Shloka 7

आस्तीक-वरप्रदानम् (Āstīka’s Boon and the Interruption of the Sarpa-satra)

Devanagari script

आहर्ता तस्य सत्रस्य त्वन्नान्यो5स्ति नराधिप । इति पौराणिका: प्राहुरस्माकं चास्ति स क्रतु:,नरेश्वर! उस यज्ञका अनुष्ठान करनेवाला आपके सिवा दूसरा कोई नहीं है, ऐसा पौराणिक विद्दान्‌ कहते हैं। उस यज्ञका विधान हमलोगोंको मालूम है

Transliteration

āhartā tasya satrasya tvadnānyo 'sti narādhipa | iti paurāṇikāḥ prāhur asmākaṃ cāsti sa kratuḥ, nareśvara ||

Translation

“Tâu bậc chúa tể loài người! Người làm chủ tế và hoàn thành kỳ đại lễ ấy, ngoài bệ hạ ra không ai khác. Các bậc thông hiểu Purāṇa đều nói như vậy. Còn nghi quỹ của lễ ấy, chúng thần cũng đã tường tận.”

Word by Word

आहर्ताperformer (one who brings about/executes)

तस्यof that

सत्रस्यof the sacrificial session (sattra)

त्वत्than you / from you

नnot

अन्यःanother (person)

अस्तिis/exists

नराधिपO king (lord of men)

इतिthus/so (quotative)

पौराणिकाःthe traditional/legendary scholars (paurāṇikas)

प्राहुःsaid/declare

अस्माकम्of us / our

चand

अस्तिis/exists

सःthat/he

क्रतुःsacrifice/rite

नरेश्वरO lord of men (king)

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janamejaya

narādhipa/nareśvara (the addressed king)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate ritual action (kratu/satra) is grounded in recognized tradition and requires a qualified royal patron; kingship is framed as a dharmic responsibility to uphold sanctioned rites.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya addresses a king, asserting that only he is fit to undertake and bring to completion a particular long sacrificial session, citing the testimony of Purāṇic authorities and adding that the ritual procedure is known to their side.