aho mitrāṇi gadata
sattva-kūṭaṁ puraḥ sthitam
asmat-saṅgrasana-vyātta-
vyāla-tuṇḍāyate na vā
aho - oh; mitrāṇi - friends; gadata - just let us know; sattva-kūṭam - dead python; puraḥ sthitam - as it is just before us all; asmat - all of us; saṅgrasana - to devour us altogether; vyātta-vyāla-tuṇḍā-yate - the python has spread its mouth; na vā - whether it is a fact or not.
The friends began to discuss among themselves the reality of the wonderful creature laying before them. Was it dead, or was it actually a living python trying to swallow them up?