Shloka 2

Takṣaka’s agency, Parīkṣit’s rites, and Janamejaya’s enthronement (वैयासिक परम्परा-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

कि कारणं जरत्कारोनमितत्‌ प्रथितं भुवि | जरत्कारुनिरुक्तिं त्वं यथावद्‌ वक्तुमहसि,शौनकजीने पूछा--सूतनन्दन! आपने जिन जरत्कारु ऋषिका नाम लिया है, उन महात्मा मुनिके सम्बन्धमें मैं यह सुनना चाहता हूँ कि पृथ्वीपर उनका जरत्कारु नाम क्‍यों प्रसिद्ध हुआ? जरत्कारु शब्दकी व्युत्पत्ति क्या है? यह आप ठीक-ठीक बतानेकी कृपा करें

Transliteration

kiṃ kāraṇaṃ jaratkāro nāmaitat prathitaṃ bhuvi | jaratkāru-niruktiṃ tvaṃ yathāvad vaktum arhasi ||

Translation

Śaunaka said: “For what reason has this name ‘Jaratkāru’ become well-known on the earth? Please explain to me, correctly and in full, the derivation and intended sense of the word ‘Jaratkāru.’”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'kiṃ kāraṇam', 'meaning': 'for what reason? what cause?'}, {'term': 'jaratkāraḥ / jaratkāruḥ', 'meaning': 'Jaratkāru (proper name of a sage

• also the name whose etymology is being asked)'}, {'term': 'nāma', 'meaning': 'name'}, {'term': 'etat', 'meaning': 'this'}, {'term': 'prathitam', 'meaning': 'well-known, renowned, widely current'}, {'term': 'bhuvi', 'meaning': 'on earth, in the world'}, {'term': 'nirukti', 'meaning': 'etymological explanation

• derivation and intended meaning of a word'}, {'term': 'yathāvat', 'meaning': 'properly, accurately, in due manner'}, {'term': 'vaktum', 'meaning': 'to speak, to explain'}, {'term': 'arhasi', 'meaning': 'you are fit/ought (to)

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Jaratkāru

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models the traditional method of learning in Itihāsa: careful questioning about names and their meanings (nirukti) to understand a person’s identity, reputation, and the narrative’s deeper intent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka, the listener in the Naimiṣa forest setting, asks the narrator to explain why the sage is known as ‘Jaratkāru’ and requests the precise etymology of that name.