Shloka 38
The Tārakāmaya War: Divine Mustering, Māyā Countermeasures, Aurva Fire, and Viṣṇu’s Slaying of Kālanemi
स कश्यपस्यात्मभवं द्विजं भुजगभोजनम् । भुजगेंद्रेण वदने निविष्टेन विराजितम्
sa kaśyapasyātmabhavaṃ dvijaṃ bhujagabhojanam | bhujageṃdreṇa vadane niviṣṭena virājitam
وہ کشیپ کا اپنا جنم لیا ہوا دِوِج تھا، سانپوں کو کھانے والا؛ اور اس کے منہ میں ناگ راج کے بیٹھ جانے سے وہ اور بھی درخشاں نظر آتا تھا۔
Unknown (verse provided without surrounding dialogue context)
Concept: Cosmic order includes fearsome beings with assigned roles; even the terrifying is integrated into the Lord’s governance.
Application: Recognize that not all power is ‘pleasant’; channel one’s own intense instincts into disciplined, dharmic purpose.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A formidable, twice-born being of Kaśyapa’s line is depicted with a fierce, ascetic aura—yet with a startling vision: the king of serpents rests within his open mouth like a living jewel. The scene balances dread and wonder, suggesting a cosmic hierarchy where even serpents become ornaments of power.","primary_figures":["Kaśyapa (implied progenitor presence)","Serpent-king (Nāgarāja)","A dvija being described in the verse (possibly Garuḍa-associated or a mythic entity)"],"setting":"Primeval forest-edge near a cosmic lake, with ancient trees, coiled serpent motifs in the undergrowth, and a faint celestial glow overhead.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled with uncanny glow","color_palette":["deep jade","burnt umber","ivory bone","copper gold","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central fierce dvija figure with ornate but austere adornments, mouth open revealing a stylized Nāgarāja seated within like a throne; gold leaf highlights on serpent scales, rich earthy reds/greens, temple-arch framing, dramatic iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined forest scene with delicate foliage; the dvija’s expression controlled yet intense, the serpent-king rendered with fine scale patterns inside the mouth; cool greens and blues, subtle shading, lyrical naturalism with mythic surrealism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized face and large eyes; serpent-king inside the mouth depicted as a clear emblematic motif; strong red-yellow-green palette, patterned forest border, temple-wall narrative panel composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: mythic central figure framed by lotus and vine borders; serpent motifs woven into the textile-like background; deep blues and greens with gold accents, ornamental symmetry, devotional-surreal storytelling aesthetic."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","low drone","hissing wind motif","distant temple bell","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स → सः (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते); आत्मभवं → आत्म-भवम्; भुजगेंद्रेण → भुजग-इन्द्रेण.
FAQs
The verse describes a twice-born son of Kaśyapa as ‘bhujaga-bhojana’—one whose food is serpents—highlighting a mythic trait rather than an everyday practice.
It is a vivid Purāṇic image suggesting extraordinary power or a wondrous mark: the presence of the nāga-king in the mouth makes him appear ‘virājita’ (radiant/remarkable).
Not reliably. In the Padma Purāṇa, speakers often shift within framed dialogues (e.g., sages narrating to kings), and identifying the speaker requires the preceding and following verses.