Shloka 11

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 47 — Janamejaya’s Sarpa-satra: Vow, Preparation, and the Onset of the Serpent Offering

Devanagari script

फिर वह यशस्विनी नागकन्या दुःखद स्वभाववाले पतिकी उसी शर्तके अनुसार सेवा करने लगी। वह श्वेतकाकीय- उपायोंसे सदा पतिका प्रिय करनेकी इच्छा रखकर निरन्तर उनकी आराधनामें लगी रहती थी

Transliteration

tataḥ sā yaśasvinī nāgakanyā duḥkhada-svabhāva-vatī patyur yathā-śartam eva sevāṃ kartum ārabdhavatī | sā śvetakākīya-upāyaiḥ sadā patyuḥ priyam kartum icchantī nirantaraṃ tasya ārādhanāyāṃ līnā babhūva |

Translation

అప్పుడు ఆ యశస్విని నాగకన్య నిర్ణయించిన షరతు ప్రకారమే దుఃఖశీల స్వభావమున్న తన భర్తకు సేవ చేయసాగింది. శ్వేతకాకీ-సమానమైన ఉపాయాలను ఆశ్రయించి, భర్తకు ప్రియమగుటకై నిరంతరం ఆయన ఆరాధనలో నిమగ్నమై ఉండేది.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

साshe

यशस्विनीglorious, renowned

नागकन्याserpent-maiden

दुःखदस्वभाववत्having a sorrowful/harsh nature

पतिम्husband

तस्याम्in that (condition/term)

एवindeed, just

शर्त्याम्in the condition/term (agreement)

अनुसारम्according to

सेवाम्service

चकारdid, performed

श्वेतकाकीयोपायैःby means of (the) Śvetakāka-like methods/stratagems

सदाalways

पतेःof (her) husband

प्रियम्what is pleasing; pleasure

कर्तुम्to do, to make

इच्छन्तीwishing, desiring

निरन्तरम्continuously

तस्यof him

आराधनेin worship/service/attendance

लगाengaged, devoted

अभवत्was, became

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

tākṣaka (speaker attribution)

nāgakanyā (serpent-maiden)

pati (husband)

śvetakākī (as a referenced authority/tradition)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethic of steadfast duty (sevā) performed according to agreed terms, while also inviting reflection on the moral complexity of pleasing another under restrictive conditions—how devotion, discipline, and intention shape household dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

An illustrious Nāga maiden begins serving her husband exactly as stipulated. She continually applies recognized methods (attributed here to Śvetakākī) with the aim of keeping him pleased, remaining absorbed in constant attendance and reverent care.