Shloka 2

Uccaiḥśravas and the Counsel to Churn the Ocean (उच्चैःश्रवसः प्रादुर्भावः — समुद्रमन्थन-परामर्शः)

Devanagari script

तस्य शापस्य शान्त्यर्थ प्रददौ पन्नगोत्तम: । स्वसारमृषये तस्मै सुव्रताय महात्मने,उसी शापकी शान्तिके लिये नागप्रवर वासुकिने सदाचारका पालन करनेवाले महात्मा जरत्कारुको अपनी बहिन ब्याह दी थी। महामना जरत्कारने शास्त्रीय विधिके अनुसार उस नागकन्याका पाणिग्रहण किया और उसके गर्भसे आस्तीक नामक पुत्रको जन्म दिया

Transliteration

tasya śāpasya śāntyarthaṁ pradadau pannagottamaḥ | svasāram ṛṣaye tasmai suvratāya mahātmane ||

Translation

Afin d’apaiser cette malédiction, Vāsuki —le plus éminent des Nāga— donna sa propre sœur en mariage à ce sage, grande âme ferme dans les vœux de droiture. L’acte est présenté comme un remède conforme au dharma : une alliance légitime et responsable, conclue pour détourner les effets destructeurs de la malédiction et rétablir l’ordre.

Word by Word

तस्यof that

शापस्यof the curse

शान्ति-अर्थम्for the appeasement (purpose) (of it)

प्रददौgave

पन्नग-उत्तमःthe best of serpents (Vāsuki)

स्वसारम्his sister

ऋषयेto the sage

तस्मैto him

सुव्रतायto the well-vowed / of good conduct

महात्मनेto the great-souled one

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śaunaka

Vāsuki

Jaratkāru (ṛṣi)

Vāsuki's sister (Jaratkāruṇī)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical responsibility as active remediation: when a curse threatens communal well-being, one should pursue a lawful, dharmic means to neutralize harm. Vāsuki’s gift of his sister underscores duty to family and community, and the value of righteous vows (suvrata) in resolving crises.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka recounts that, to calm the effects of a curse, Vāsuki arranged the marriage of his sister to the sage Jaratkāru, described as a great-souled man of strict vows. This marriage becomes the narrative bridge toward the birth of Āstīka, who later plays a decisive role in the serpent story-cycle.