop. [ ID=31356.1 ]
- north  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 049-2 ] उत्तरा (uttarā) 1. uttarā, f. ( sc. diś) north. [ ID=4399 ]
- northwards, or north of  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) 2. uttarā́, ( in. ) ad. northwards; north of ( ab., g. ). [ ID=4400 ]
- North, northerly, northward  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तर (uttara) ा (uttarā) [Printed book page 142 ] उत्तर (uttara) ा (uttarā) ind. North, northerly, northward. E. उत्तर (uttara) and आच् (āc) aff. [ ID=6797 ]
- Northerly  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 116-a ] उत्तरा (uttarā) adv. Northerly. [ ID=6196 ]
- The north  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > [Printed book page 126-04 ] उत्तरा (uttarā) f. The north, अस्त्युत्तरस्यां दिशि देवतात्मा (astyuttarasyāṃ diśi devatātmā) K.S. i.1. [ ID=6222 ]
- North, northerly, northward  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तर (uttara) ा (uttarā) [Printed book page 116-b ] उत्तर (uttara) ा (uttarā) ind. North, northerly, northward. E. उत्तर (uttara) and आच् (āc) aff. [ ID=6795 ]
- To the north  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 0112-b ] उत्तरा (uttarā) uttarā (an old instr. sing. of uttara ), adv. To the north, e. g. in -mukha, adj. Looking to the north, MBh. 2, 1084. [ ID=2036 ]
- northward  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 082 ] उत्तरा (uttarā) adv. northward;* north of ( gen. or abl. ). [ ID=5344 ]
- northerly  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 132-a ] uttarā́, adv. northerly. [ úttara, 1112e, 330 4.] [ ID=792 ]
- North, northerly, northward.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 0150-b ] Uttarā, ind. north, northerly, northward (with gen. or abl.). —Uttarā-sad, t, t, t, Ved. seated north- ward or on the left. [ ID=10459 ]
- the northern region  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > [Printed book page 698-1 ] *uttarā, sc. diś (“the northern region”): V, 3821 (etymology), 3847. [ ID=11256 ]

### Later / Following / End / Conclusion (8 definitions)
- later, following, or subsequent  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > later, following, subsequent, latter, concluding, posterior, future, RV.; AV.; KātyŚr.; MBh.; Ragh.; Hit. &c. (opposed to पूर्व (pūrva), &c. e.g. उत्तरः कालः (uttaraḥ kālaḥ), future time; उत्तरं वाक्यम् (uttaraṃ vākyam), a following speech, answer, reply; फलम् उत्तरम् (phalam uttaram), subsequent result, future consequence; वर्षो (varṣo) त्तरेषु (ttareṣu), in future years) [ ID=31143 ]
- followed by sma  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > followed by ( e.g. स्म (sma) ो (smo) त्तर (ttara) mfn. followed by ‘ स्म (sma) ’, Pāṇini (Author) iii, 3, 176 ) [ ID=31144 ]
- the last part of a compound  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the following member, the last part of a compound [ ID=31161 ]
- at the conclusion or end  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2C) [Printed book page 178,1] उत्तरम् (uttaram) ind. at the conclusion, at the end, e.g. भवद् - उत्तरम् (uttaram) (bhavad-uttaram), having the word ‘ भवत् (bhavat) ’ at the end [ ID=31173 ]
- looked at with tears at the close  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > अस्रो (asro) त्तरम् ईक्षिता (ttaram īkṣitā), looked at with tears at the close i.e. with a glance ending in tears [ ID=31174 ]
- afterwards  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > afterwards, thereafter [ ID=31175 ]
- behind  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > behind, MBh. &c. [ ID=31176 ]
- in the following part of a book  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > in the following part (of a book) [ ID=31177 ]

### Answer / Reply / Defense (5 definitions)
- gaining a cause in law  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > gaining a cause (in law) [ ID=31146 ]
- answer, reply  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > answer, reply, Ragh.; R.; Prab. &c. [ ID=31162 ]
- in law, a defense, rejoinder, or defensive measure  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in law) a defence, rejoinder, a defensive measure [ ID=31163 ]
- contradiction  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > contradiction, Car. [ ID=31164 ]
- the answer in Mimamsa philosophy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in the Mīmāṃsā philosophy) the answer (the fourth member of an adhikaraṇa or case) [ ID=31165 ]

