Shloka 21
Śṛṅgī’s Curse on King Parikṣit
Parikṣit–Śṛṅgī–Takṣaka Causal Link
Devanagari script
अपरे त्वब्रुवन् नागा: समिद्धं जातवेदसम् । वर्षैनिवापयिष्यामो मेघा भूत्वा सविद्युत:
Transliteration
apare tv abruvan nāgāḥ samiddhaṃ jātavedasam | varṣair nivāpayiṣyāmo meghā bhūtvā sa-vidyutaḥ ||
Translation
另一些那伽说道：“当为蛇祭而点燃祭火——阇多吠陀（Jātavedas）——之时，我们将化作挟带闪电的云团，以倾盆大雨将其扑灭。”
Word by Word
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
अब्रुवन्said/spoke
अब्रुवन्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
नागाःserpents (Nāgas)
नागाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनाग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
समिद्धम्kindled, blazing
समिद्धम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-इध्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular
जातवेदसम्Jātavedas (Agni)
जातवेदसम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजातवेदस्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वर्षैःby rains/showers
वर्षैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ष
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
निवापयिष्यामःwe shall extinguish/quench
निवापयिष्यामः:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-वा (वा/वाप् in causative sense)
FormSimple Future (Lrt), 1st, Plural, Parasmaipada
मेघाःclouds
मेघाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमेघ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
भूत्वाhaving become
भूत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada
सविद्युतःwith lightning
सविद्युतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootस-विद्युत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
शेष उवाच
Characters & Entities
N
Nāgāḥ (serpent beings)J
Jātavedas (Agni, sacrificial fire)M
Meghāḥ (clouds)V
Vidyut (lightning)S
Sarpa-yajña (serpent-sacrifice; implied by context)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how threatened groups may attempt to counter even a powerful ritual force through collective strategy and control of natural elements; it invites reflection on the tension between ritual power and the ethics of resistance driven by fear.
Some Nāgas propose a plan to thwart the impending serpent-sacrifice by transforming into thunderclouds and dousing the sacrificial fire (Agni/Jātavedas) with rain.