Shloka 52

Āstīka Stops the Sarpa-satra; Royal Closure and Protective Phalaśruti (आस्तीकः सर्पसत्रनिवर्तनम्)

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत आदिपववके अन्तर्गत आस्तीकपर्वमें सर्पसत्रोपक्रमाविषयक बावनवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

Iti prakāraḥ Śrīmahābhārata Ādiparva-ke antargata Āstīkaparva-meṃ sarpasatropakrama-viṣayaka bāvanavāṃ adhyāya pūrā huā.

Translation

अशा प्रकारे श्रीमहाभारताच्या आदिपर्वातील आस्तीकपर्वात सर्पसत्राच्या आरंभविषयक बावन्नावा अध्याय समाप्त झाला.

Word by Word

इतिthus; end-quote marker

प्रकारेणin this manner

श्रीमहाभारतेin the Śrī-Mahābhārata

आदिपर्वणिin the Ādi-parvan

अन्तर्गतincluded; contained

आस्तीकपर्वणिin the Āstīka-parvan

सर्पसत्रोपक्रमविषयकconcerning the commencement of the snake-sacrifice

द्विपञ्चाशत्तमःfifty-second

अध्यायःchapter

सम्पूर्णःcompleted; finished

अभवत्was; became

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrīmahābhārata

Ādi Parva

Āstīka Parva

Sarpa-satra (serpent-sacrifice)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

As a colophon marking the chapter’s close, it underscores the gravity of initiating powerful rituals: actions—especially those motivated by vengeance—carry ethical consequences, and the epic’s frame invites reflection on restraint and dharma in the use of religious power.

What is happening in the narrative?

This is an end-of-chapter notice stating that the fifty-second chapter, dealing with the commencement of the serpent-sacrifice (sarpa-satra), within the Āstīka episode of the Ādi Parva, has concluded.