Shloka 15
Āstīka Stops the Sarpa-satra; Royal Closure and Protective Phalaśruti (आस्तीकः सर्पसत्रनिवर्तनम्)
ततः सर्व यथावृत्तमाख्याय भुजगोत्तम: । अगच्छच्छरणं भीत आग: कृत्वा पुरन्दरम्,वहाँ उसने सब बातें ठीक-ठीक कह सुनायीं। फिर सर्पोमें श्रेष्ठ तक्षकने अपराध करनेके कारण भयभीत हो इन्द्रदेवकी शरण ली
tataḥ sarvaṃ yathāvṛttam ākhyāya bhujagottamaḥ | agacchaccharaṇaṃ bhīta āgaḥ kṛtvā purandaram ||
Then the best of serpents, having narrated everything exactly as it had occurred, went in fear to seek refuge with Purandara (Indra), for he had committed an offense. The verse underscores a moral tension: wrongdoing breeds fear and the impulse to seek protection from a higher power, even when one’s own act is the cause of danger.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that committing an offense (āgaḥ) naturally leads to fear and insecurity, prompting the wrongdoer to seek refuge. It implicitly points to ethical accountability: protection may be sought, but the root problem is the wrongdoing itself.
After accurately recounting the events, Takṣaka—the chief serpent—becomes afraid because of his transgression and goes to Indra (Purandara) to seek shelter and protection.