Shloka 8
अध्याय ५७ — राजोपरिचरवसोः धर्मोपदेशः, सत्यवत्याः उत्पत्तिः, व्यासजन्म च
Adhyāya 57: Indra’s Counsel to King Vasu; Origin of Satyavatī; Birth of Vyāsa
आस्तीकने तक्षकको अग्निकुण्डमें गिरनेसे रोक दिया तक्षकस्य कुले जातानू् प्रवक्ष्यामि निबोध तान् | पुच्छाण्डको मण्डलक: पिण्डसेक्ता रभेणक:,अब तक्षकके कुलमें उत्पन्न नागोंका वर्णन करूँगा, उनके नाम सुनो--पुच्छाण्डक, मण्डलक, पिण्डसेक्ता, रभेणक, उच्छिख, शरभ, भंग, बिल्वतेजा, विरोहण, शिली, शलकर, मूक, सुकुमार, प्रवेपन, मुदूगर, शिशुरोमा, सुरोमा और महाहनु--ये तक्षकके वंशज नाग थे, जो सर्पसत्रकी आगमें समा गये
śaunaka uvāca | āstīkena takṣakaḥ agnikuṇḍe patanāt rokitah | takṣakasya kule jātān nāgān pravakṣyāmi nibodha tān | pucchāṇḍakaḥ maṇḍalakaḥ piṇḍasektā rabheṇakaḥ | ucchikhaḥ śarabhah bhaṅgaḥ bilvatejā virohaṇaḥ | śilī śalakaḥ mūkaḥ sukumāraḥ pravepanaḥ mudūgaraḥ | śiśuromā suromā ca mahāhanuś ca te takṣakavaṃśajāḥ | ye sarpasatrāgnau samāgatāḥ ||
Śaunaka disse: “Āstīka impediu que Takṣaka caísse no fogo sacrificial. Agora relatarei as serpentes nascidas na linhagem de Takṣaka—ouve os seus nomes: Pucchāṇḍaka, Maṇḍalaka, Piṇḍasektā, Rabheṇaka, Ucchikha, Śarabhā, Bhaṅga, Bilvatejā, Virohaṇa, Śilī, Śalaka, Mūka, Sukumāra, Pravepana, Mudūgara, Śiśuromā, Suromā e Mahāhanu. Estes eram descendentes de Takṣaka, consumidos no fogo do sacrifício das serpentes.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when a ritual is powerful and socially sanctioned, dharma may require restraint and compassion. Āstīka’s intervention models ethical limits on vengeance: the sacrifice may punish, but it should not become indiscriminate destruction.
Śaunaka explains that Āstīka prevented Takṣaka from being drawn into the sacrificial fire during Janamejaya’s serpent-sacrifice, and then lists the names of Takṣaka’s descendants who nevertheless perished in that rite.