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Shloka 17

सर्पसत्रे ऋत्विजः सदस्याश्च — Officiants and Assembly at Janamejaya’s Serpent-Sacrifice

अथ काले तु सा ब्रह्मन्‌ प्रजज्ञे भुजगस्वसा । कुमार देवगर्भाभ॑ पितृमातृभयापहम्‌,ब्रह्म! तदनन्तर समय आनेपर वासुकिकी बहिनने एक दिव्य कुमारको जन्म दिया, जो देवताओंके बालक-सा तेजस्वी जान पड़ता था। वह पिता और माता-ोनों पक्षोंके भयको नष्ट करनेवाला था

atha kāle tu sā brahman prajajñe bhujagasvasā | kumāraṃ devagarbhābhaṃ pitṛmātṛbhayāpaham ||

Takṣaka sprach: „Als die Zeit reif war, o Brāhmaṇa, gebar sie — die Schwester der Schlangen — einen Sohn, strahlend wie ein Kind der Götter. Diesem Knaben war bestimmt, die Ängste zu vertreiben, die sowohl die väterliche als auch die mütterliche Linie bedrohten.“

अथthen
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
कालेat the time
काले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकाल
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
साshe
सा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
ब्रह्मन्O Brahmin
ब्रह्मन्:
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
प्रजज्ञेgave birth/was born
प्रजज्ञे:
TypeVerb
Rootजन्
FormPerfect, 3, Singular, Atmanepada
भुजगस्वसाthe serpent's sister
भुजगस्वसा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभुजग-स्वसा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
कुमारम्a boy/son
कुमारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुमार
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
देवगर्भाभम्like a divine child (in appearance/splendour)
देवगर्भाभम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदेव-गर्भ-आभ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
पितृमातृभयापहम्removing the fear (for) father and mother
पितृमातृभयापहम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपितृ-मातृ-भय-अपह
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

तक्षक उवाच

T
Takṣaka
B
Brāhmaṇa (addressee)
B
bhujagasvasā (the serpent-sister; Vasuki’s sister in context)
K
kumāra (the newborn son)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of protection: a worthy offspring is portrayed not merely as powerful, but as one who alleviates fear and safeguards both parental lineages—suggesting responsibility toward family and inherited obligations.

Takṣaka narrates that, at the destined time, the serpent-sister gives birth to a divinely radiant boy, whose role is foretold as a protector who will remove dangers and anxieties connected with both his father’s and mother’s sides.