Shloka 20

Āstīka Stops the Sarpa-satra; Royal Closure and Protective Phalaśruti (आस्तीकः सर्पसत्रनिवर्तनम्)

Devanagari script

कश्मलं चाविशद्‌ घोरं वासुकिं पन्नगोत्तमम्‌ । स घूर्णमानहृदयो भगिनीमिदमब्रवीत्‌,सर्पोमें श्रेष्ठ वासुकिपर भयानक मोह-सा छा गया, उनके हृदयमें चक्कर आने लगा। अतः वे अपनी बहिनसे इस प्रकार बोले---

Transliteration

kaśmalaṃ cāviśad ghoraṃ vāsukiṃ pannagottamam | sa ghūrṇamāna-hṛdayo bhaginīm idam abravīt ||

Translation

నాగోత్తముడైన వాసుకిని భయంకరమైన మోహం ఆవరించింది. అతని హృదయం కలవరపడి త్రిప్పుకుంటుండగా, ఆ స్థితిలోనే అతడు తన అక్క/చెల్లెలితో ఈ మాటలు పలికాడు.

Word by Word

कश्मलम्delusion, distress

चand

आविशत्entered, seized

घोरम्terrible

वासुकिम्Vasuki

पन्नग-उत्तमम्best of serpents

सःhe

घूर्णमान-हृदयःwhose heart was reeling

भगिनीम्sister

इदम्this

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāsuki

bhaginī (Vāsuki's sister)

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 highlights how intense fear and inner turmoil (kaśmala) can overtake even the eminent, causing the heart to reel and judgment to waver; ethically, it frames a crisis-point where one must regain clarity before choosing a dharmic course.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsuki, described as the foremost of serpents, is suddenly seized by dreadful confusion and agitation; overwhelmed, he turns to his sister and begins to speak, indicating an impending disclosure or decision prompted by fear.