Shloka 24

Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

ततस्तं लोभयामास काम ब्रूहीति तक्षक: । स एवमुक्तस्तं प्राह काश्यपस्तक्षकं पुन:,अब तक्षक काश्यपको प्रलोभन देने लगा। उसने कहा--'तुम्हारी जो इच्छा हो, मुझसे माँग लो।” तक्षकके ऐसा कहनेपर काश्यपने उससे कहा--'मैं तो वहाँ धनकी इच्छासे जा रहा हूँ! उनके ऐसा कहनेपर तक्षकने महात्मा काश्यपसे मधुर वाणीमें कहा --

Transliteration

tatastaṃ lobhayāmāsa kāma brūhīti takṣakaḥ | sa evamuktastaṃ prāha kāśyapastakṣakaṃ punaḥ |

Translation

तब तक्षक ने उसे लोभ देने का प्रयत्न किया और बोला—“बताइए, आपकी क्या कामना है?” ऐसा कहे जाने पर काश्यप ने तक्षक से फिर कहा।

Word by Word

• {'tatas': 'then, thereafter', 'tam (taṃ)': 'him', 'lobhayāmāsa': 'tempted, tried to lure (causative of lubh, ‘to desire’)', 'kāma': 'desire

• what you want', 'brūhi': 'tell (imperative of √brū, ‘to speak’)', 'iti': 'thus', 'takṣakaḥ': 'Takṣaka (the serpent-king)', 'saḥ': 'he', 'evam-uktaḥ': 'thus spoken to

• so addressed', 'prāha': 'said (perfect of √ah, ‘to speak’)', 'kāśyapaḥ': 'Kāśyapa (here, the sage who can counteract snake-venom)', 'punaḥ': 'again'}

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Takṣaka
• Kāśyapa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical danger of being swayed by inducement: persuasive, sweet speech and offers of reward can be used to divert someone from a consequential action. It also suggests that acknowledging one’s motive (such as gain) matters, because it shapes vulnerability to temptation and the moral texture of one’s choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

Takṣaka approaches Kāśyapa and tries to bribe or entice him, asking what he desires. Kāśyapa responds, indicating his purpose is connected with obtaining wealth. Takṣaka then continues speaking sweetly, aiming to prevent Kāśyapa from proceeding (in the broader episode, to stop him from counteracting Takṣaka’s intended act).