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Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

3 5 >> > ब्ैतकाकका अर्थ यह है--श्वा, एत और काक; जिसका क्रमशः अर्थ है--कुत्ता, हरिण और कौआ (श्वा+एतमें पररूप हुआ है)। तात्पर्य यह है कि यह कुतियाकी भाँति सदा जागती और कम सोती थी, हरिणीके समान भयसे चकित रहती और कौएकी भाँति उनके इंगित (इशारे) समझनेके लिये सावधान रहती थी। अष्टचत्वारिशो<5् ध्याय: वासुकि नागकी चिन्ता, बहिनद्वारा उसका निवारण तथा आस्तीकका जन्म एवं विद्याध्ययन सौतिरुवाच गतमात्र तु भर्तारें जरत्कारुरवेदयत्‌ । भ्रातुः: सकाशमागत्य याथातथ्यं तपोधन,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--तपोधन शौनक! पतिके निकलते ही नागकन्या जरत्कारुने अपने भाई वासुकिके पास जाकर उनके चले जानेका सब हाल ज्यों-का-त्यों सुना दिया

Transliteration

sautir uvāca | gatamātraṃ tu bhartāraṃ jaratkārur avedayat | bhrātuḥ sakāśam āgatya yāthātathyaṃ tapodhana ||

Translation

Sauti said: As soon as her husband had departed, Jaratkāru, the Nāga maiden, went to her brother Vāsuki and reported the matter exactly as it had happened. O ascetic Śaunaka, she conveyed the full account of his leaving, without distortion.

Word by Word

सौतिःSauti (Ugraśravas), the narrator

उवाचsaid

गतमात्रम्just gone; immediately after (his) departure

तुbut/indeed

भर्तारम्husband

जरत्कारुःJaratkāru (the sage)

अवेदयत्informed; made known

भ्रातुःof (her) brother

सकाशम्near; in the presence of

आगत्यhaving come

याथातथ्यम्the true state of affairs; exactly as it was

तपोधनO ascetic rich in austerity

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sauti (Ugraśravas)

Jaratkāru (Nāga maiden)

Jaratkāru (sage; husband)

Vāsuki

Śaunaka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights yāthātathya—truthful, exact reporting—as an ethical discipline, especially in family and communal matters where accurate information guides right action (dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

Immediately after her husband (the sage Jaratkāru) leaves, the Nāga maiden Jaratkāru goes to her brother Vāsuki and tells him precisely what occurred, as Sauti narrates to the ascetic Śaunaka.