Shloka 14

Takṣaka’s agency, Parīkṣit’s rites, and Janamejaya’s enthronement (वैयासिक परम्परा-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

यथैव भगवान्‌ रुद्रो विद्ध्वा यज्ञमृगं दिवि । अन्वगच्छद्‌ धनुष्पाणि: पर्यन्वेष्टमितस्तत:ः,जैसे भगवान्‌ रुद्र आकाशमें मृगशिरा नक्षत्रको बींध-कर उसे खोजनेके लिये धनुष हाथमें लिये इधर-उधर घूमते फिरे, उसी प्रकार परीक्षित्‌ भी घूम रहे थे

Transliteration

yathaiva bhagavān rudro viddhvā yajñamṛgaṃ divi | anvagacchad dhanuṣpāṇiḥ paryanveṣṭum itas tataḥ ||

Translation

యథా భగవాన్ రుద్రుడు ఆకాశంలో యజ్ఞమృగాన్ని బాణంతో గాయపరచి, ధనుస్సు చేతబట్టి దానిని వెతుకుతూ ఇటు అటు తిరిగాడో, అలాగే పరిషిత్తు కూడా అశాంతిగా సంచరించాడు.

Word by Word

यथाjust as

एवindeed/just

भगवान्the blessed lord

रुद्रःRudra (Śiva)

विद्ध्वाhaving pierced/struck

यज्ञ-मृगम्the sacrificial deer

दिविin heaven/in the sky

अन्वगच्छत्followed/pursued

धनुः-पाणिःone having a bow in hand (bow-armed)

पर्यन्वेष्टुम्to search for

इतस्from here/this way

ततःfrom there/that way

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śaunaka

Rudra (Śiva)

yajñamṛga (sacrificial deer)

divi (the sky/heaven)

dhanuḥ (bow)

Parīkṣit

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 uses a divine comparison to highlight how intense pursuit can overtake discernment: even a king may become restless and driven, so ethical steadiness (dharma-guided restraint) is implied as a counterbalance to impulsive chasing.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka describes Parīkṣit’s roaming search by likening it to Rudra’s celestial pursuit after striking the sacrificial deer in the sky—moving about with bow in hand, seeking it in all directions.