Shloka 14

Āśramamaṇḍala-darśana and Ṛṣi-samāgama

Observation of the Hermitage Precinct and the Assembly of Sages

Devanagari script

कथंचित्‌ तक्षको मुक्त: सत्यत्वात्‌ तव पार्थिव । ऋषय: पूजिता: सर्वे गतिर्दृष्टा महात्मन:,पृथ्वीनाथ! तुम्हारी सत्यपरायणताके कारण किसी तरह तक्षकके प्राण बच गये हैं। तुमने समस्त ऋषियोंकी पूजा की और महात्मा व्यासकी कहाँतक पहुँच है, इसे प्रत्यक्ष देख लिया

Transliteration

kathaṃcit takṣako muktaḥ satyatvāt tava pārthiva | ṛṣayaḥ pūjitāḥ sarve gatir dṛṣṭā mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

أيها الملك، لقد نُجّيت حياة تَكْشَكَة على نحوٍ ما بفضل ثباتك على الصدق. لقد أكرمتَ جميع الحكماء من الرِّشِيّين، وشاهدتَ بعينيك مدى السموّ الروحي والمقام الرفيع لِذِي النفس العظيمة فياسا.

Word by Word

कथंचित्somehow, by some means

तक्षकःTakshaka (the serpent)

मुक्तःreleased, spared

सत्यत्वात्because of truthfulness

तवof you, your

पार्थिवO king

ऋषयःsages

पूजिताःhonoured, worshipped

सर्वेall

गतिःcourse, state, destination

दृष्टाwas seen

महात्मनःof the great-souled one

पृथ्वीनाथO lord of the earth

Speaker

आस्तीक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Āstīka

Takṣaka

Pārthiva (the king)

Ṛ

Ṛṣis (sages)

Vyāsa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truthfulness (satya) in a ruler is presented as a powerful dharmic force that can avert harm and preserve life; reverence toward sages and recognition of spiritual greatness (Vyāsa’s gati) are integral to righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Āstīka addresses the king, stating that Takṣaka has been spared because the king remained committed to truth, and praising the king for honoring all the sages and for having witnessed the extraordinary spiritual stature of Vyāsa.