apaśyan - not seeing; takṣakam - Takṣaka; tatra - there; rājā - the King; pārīkṣitaḥ - Janamejaya; dvijān - to the brāhmaṇas; uvāca - said; takṣakaḥ - Takṣaka; kasmāt - why; na dahyeta - has not been burned; uraga - of all the serpents; adhamaḥ - the lowest.

When King Janamejaya did not see Takṣaka entering his sacrificial fire, he said to the brāhmaṇas: Why is not Takṣaka, the lowest of all serpents, burning in this fire?