Shloka 24

Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

ततस्तं लोभयामास काम ब्रूहीति तक्षक: । स एवमुक्तस्तं प्राह काश्यपस्तक्षकं पुन:

Transliteration

tatastaṃ lobhayāmāsa kāma brūhīti takṣakaḥ | sa evamuktastaṃ prāha kāśyapastakṣakaṃ punaḥ |

Translation

پھر تکشک نے اسے لالچ دیا اور کہا—“بتاؤ، تمہاری کیا خواہش ہے؟” یوں کہے جانے پر کاشیپ نے تکشک سے پھر کہا۔

Word by Word

• {'tatas': 'then, thereafter', 'tam (taṃ)': 'him', 'lobhayāmāsa': 'tempted, tried to lure (causative of lubh, ‘to desire’)', 'kāma': 'desire

• what you want', 'brūhi': 'tell (imperative of √brū, ‘to speak’)', 'iti': 'thus', 'takṣakaḥ': 'Takṣaka (the serpent-king)', 'saḥ': 'he', 'evam-uktaḥ': 'thus spoken to

• so addressed', 'prāha': 'said (perfect of √ah, ‘to speak’)', 'kāśyapaḥ': 'Kāśyapa (here, the sage who can counteract snake-venom)', 'punaḥ': 'again'}

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Takṣaka
• Kāśyapa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical danger of being swayed by inducement: persuasive, sweet speech and offers of reward can be used to divert someone from a consequential action. It also suggests that acknowledging one’s motive (such as gain) matters, because it shapes vulnerability to temptation and the moral texture of one’s choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

Takṣaka approaches Kāśyapa and tries to bribe or entice him, asking what he desires. Kāśyapa responds, indicating his purpose is connected with obtaining wealth. Takṣaka then continues speaking sweetly, aiming to prevent Kāśyapa from proceeding (in the broader episode, to stop him from counteracting Takṣaka’s intended act).