Mahabharata 1.20.12 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 20, Shloka 12

गरुडजन्म तथा विनतादास्यवृत्तान्तः

Garuḍa’s Birth and Vinatā’s Enslavement

Devanagari script

युक्त मात्रा कृतं तेषां परपीडोपसर्पिणाम्‌ । अन्येषामपि सत्त्वानां नित्यं दोषपरास्तु ये

Transliteration

yuktā mātrā kṛtaṃ teṣāṃ parapīḍopasarpiṇām | anyeṣām api sattvānāṃ nityaṃ doṣaparās tu ye ||

Translation

Śaunaka said: “The mother acted with due measure in cursing those creatures who creep about to torment others. For those beings who are ever intent on wrongdoing and who constantly injure other living creatures, a life-destroying punishment inevitably falls upon them by divine ordinance.” Thus speaking, Brahmā praised Kadrū and, summoning Kaśyapa, told him not to be angered by the curse laid upon the mighty, venomous serpents he had begotten, for their destruction in a sacrifice was already foreseen; and Brahmā then consoled Kaśyapa and granted him the knowledge for neutralizing serpent-venom.

Word by Word

• युक्तम्: proper, fitting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (क्त) / युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मात्रा: by the mother
• मात्रा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कृतम्: done, made
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (क्त) / कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• परपीडोपसर्पिणाम्: of those who approach to harm others
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपसर्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + परपीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अन्येषाम्: of other
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सत्त्वानाम्: of living beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) / नित्यम् (अव्ययवत्)

• दोषपराः: intent on fault/evil; devoted to wrongdoing
• दोषपराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोषपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Brahmā
• Kadrū
• Kaśyapa
• serpents (nāga/sarpa)
• curse (śāpa)
• sacrifice (yajña)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those who habitually harm other beings invite proportionate, divinely sanctioned consequences; protective action taken for the welfare of all (here, a measured curse) is presented as ethically justified within dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka comments that Kadrū’s curse on the venomous, aggressive serpents was appropriate. Brahmā endorses this view, counsels Kaśyapa not to be angry about the curse, notes that the serpents’ destruction in a future sacrifice is already destined, and grants Kaśyapa knowledge to counteract snake-venom.