Shloka 14

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)

Devanagari script

तस्य तं॑ पुत्रमभिगम्य जनमेजय: पारीक्षित: पौरोहित्याय वत्रे,परीक्षितकुमार जनमेजयने महर्षि श्रुतश्रवाके पास जाकर उनके पुत्र सोमश्रवाका पुरोहितपदके लिये वरण किया

Transliteration

tasya taṁ putram abhigamya janamejayaḥ pārīkṣitaḥ paurohityāya vavre | parīkṣitakumāraḥ janamejayaḥ maharṣiśrutśravasaḥ samīpaṁ gatvā tasya putraṁ somaśravasaṁ purohitapade vavre ||

Translation

Als er den Sohn des Weisen aufsuchte, erwählte König Janamejaya, der Sohn Parikshits, ihn zu seinem königlichen Priester. So ging Janamejaya zu dem großen Seher Śrutaśravā und setzte dessen Sohn Somaśravā in das Amt des Purohita ein.

Word by Word

तस्यof him/of that (person)

तम्him

पुत्रम्son

अभिगम्यhaving approached

जनमेजयःJanamejaya

पारीक्षितःdescendant of Parikshit (son of Parikshit)

पौरोहित्यायfor the office of priesthood

वव्रेchose/selected

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janamejaya

Parikshit

Maharshi Shrutashravas

Somashravas

Purohita (royal priesthood)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should ground public and personal action in dharma by seeking qualified spiritual-intellectual guidance; appointing a learned purohita symbolizes disciplined governance and correct ritual conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janamejaya, son of Parikshit, approaches the sage Shrutashravas and selects the sage’s son Somashravas to serve as his royal priest (purohita).