Shloka 41

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 47 — Janamejaya’s Sarpa-satra: Vow, Preparation, and the Onset of the Serpent Offering

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तु स मुनिर्भाय्या वचनमत्रवीत्‌ । यद्‌ युक्तमनुरूपं च जरत्कारुं तपोधन:,यह सुनकर उन तपोधन महर्षिने अपनी पत्नी जरत्कारुसे उचित तथा अवसरके अनुरूप बात कही--

Transliteration

evam uktas tu sa munir bhāryā-vacanam abravīt | yad yuktam anurūpaṃ ca jaratkāruṃ tapodhanaḥ ||

Translation

Được nói như vậy, vị hiền triết giàu công phu khổ hạnh liền đáp lời vợ mình là Jaratkāru bằng những lời hợp lẽ và đúng với thời thế.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

तुbut/indeed

सःhe

मुनिःsage

भार्यायैto (his) wife

वचनम्speech/words

अत्रhere/then (in this context)

अवीत्said/spoke

यत्which/that (what)

युक्तम्proper/appropriate

अनुरूपम्suitable/conforming

चand

जरत्कारुम्Jaratkāru (name)

तपोधनःthe ascetic-sage (one whose wealth is austerity)

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Takṣaka

Jaratkāru (wife)

the sage (muni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Speech should be yuktam and anurūpam—reasonable, ethically fitting, and appropriate to the moment and the listener. The verse highlights restraint and discernment as marks of dharmic conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being addressed, the ascetic sage responds to his wife Jaratkāru, choosing words suited to the situation. The line functions as a narrative bridge, emphasizing the sage’s measured, context-aware reply.