Shloka 4

Vyāsa’s Arrival at Janamejaya’s Sarpasatra; Commissioning of Vaiśaṃpāyana’s Recital (व्यासागमनम्)

Devanagari script

सौतिरुवाच तत आचरष्ट सा तस्मै बान्धवानां हितैषिणी । भगिनी नागराजस्य जरत्कारुरविक्लवा,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--तदनन्तर अपने भाई-बन्धुओंका हित चाहनेवाली नागराजकी बहिन जरत्कारु शान्तचित्त हो आस्तीकसे बोली

Transliteration

Sautir uvāca—tata ācarat sā tasmai bāndhavānāṁ hitaiṣiṇī | bhaginī nāgarājasya jaratkārur aviklavā ||

Translation

Sauti said: Thereupon she—Jaratkāru, the Nāga-king’s sister—steadfast and unshaken, and intent on the welfare of her kinsmen, approached him and addressed him. The narrative underscores a dharmic motive: personal action guided by concern for one’s family and community, undertaken with composure and resolve.

Word by Word

सूतिःSauti (Ugraśravas), the narrator

उवाचsaid

ततःthen, thereafter

आचरष्टshe acted / she proceeded

साshe

तस्मैto him

बान्धवानाम्of (her) relatives/kinsmen

हितैषिणीwell-wishing, desiring the good

भगिनीsister

नागराजस्यof the king of serpents

जरत्कारुःJaratkāru (name of the Nāga woman)

अविक्लवाunagitated, steady, undisturbed

Speaker

आस्तीक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sauti (Ugraśravas)

Jaratkāru (female)

Nāgarāja (king of the Nāgas/serpents)

Āstīka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic orientation: acting with steadiness (aviklavā) and with the intention of benefiting one’s relatives (bāndhavānāṁ hitaiṣiṇī). Ethical action is framed as calm, purposeful engagement for the welfare of one’s community.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sauti’s narration, Jaratkāru—sister of the Nāga-king—approaches and speaks to Āstīka. Her motive is explicitly the welfare of her kin, setting up the next development in the Āstīka-related episode.