Utanka

Who Utanka is

Utanka was a devoted pupil who, when the time came to offer a teacher's fee, was asked by his teacher's wife for the earrings of the queen of King Paushya. The queen gave them gladly, but on the way back the serpent Takshaka stole them and fled into the underworld; Utanka pursued him there and won them back. Burning to avenge the theft, he later urged King Janamejaya to hold the great snake sacrifice. The Mahabharata also tells that Krishna, after the war, granted him water in the desert, and that clouds called 'Utanka's clouds' bring rain to the dry lands.

“I will follow anything you take, even into the underworld.”

How Utanka plays chess

Determined to finish the task: pursues a stolen piece anywhere on the board to win it back.

The Classicist: Sound, balanced chess: develops, castles and takes what the position offers.

Opening repertoire: Sicilian, Grand Prix (Main) · Vienna, Copycat · Queen's Gambit Accepted, Central

Defeat Utanka in a full game from the normal starting position to earn the achievement The Earrings Kept and open the way to the next guardian.

Sources

• Mahabharata, Adi Parva (Paushya Parva)
• Mahabharata, Ashvamedhika Parva

Placement on the path reflects chess difficulty only — a game-design choice, not a ranking of anyone's spiritual standing.