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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 12 · The Age of Deterioration · 13 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 12 · Chapter 6: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away
12.6.9-1012.6.12

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 12.6.11

Nirodha· Winding up
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 12.6.8inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya
A turning point forMahārāja Parīkṣit· The final moment

तक्षक: प्रहितो विप्रा: क्रुद्धेन द्विजसूनुना ।

हन्तुकामो नृपं गच्छन् ददर्श पथि कश्यपम् ॥ ११ ॥

takṣakaḥ prahito viprāḥ

kruddhena dvija-sūnunā

hantu-kāmo nṛpaṁ gacchan

dadarśa pathi kaśyapam

Translation

O learned brāhmaṇas, the snake-bird Takṣaka, who had been sent by the angry son of a brāhmaṇa, was going toward the King to kill him when he saw Kaśyapa Muni on the path.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Anger Sends Takṣaka Toward the King

  1. 1

    Takṣaka is the snake-bird sent by the angry son of a brāhmaṇa.

  2. 2

    He is traveling toward the King with the intention of killing him.

  3. 3

    On the path, Takṣaka sees Kaśyapa Muni.

How it feels

Approaching death → Demonstrated fearlessness. Parīkṣit is already a great devotee; his final hearing exemplifies fearlessness for the audience.

Chapters 5–6 of Canto 12: Śukadeva's final instruction and Parīkṣit's passing. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 6: Mahārāja Parīkṣit Passes Away

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Then the snake-bird Takṣaka, arriving in the disguise of a brāhmaṇa, bit him, and the body of the saintly king immediately burned to ashes. Janamejaya, the son of Parīkṣit, became very angry when he received news of his father’s death, and he began a sacrificial performance for the purpose of destroying all the snakes.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 12.6
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. takṣakaḥthe snake-bird Takṣaka
  2. prahitaḥsent
  3. viprāḥO learned brāhmaṇas
  4. kruddhenawho had been angered
  5. dvijaof the sage Śamīka
  6. sūnunāby the son
  7. hantu-kāmaḥdesirous of killing
  8. nṛpamthe King
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Nirodha · Returning home, back to Godhead

    What happens when everything here comes to an end? · Subject 8 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 12.6

    In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does this verse prompt you to consider about acting under anger?

Practice

If anger arises today, pause before speaking or sending a message that could hurt someone.

5

The story around it

The stories this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAnger Sends Takṣaka Toward the KingThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 12.6.11? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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