Shloka 11

Devanagari script

यद्युष्टरात्रेडतिक्रान्ते नागमिष्यति पन्नग: । तदाहारं करिष्यामि तन्निमित्तमिदं व्रतम्‌,यदि आठ रात बीत जानेपर भी नागराज नहीं आयेंगे तो मैं भोजन कर लूँगा। उनके आगमनके लिये ही मैंने यह व्रत लिया है

Transliteration

yady uṣṭararātre 'tikrānte nāgamiṣyati pannagaḥ | tad āhāraṁ kariṣyāmi tan-nimittam idaṁ vratam ||

Translation

The Brahmin said: “If, even after the passing of eight nights, the serpent-king does not come, then I shall take food. This vow has been undertaken solely for the sake of his coming.”

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• उष्टरात्रे: on the eighth night
• उष्टरात्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्टरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अतिक्रान्ते: having passed/elapsed
• अतिक्रान्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-क्रम् (धातु) → अतिक्रान्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• आगमिष्यति: will come
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पन्नगः: the serpent
• पन्नगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आहारम्: food/meal
• आहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• करिष्यामि: I will do/make (i.e., take)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निमित्तम्: cause/reason
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brāhmaṇa)
• पन्नग / नाग (serpent, nāga)
• नागराज (serpent-king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined restraint and clarity of intention in a vow: the brāhmaṇa sets a definite limit (eight nights) and ties his fasting to a specific ethical purpose, showing steadiness rather than impulsive austerity.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa explains the condition of his observance: he is abstaining from food to prompt the coming of the serpent-king, but if the nāga does not arrive even after eight nights, he will end the fast and eat.