Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 16
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
जन्मेजय: स्वपितरं श्रुत्वा तक्षकभक्षितम् । यथा जुहाव सङ्क्रुद्धो नागान् सत्रे सह द्विजै: ॥ १६ ॥
janmejayaḥ sva-pitaraṁ śrutvā takṣaka-bhakṣitam yathājuhāva saṅkruddho nāgān satre saha dvijaiḥ
Als König Janamejaya hörte, dass sein Vater von Takṣaka tödlich gebissen worden war, entbrannte er vor Zorn und ließ mit den Brāhmaṇas das große Schlangenopfer Sarpasatra vollziehen, wobei alle Schlangen ins Opferfeuer dargebracht wurden.
FAQs
This verse states that Janamejaya, enraged after hearing his father Parīkṣit was killed by Takṣaka, conducted a satra-yajña with brāhmaṇas to cast serpents into the sacrificial fire.
He acted out of grief and anger upon learning that Takṣaka, a serpent, had caused his father’s death, so he sought retaliatory justice through a ritual sacrifice.
It highlights how anger can drive destructive reactions; the Bhagavata’s broader message urges self-control and dharmic discernment rather than vengeance.