Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तक्षक उवाच गच्छथ्वं यूयमव्यग्रा राजानं कार्यवत्तया

Transliteration

Takṣaka uvāca: gacchathvaṃ yūyam avyagrā rājānaṃ kāryavattayā.

Translation

Takṣaka said: “Go, all of you, without distraction. Approach the king as though you have urgent business to attend to.” In the unfolding plot, this instruction frames a deliberate, duty-like pretext—an outward show of purpose used to gain access and advance a hidden intent, raising an ethical tension between apparent propriety and inner malice.

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.