Shloka 22

Jaratkāru’s Marital Compact and Departure (जरत्कारु–जरत्कारुणी संवादः)

Devanagari script

सौतिर्वाच स चिन्तयामास तदा मायायोगेन पार्थिव:

Transliteration

Sautir uvāca—sa cintayāmāsa tadā māyāyogena pārthivaḥ; phala-darbha-udakaṃ gṛhya rājñe nāgāḥ atha Takṣakaḥ.

Translation

Dijo Sauti (Ugraśravas): Entonces Takṣaka, la serpiente, reflexionó: «Acudiendo al poder de la māyā debo engañar al rey; pero ¿por qué medio?» Después, Takṣaka dispuso ofrendas—frutos, hierba kuśa y agua—y ordenó a ciertas serpientes que se acercaran al monarca bajo el aspecto de ascetas.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'सौति (Sauti)', 'meaning': 'Ugraśravas, the narrator (son of Lomaharṣaṇa)'}, {'term': 'उवाच (uvāca)', 'meaning': 'said'}, {'term': 'चिन्तयामास (cintayāmāsa)', 'meaning': 'pondered, reflected'}, {'term': 'तदा (tadā)', 'meaning': 'then, at that time'}, {'term': 'मायायोगेन (māyāyogena)', 'meaning': 'by the employment of māyā

• through deceptive/illusory means'}, {'term': 'पार्थिव (pārthiva)', 'meaning': 'king, ruler'}, {'term': 'फल (phala)', 'meaning': 'fruit (as an offering)'}, {'term': 'दर्भ (darbha)', 'meaning': 'kuśa grass, sacred grass used in rites'}, {'term': 'उदक (udaka)', 'meaning': 'water (ritual/hospitality offering)'}, {'term': 'गृह्य (gṛhya)', 'meaning': 'having taken, taking along'}, {'term': 'राज्ञे (rājñe)', 'meaning': 'to/for the king'}, {'term': 'नाग (nāga)', 'meaning': 'serpent

• member of the Nāga race'}, {'term': 'तक्षक (Takṣaka)', 'meaning': 'Takṣaka, the serpent-king who targets Parīkṣit'}]

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• सौति (Ugraśravas Sauti)
• तक्षक (Takṣaka)
• पार्थिव/राजा (the king—contextually Parīkṣit)
• नागाः (serpents/Nāgas)
• फल (fruit)
• दर्भ/कुश (kuśa grass)
• उदक (water)
• तपस्वी-वेष (ascetic disguise, implied by the narrative)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights an ethical warning: outward signs of sanctity (offerings like fruit, kuśa grass, and water; the guise of ascetics) can be exploited for harmful ends. Dharma requires discernment—trust and hospitality are virtues, but they should not become blind credulity that enables adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Takṣaka plans to ensnare the king through deception (māyā). To gain access without suspicion, he has serpents approach carrying customary ascetic/ritual items—fruit, kuśa grass, and water—thus presenting themselves as harmless holy men and setting the stage for the king’s downfall.