—json {

  "name":"SB 10.12.19",
  "h1":"SB 10.12.19",
  "label":"Text 19",
  "title":"Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.12.19",
  "description":"The boys said: Dear friends, is this creature dead, or is it actually a living python with its mouth spread wide just to swallow us all? Kindly clear up this doubt."

} —

SB 10.12.19

Text

aho mitrāṇi gadata
sattva-kūṭaṁ puraḥ sthitam
asmat-saṅgrasana-vyātta-
vyāla-tuṇḍāyate na vā

Synonyms

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.

Translation

The boys said: Dear friends, is this creature dead, or is it actually a living python with its mouth spread wide just to swallow us all? Kindly clear up this doubt.

Purport

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?