Shloka 18

Karma, Preta-gati, and the Continuity of Phala

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Instruction

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच ब्रृहि सर्प यथाकामं प्रतिवक्ष्यामि ते वच: । अपि चेच्छकनुयां प्रीतिमाहर्तु ते भुजज्म,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--सर्प! तुम इच्छानुसार प्रश्न करो। मैं तुम्हारी बातका उत्तर दूँगा। भुजंगम! यदि हो सका, तो तुम्हें प्रसन्न करनेका प्रयत्न करूँगा

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: brūhi sarpa yathākāmaṁ prativakṣyāmi te vacaḥ | api cecchakanuyāṁ prītim āhartu te bhujaṅgama ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Speak, O serpent, whatever you wish. I shall reply to your words. And if it is possible, O nāga, I will strive to bring you satisfaction.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'युधिष्ठिर उवाच (Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca)', 'definition': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said'}, {'term': 'ब्रूहि (brūhi)', 'definition': 'speak

• tell'}, {'term': 'सर्प (sarpa)', 'definition': 'serpent'}, {'term': 'यथाकामम् (yathākāmam)', 'definition': 'as you wish

• according to your desire'}, {'term': 'प्रतिवक्ष्यामि (prativakṣyāmi)', 'definition': 'I will answer

• I will reply'}, {'term': 'ते (te)', 'definition': 'your

• to you'}, {'term': 'वचः (vacaḥ)', 'definition': 'speech

• statement'}, {'term': 'अपि चेत् (api cet)', 'definition': 'and if

• even if'}, {'term': 'शकन् (śakan)', 'definition': 'being able

• if able'}, {'term': 'अनुयाम् (anuyām)', 'definition': 'I may follow/comply

• I may act accordingly (optative nuance)'}, {'term': 'प्रीतिम् (prītim)', 'definition': 'pleasure

• goodwill'}, {'term': 'आहर्तुम् (āhartum)', 'definition': 'to bring

• to produce'}, {'term': 'भुजङ्गम (bhujaṅgama)', 'definition': 'serpent

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Sarpa (serpent)
• Bhujaṅgama (nāga/serpent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models dhārmic conduct in dialogue: a wise person invites questions without hostility, commits to truthful reply, and aims to satisfy the questioner through respectful, measured speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the forest episode where a serpent-like being confronts Yudhiṣṭhira, Yudhiṣṭhira calmly invites the serpent to ask whatever it wishes and promises to respond, seeking to appease it through reasoned answers.