Mahabharata 1.39.2 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 2

आदि पर्व — अध्याय 39: तक्षक–काश्यप संवादः, न्यग्रोधसंजीवनम्, पारिक्षितोपायः

Devanagari script

ततः प्रभृति तां कन्यां वासुकि: पर्यरक्षत । जरत्कारुं स्वसारं वै परं हर्षमवाप च

Transliteration

tataḥ prabhṛti tāṃ kanyāṃ vāsukiḥ paryarakṣat | jaratkāruṃ svasāraṃ vai paraṃ harṣam avāpa ca ||

Translation

ततः प्रभृति तां कन्यां वासुकिः पर्यरक्षत। जरत्कारुं स्वसारं वै परं हर्षमवाप च॥

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tataḥ prabhṛti', 'meaning': 'from that time onward

• thenceforth'}, {'term': 'kanyā', 'meaning': 'maiden

• unmarried girl'}, {'term': 'Vāsukiḥ', 'meaning': 'Vāsuki, king/leader among the Nāgas'}, {'term': 'paryarakṣat', 'meaning': 'protected

• guarded with care (imperfect of pari-√rakṣ)'}, {'term': 'Jaratkārum', 'meaning': 'Jaratkāru (female), the sister of Vāsuki'}, {'term': 'svasāram', 'meaning': 'own sister'}, {'term': 'vai', 'meaning': 'indeed

• emphatic particle'}, {'term': 'param', 'meaning': 'great

• supreme'}, {'term': 'harṣam', 'meaning': 'joy

• delight'}, {'term': 'avāpa', 'meaning': 'obtained

• attained (aorist of √āp)'}, {'term': 'ca', 'meaning': 'and'}]

Speaker

एलापत्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Elāpatra
• Vāsuki
• Jaratkāru (female)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as protective responsibility: when a community recognizes a looming threat, rightful action includes safeguarding vulnerable members and honoring familial obligations, thereby supporting the continuity and welfare of the group.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Elāpatra’s counsel is accepted, Vāsuki begins, from that very time, to guard and care for his sister Jaratkāru, and he feels great happiness—signaling the Nāgas’ resolve to act on the agreed plan.