Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 11
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
तक्षक: प्रहितो विप्रा: क्रुद्धेन द्विजसूनुना । हन्तुकामो नृपं गच्छन् ददर्श पथि कश्यपम् ॥ ११ ॥
takṣakaḥ prahito viprāḥ kruddhena dvija-sūnunā hantu-kāmo nṛpaṁ gacchan dadarśa pathi kaśyapam
O learned brāhmaṇas, Takṣaka, the snake-bird sent by the angry son of a brāhmaṇa, was going to kill the King when he saw Kaśyapa Muni on the road.
FAQs
Takṣaka was dispatched because Śṛṅgi, the angry son of a brāhmaṇa, had cursed King Parīkṣit; Takṣaka then set out to execute that curse.
Kaśyapa is a learned brāhmaṇa known for counteracting snake venom; his appearance on Takṣaka’s path sets up the episode about whether the king can be saved and how destiny unfolds.
Uncontrolled anger—especially when backed by power or status—can trigger irreversible harm; the verse encourages restraint, humility, and seeking dharmic solutions before acting.