Shloka 1
Somaka–Jantu Ākhyāna: Desire-Driven Sacrifice and Shared Karmic Consequence
हि >> आन () है ० 7-2 अष्टाविशर्त्याधेकशततमो< ध्याय: सोमकको सौ पुत्रोंकी प्राप्ति तथा सोमक और पुरोहितका समानरूपसे नरक और पुण्यलोकोंका उपभोग करना सोमक उवाच ब्रह्मन् यद् यद् यथा कार्य तत् कुरुष्व तथा तथा । पुत्रकामतया सर्व करिष्यामि वचस्तव,सोमकने कहा--ब्रह्मन! जो-जो कार्य जैसे-जैसे करना हो, वह उसी प्रकार कीजिये। मैं पुत्रकी कामनासे आपकी समस्त आज्ञाओंका पालन करूँगा
Somaka uvāca: brahman yad yad yathā kārya tat kuruṣva tathā tathā | putrakāmatayā sarvaṁ kariṣyāmi vacas tava ||
Somaka sprach: „O Brahmane, was immer zu tun ist und auf welche Weise es zu tun ist—tu es genau so. Vom Verlangen nach einem Sohn getrieben, werde ich all deinen Weisungen folgen.“
सोमक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how powerful personal desire—here, the longing for a son—can lead a ruler to submit fully to priestly direction. Ethically, it sets up a reflection on whether obedience and ritual action, when driven by intense craving, remain aligned with dharma or risk becoming morally compromised.
King Somaka addresses a Brahmin (his ritual adviser/priest), declaring that the Brahmin should proceed with whatever actions are required, exactly as prescribed, and that Somaka will follow every instruction in pursuit of obtaining a son.