Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 12

Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage

Devanagari script

तं तर्पयित्वा द्रविणैर्निवर्त्य विषहारिणम् । द्विजरूपप्रतिच्छन्न: कामरूपोऽदशन्नृपम् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

taṁ tarpayitvā draviṇair nivartya viṣa-hāriṇam dvija-rūpa-praticchannaḥ kāma-rūpo ’daśan nṛpam

Translation

Takṣaka flattered Kaśyapa by presenting him with valuable offerings and thereby stopped the sage, who was expert in counteracting poison, from protecting Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Then the snake-bird, who could assume any form he wished, disguised himself as a brāhmaṇa, approached the King and bit him.

Synonyms

• तम्: him (Kaśyapa)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तर्पयित्वा: having appeased
• तर्पयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative) + क्त्वान्त (absolutive); तर्पयित्वा = ‘having satisfied/appeased’

• द्रविणैः: with wealth
• द्रविणैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रविण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• निवर्त्य: having turned back
• निवर्त्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-लोप/ल्यप् (absolutive) ‘निवर्त्य’ = ‘having turned back/prevented’

• विष-हारिणम्: the remover of poison
• विष-हारिणम्: Karma (कर्म; apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: विषं हरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• द्विज-रूप-प्रतिच्छन्नः: disguised as a brāhmaṇa
• द्विज-रूप-प्रतिच्छन्नः: Karta (कर्ता; descriptive of Takṣaka)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिच्छन्न (प्र-छद्/छद्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: द्विजस्य रूपेण प्रतिच्छन्नः (तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ) = ‘disguised in brāhmaṇa form’

• काम-रूपः: shape-shifting at will
• काम-रूपः: Karta (कर्ता; descriptive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: कामेन रूपं यस्य/कामानुसारं रूपम् (तत्पुरुषार्थ) = ‘able to assume forms at will’

• अदशत्: bit
• अदशत्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दंश् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘bit’

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Purport

Kaśyapa could counteract the poison of Takṣaka and demonstrated this power by bringing a palm tree back to life after Takṣaka had burned it to ashes by biting it with his fangs. According to the arrangement of destiny, Kaśyapa was diverted by Takṣaka, and the inevitable took place.

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Takṣaka
• viṣahārī (snake-charmer/poison-remover)

FAQs

How did Takṣaka bite King Parīkṣit according to the Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse says Takṣaka first bribed and dismissed the poison-remover, then disguised himself in a brāhmaṇa’s form and bit King Parīkṣit.

Why is Takṣaka described as disguised in a brāhmaṇa form in Canto 12?

The verse highlights deception—Takṣaka concealed his true identity by taking a brāhmaṇa-like appearance, enabling him to approach and strike the king.

What practical lesson does this shloka teach for modern life?

Be discerning: appearances can mislead, and worldly arrangements (like wealth and influence) can be used to remove protection—so cultivate vigilance and spiritual steadiness.