Shloka 36
Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)
तक्षकः संहतविषो लोके यास्यति हास्यताम् | विचिन्त्यैवं कृता तेन ध्रुवं तुश्टिरद्धिजस्य वै,परंतु उस पापात्मा नीच सर्पने अपने मनमें यह सोचा होगा--“यदि मेरे डँसे हुए राजाको ब्राह्मण जिला देंगे तो लोग कहेंगे कि तक्षकका विष भी नष्ट हो गया। इस प्रकार तक्षक लोकमें उपहासका पात्र बन जायगा।” अवश्य ही ऐसा सोचकर उसने ब्राह्मणको धनके द्वारा संतुष्ट किया था
Janamejaya uvāca |
Takṣakaḥ saṁhataviṣo loke yāsyati hāsyatām |
vicinty evaṁ kṛtā tena dhruvaṁ tuṣṭir ṛddhijasya vai ||
Wika ni Janamejaya: “Kapag napawi ang lason ni Takṣaka, siya’y magiging katatawanan sa daigdig.” Sa gayong pag-iisip, tiyak na pinasiyahan niya ang Brahman—sa pamamagitan ng yaman. Ipinakikita ng taludtod na ang takot sa kahihiyan at sugatang kapalaluan ay maaaring magtulak sa masama na gumawa pa ng masama, at gawing higit na makapangyarihang dahilan ang reputasyon kaysa pagsisisi.
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that obsession with honor and fear of ridicule can intensify unethical choices: instead of accepting responsibility, the wrongdoer tries to preserve reputation through further wrongdoing (here, appeasing a Brahmin with wealth).
Janamejaya reasons about Takṣaka’s motive: Takṣaka feared that if the king he had bitten were revived by a Brahmin’s remedy, people would mock him as having ‘ineffective poison’; therefore Takṣaka ensured the Brahmin was bought off and would not counteract the bite.