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Shloka 6

सर्पसत्रे हुतानां नागानां नामपरिगणनम् | Enumeration of Nāgas Consumed in the Sarpasatra Fire

श्वेता: कृष्णाश्न नीलाश्व स्थविरा: शिशवस्तथा । नदन्तो विविधान्‌ नादान पेतुर्दीप्ते विभावसौ,सफेद, काले, नीले, बूढ़े और बच्चे सभी प्रकारके सर्प विविध प्रकारसे चीत्कार करते हुए जलती आगमें विवश होकर गिर रहे थे

śvetāḥ kṛṣṇāś ca nīlāś ca sthavirāḥ śiśavas tathā | nadanto vividhān nādān apetūr dīpte vibhāvasau ||

తెల్లవి, నల్లవి, నీలవి—వృద్ధులూ, పిల్లలూ—వివిధ రకాల అరుపులు, ఫుసఫుసలతో, అసహాయంగా, మండుతున్న విభావసు అగ్నిలో పడిపోతున్నారు।

श्वेताःwhite (ones)
श्वेताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootश्वेत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
कृष्णाःblack (ones)
कृष्णाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकृष्ण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
नीलाःblue/dark (ones)
नीलाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनील
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्थविराःold/aged (ones)
स्थविराः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootस्थविर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शिशवःyoung ones/children (here: young snakes)
शिशवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशिशु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तथाand also/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
नदन्तःcrying out/roaring
नदन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootनदत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle)
विविधान्various
विविधान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविविध
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
नादान्sounds/cries
नादान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनाद
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
पेतुःfell
पेतुः:
TypeVerb
Rootपत्
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
दीप्तेin the blazing (one)
दीप्ते:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootदीप्त
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
विभावसौin the fire (Vibhāvasu)
विभावसौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootविभावसु
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

जनमेजय उवाच

J
Janamejaya
S
serpents (nāgāḥ/sarpāḥ implied)
A
Agni (Vibhāvasu, fire)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical cost of indiscriminate retaliation: when a rite is fueled by vengeance, it sweeps up the vulnerable as well—young and old—making the suffering of many a mirror for the ruler’s responsibility to restrain anger and act with discernment.

In Janamejaya’s serpent-sacrifice (sarpa-satra), serpents of every kind and age are being drawn into and consumed by the blazing sacrificial fire, crying out in many different sounds as they fall.