Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

तक्षक उवाच गच्छथ्वं यूयमव्यग्रा राजानं कार्यवत्तया

Transliteration

Takṣaka uvāca: gacchathvaṃ yūyam avyagrā rājānaṃ kāryavattayā.

Translation

Takṣaka dijo: «Id todos vosotros sin distracción. Acercaos al rey como si tuvierais un asunto urgente que atender.»

Word by Word

• तक्षकः: Takshaka (the serpent king)
• तक्षकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• गच्छथ: go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Plural

• अहं: I
• अहं: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Plural

• अव्यग्राः: unperturbed, without haste
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कार्यवत्तया: as if having business; with a pretext of work
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कार्यवत्तया
• Form: Instrumental singular used adverbially (भावे तृतीया)

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Takṣaka
• the king (rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical warning: outward composure and a plausible pretext (“as if on official business”) can be used to mask harmful intent. It invites reflection on discernment in leadership—judging not only appearances but motives and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Takṣaka instructs his companions to go calmly and approach the king under the guise of legitimate business. The line functions as a tactical directive within a larger scheme, emphasizing stealth, access, and the use of social protocol to reach a royal target.