Shloka 1

Devanagari script

पम्प बछ। अंक द्विपञज्चाशत्तमो<ड ध्याय: सर्पसत्रका आरम्भ और उसमें सर्पोका विनाश सौतिरुवाच ततः कर्म प्रववृते सर्पसत्रविधानत: । पर्यक्रामंश्व विधिवत्‌ स्वे स्वे कर्मणि याजका:,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--शौनक! तदनन्तर सर्पयज्ञकी विधिसे कार्य प्रारम्भ हुआ। सब याजक विधिपूर्वक अपने-अपने कर्ममें संलग्न हो गये

Transliteration

tataḥ karma pravavṛte sarpasatravidhānataḥ | paryakrāmaṃś ca vidhivat sve sve karmaṇi yājakāḥ ||

Translation

Then, in accordance with the prescribed procedure for the serpent-sacrifice, the rite was set in motion. The officiating priests, each in his own assigned function, proceeded properly and became fully engaged in their respective ritual duties. The narrative underscores the power of correctly executed ritual action—capable of producing vast consequences—and hints at the ethical tension of employing sacred procedure for destructive ends.

Word by Word

• {'tataḥ': 'then

• thereafter', 'karma': 'ritual act

• rite', 'pravavṛte': 'began

• commenced', 'sarpasatra': 'serpent-sacrifice

• snake-sacrifice (a satra-type long rite)', 'vidhānataḥ': 'according to ordinance

• by rule', 'paryakrāman': 'they proceeded

• they went about (their tasks)', 'ca': 'and', 'vidhivat': 'in due form

• according to proper ritual method', 'sve sve': 'each his own

• respectively', 'karmaṇi': 'in the duty/act

• in the ritual function', 'yājakāḥ': 'sacrificial priests

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Ugraśravas (Sauti)
• sarpasatra (serpent-sacrifice)
• yājakāḥ (officiating priests)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the potency of properly performed, rule-governed action (vidhi). It also sets up an ethical question central to the snake-sacrifice episode: even when a rite is executed flawlessly, its moral weight depends on intention and consequence—ritual correctness does not automatically equal righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the decision to conduct the serpent-sacrifice, the ceremony formally begins. The priests take up their designated roles and proceed according to the established ritual procedure, initiating the process that will draw serpents toward destruction.