Shloka 183
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
होतुमर्हसि तं पापं ज्वलिते हव्यवाहने । सर्पसत्रे महाराज त्वरितं तद् विधीयताम्,अतः महाराज! आप सर्पयज्ञका अनुष्ठान करके उसकी प्रज्वलित अग्निमें उस पापीको होम दीजिये; और जल्दी-से-जल्दी यह कार्य कर डालिये
hotum arhasi taṃ pāpaṃ jvalite havyavāhane | sarpasatre mahārāja tvaritaṃ tad vidhīyatām ||
Wika ni Uttanka: “O Hari, nararapat na ihandog mo ang makasalanang iyon bilang alay sa naglalagablab na apoy ng paghahandog. Isagawa ang sakripisyong para sa mga ahas, at ipatupad ito nang walang pagkaantala.”
उत्तड़क उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges the king to respond to grave wrongdoing through decisive, socially sanctioned action—here, a formal sacrifice—linking moral outrage to an authorized ritual framework and emphasizing promptness in upholding perceived justice.
Uttanka addresses the king and presses him to commence the serpent-sacrifice and to consign the ‘sinner’ to the sacrificial fire, demanding immediate execution of the rite as a corrective act.