Shloka 36
Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)
तक्षकः संहतविषो लोके यास्यति हास्यताम् | विचिन्त्यैवं कृता तेन ध्रुवं तुश्टिरद्धिजस्य वै
Janamejaya uvāca |
Takṣakaḥ saṁhataviṣo loke yāsyati hāsyatām |
vicinty evaṁ kṛtā tena dhruvaṁ tuṣṭir ṛddhijasya vai ||
Janamejaya said: “If the poison of Takṣaka is neutralized, he will become a laughingstock in the world. Thinking in this way, he surely satisfied the Brahmin—by wealth.” The verse highlights how fear of public disgrace and wounded pride can drive a wrongdoer to further wrongdoing, turning reputation into a motive stronger than remorse.
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that obsession with honor and fear of ridicule can intensify unethical choices: instead of accepting responsibility, the wrongdoer tries to preserve reputation through further wrongdoing (here, appeasing a Brahmin with wealth).
Janamejaya reasons about Takṣaka’s motive: Takṣaka feared that if the king he had bitten were revived by a Brahmin’s remedy, people would mock him as having ‘ineffective poison’; therefore Takṣaka ensured the Brahmin was bought off and would not counteract the bite.