### Male Figures named Uttara (3 definitions)
- the son of Virata  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > उत्तर (uttara) m. N. of a son of Virāṭa, MBh. [ ID=31148 ]
- of a king of the Nagas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a king of the Nāgas, L. [ ID=31149 ]
- of several men  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of several men [ ID=31151 ]

### Nakshatras named Uttara/Uttarā (3 definitions)
- Each of the lunar mansions containing the word Uttara in its name.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of each of the Nakṣatras that contain the word ‘ उत्तर (uttara) ’ ( cf. उत्तर (uttara)- फल्गुनी (uttara-phalgunī), &c.) [ ID=31154 ]
- the name of each of the Nakshatras containing the word uttara  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of each of the Nakṣatras that contain the word ‘ उत्तर (uttara) ’ [ ID=31170 ]
- the name of an asterism  
  *The Purana Index*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 1-218 ] Uttarā (I) — the name of an asterism. Vā. 82. 7. [ ID=1728 ]

### Named Works / Songs / Rhetoric (3 definitions)
- name of a song  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a song, Yājñ. [ ID=31169 ]
- a particular figure in rhetoric  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a particular figure in rhetoric [ ID=31171 ]
- the last book of the Ramayana  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of the last book of the Rāmāyaṇa [ ID=31172 ]

### Superior / Excellent / Chief (3 definitions)
- superior, excellent, or more powerful  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > superior, chief, excellent, dominant, predominant, more powerful, RV.; AV. [ ID=31145 ]
- better, more excellent  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > better, more excellent, RV. [ ID=31147 ]
- Superiority, excellence, competency  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > superiority, excellence, competency, R.; Pañcat.; Kathās. &c. [ ID=31166 ]

### Upper / Higher (Spatial) (3 definitions)
- upper, higher, or superior  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 178,1] 1. उत्तर (uttara) mfn. ( compar. fr. 1. उद् (ud); opposed to अधर (adhara); declined, A Practical Grammar of the Sanskrit Language, Monier-Willilams [Cologne Addition] (Author) 238. a ), upper, higher, superior ( e.g. उत्तर (uttara) े दन्तास् (uttare dantās), the upper teeth), RV.; AV.; TS.; ChUp.; Ragh. &c. [ ID=31140 ]
- upper surface or cover  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 178,1] उत्तर (uttara) n. upper surface or cover, MBh.; Ragh.; Daś. &c. [ ID=31159 ]
- 1. Upper or higher. 2. Northern. 3. Left. 4. Later or following. 5. Superior or chief. 6. More or more than. 7. To be crossed over.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > उत्तर (uttara) ा (uttarā) [Printed book page 125-21 ] उत्तर (uttara) (I) a. (f. रा (rā) ) 1. Upper, higher, तं वाहनादवनतोत्तरकायम् (taṃ vāhanādavanatottarakāyam) R. ix.60; 2. produced in the north, northern, M. v.92; 3. left; 4. later, latter, following, as in उत्तर (uttara) मेघ (uttaramegha) or उत्तर (uttara) मीमांसा (uttaramīmāṃsā) M. ii.136; 5. superior, chief, (op. to अधर (adhara) ), धर्मोत्तरं मध्यममाश्रयंते (dharmottaraṃ madhyamamāśrayaṃte) R. xiii.7, xvii.12, K.S. v.61; 6. more, more than (generally as the last member of a compound in this sense), e.g. अष्टोत्तरं शतम् (aṣṭottaraṃ śatam); 7. to be crossed over. [ ID=6176.1 ]

