Shloka 2
Āstīka Stops the Sarpa-satra; Royal Closure and Protective Phalaśruti (आस्तीकः सर्पसत्रनिवर्तनम्)
के सदस्या बभूवुश्न सर्पसत्रे सुदारुणे । विषादजनने>त्यर्थ पन्नगानां महाभये,उस अत्यन्त भयंकर सर्पसत्रमें, जो सर्पोके लिये महान् भयदायक और विषादजनक था, कौन-कौनसे मुनि सदस्य हुए थे?
śaunaka uvāca |
ke sadasyā babhūvuś ca sarpasatre sudāruṇe |
viṣādajanane 'tyarthaṁ pannagānāṁ mahābhaye ||
وقال شاونَكا: «ومن كانوا الأعضاء الحاضرين من الحكماء في ذلك القربان الأشدّ فظاعة—ذلك الحدث الذي أورث الأفاعي يأسًا عميقًا ورعبًا عظيمًا؟»
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical scrutiny of ritual power: even a formally sanctioned sacrifice can be ‘dreadful’ when driven by fear, grief, or vengeance, prompting inquiry into who endorsed and participated in it.
In the Naimiṣa forest dialogue setting, Śaunaka asks about the composition of the sacrificial assembly at the terrifying sarpasatra—seeking to know which sages served as members in that rite that threatened the serpents.