### Uttarā (daughter of Virāṭa) (3 definitions)
- Name of a daughter of Virata and daughter-in-law of Arjuna  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a daughter of Virāṭa and daughter-in-law of Arjuna, MBh. [ ID=31155 ]
- daughter of Virata, wife of Abhimanyu, and mother of Parikshit  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > उत्तरा (uttarā) [Printed book page 697-2 ] Uttarā, daughter of Virāṭa, wife of Abhimanyu, mother of Parikṣit. § 4 (Anukram.): I, 1, †169.—§ 11 (Parvasaṅgr.): I, 2, 489.—§ 56 (Parikṣit): I, 49, 1946 ( °āyāṃ ajījanat, sc. Parikṣit).—§ 160 (Pūruvaṃś.): I, 95, ††3835 (daughter of Virāṭa, wife of Abhimanyu).—§ 549 (Pāṇḍavapraveśap.): IV, 11, †305.—§ 552 (Goharaṇap.): IV, 37, 1218, 1223 (prevails upon Bṛhannalā (i.e. Arjuna) to become the charioteer of Uttara); 66, †2116; 68, 2186; 69, 2257 (obtains the garments of the Kurus).—§ 553 (Vaivāhikap.): IV, 71, 2311, 2323; 73, 2342, 2367 (is married to Abhimanyu).— Page698-a+ 63 § 585 (Bhīṣmavadhap.): VI, 98 μμ, 4459 (all. to § 552).— § 596 (Pratijñāp.): VII, 78, 2773 (comforted by Kṛṣṇa after the death of Abhimanyu).—§ 619 (Strīvilāpap.): XI, 20, 597.—§ 785 (Anugītāp.): XIV, 61, 1835, 1843; 62, 1860; 66 ι, 1940, (μ), 1953, 1957; 67 ν, 1967 (all. to § 617); 69, 2009, 2013, 2026; 70, 2038, 2041 (birth of Parikṣit).—§ 787 (Āśramavāsap.): XV, 15 ν, †437 ( Kauravī ). Cf. Vairāṭī, Virāṭaduhitṛ, Virāṭatanayā, Abhimanyor bhāryā (XV, 670). [ ID=11255 ]
- The daughter of Matsya king Virata, queen of Abhimanyu, and mother of Parikshit.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 1-219 ] Uttarā (II) — the daughter of Matsya king Virāṭa, and queen of Abhimanyu. Mother of Parīkṣit. 1 Aśvathāma wanted to destroy the child in her womb, and sent out flaming arrows. Pursued by them, Uttarā invoked Kṛṣṇa's help, who protected her by his Sudarśana to ensure the continuity of the Kuru line. 2 One among the party that welcomed Vidura. 3 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 99. 249; Bhā. I. 10. 9-10; IX. 22. 33; III. 3. 17.] [ Footnote: 2) Ib. I. 8. 8-15; 12. 1; III. 3. 17;] [ Footnote: 3)Ib. I. 13. 4; Vi. IV. 20. 51-2.] [ ID=1729 ]

### Etymology / Cross-reference (2 definitions)
- Compare with the Greek word hysteros.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [ cf. Gk. ὕστερος.] [ ID=31178 ]
- See uttarapatha.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( उत्तरा - पथ (uttarā-patha), &c. See p. 178, col. 3.) [ ID=31356.2 ]

### Named Places / Institutions (2 definitions)
- Name of a mountain  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a mountain, Kathās. [ ID=31150 ]
- A name of a school  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a school [ ID=31152 ]

### Textual / Ritualistic Parts (2 definitions)
- the second and third verse of a stanza consisting of three verses  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( ए (e) ) the second and third verse of a Tṛca (or a stanza consisting of three verses) [ ID=31157 ]
- the second part of the Sama-samhita  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the second part of the Sāma-saṃhitā [ ID=31158 ]

### Arithmetic Remainder / Difference (1 definition)
- remainder or difference in arithmetic  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > remainder, difference (in arithmetic) [ ID=31168 ]

### Left (Directional) (1 definition)
- left  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > left (opposed to दक्षिण (dakṣiṇa) or right, because in praying the face being turned to the east the north would be on the left hand), AV.; KātyŚr.; MBh. &c. [ ID=31142 ]

### Other Female Figures named Uttarā (1 definition)
- of a female servant  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a female servant, Lalit. [ ID=31156 ]

### Result / Remainder / Excess / Characteristic (1 definition)
- 1. The chief result or characteristic. 2. A remainder or excess.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > result, the chief or prevalent result or characteristic, what remains or is left, conclusion, remainder, excess, over and above, (often ifc., e.g. भयो (bhayo) त्तर (ttara), attended with danger, having danger as the result; धर्मो (dharmo) त्तर (ttara), chiefly characterized by virtue; षष्ट्य् - उत्तर (ttara) ं सहस्रम् (ṣaṣṭy-uttaraṃ sahasram), one thousand with an excess of sixty, i.e. 1060; सप्तो (sapto) त्तर (ttara) ं शतम् (ttaraṃ śatam), 107) [ ID=31167 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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