01.037
Library: Shringi curses King Parikshit. Father Shamika teaches Shringi on ascetic dharma.
सूत उवाच॥
Sūta said:
एवमुक्तः स तेजस्वी शृङ्गी कोपसमन्वितः। मृतधारं गुरुं श्रुत्वा पर्यतप्यत मन्युना ॥१-३७-१॥
Upon being addressed in this manner, the radiant Śṛṅgī, overwhelmed with anger, lamented with wrath after hearing about the deadly curse on his teacher.
स तं कृशमभिप्रेष्क्य सूनृतां वाचमुत्सृजन्। अपृच्छत कथं तातः स मेऽद्य मृतधारकः ॥१-३७-२॥
He noticed the emaciated state of the person and, speaking kindly, asked, "Father, how is he still sustaining my life today?"
कृश उवाच॥
Krisha said:
राज्ञा परिक्षिता तात मृगयां परिधावता। अवसक्तः पितुस्तेऽद्य मृतः स्कन्धे भुजङ्गमः ॥१-३७-३॥
O dear, today a dead serpent is affixed on your father's shoulder while King Parikshit was roaming in the hunt.
शृङ्ग्युवाच॥
Śṛṅgi spoke:
किं मे पित्रा कृतं तस्य राज्ञोऽनिष्टं दुरात्मनः। ब्रूहि त्वं कृश तत्त्वेन पश्य मे तपसो बलम् ॥१-३७-४॥
What undesirable act has my father committed against that wicked king? Tell me truthfully, you thin one, and witness the strength of my penance.
कृश उवाच॥
Krisha spoke:
स राजा मृगयां यातः परिक्षिदभिमन्युजः। ससार मृगमेकाकी विद्ध्वा बाणेन पत्रिणा ॥१-३७-५॥
The king, descendant of Parikshit and Abhimanyu, went on a hunt. He pursued the deer alone and shot it with a feathered arrow.
न चापश्यन्मृगं राजा चरंस्तस्मिन्महावने। पितरं ते स दृष्ट्वैव पप्रच्छानभिभाषिणम् ॥१-३७-६॥
The king, while wandering in the great forest, did not see any deer. Upon seeing your father, he immediately asked the silent one.
तं स्थाणुभूतं तिष्ठन्तं क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमातुरः। पुनः पुनर्मृगं नष्टं पप्रच्छ पितरं तव ॥१-३७-७॥
The one who was standing still, afflicted by hunger and thirst, repeatedly asked your father about the lost deer.
स च मौनव्रतोपेतो नैव तं प्रत्यभाषत। तस्य राजा धनुष्कोट्या सर्पं स्कन्धे समासृजत् ॥१-३७-८॥
The sage, who had taken a vow of silence, did not respond to him. The king, in anger, placed a snake on the sage's shoulder using the tip of his bow.
शृङ्गिंस्तव पिताद्यासौ तथैवास्ते यतव्रतः। सोऽपि राजा स्वनगरं प्रतियातो गजाह्वयम् ॥१-३७-९॥
Śṛṅgin, your father remains steadfast in his vow today, just as he always has. The king has also returned to his city, Gajāhvaya.
सूत उवाच॥
Sūta said:
श्रुत्वैवमृषिपुत्रस्तु दिवं स्तब्ध्वेव विष्ठितः। कोपसंरक्तनयनः प्रज्वलन्निव मन्युना ॥१-३७-१०॥
Upon hearing this, the sage's son stood motionless, his eyes red with anger, appearing as if blazing with fury.
आविष्टः स तु कोपेन शशाप नृपतिं तदा। वार्युपस्पृश्य तेजस्वी क्रोधवेगबलात्कृतः ॥१-३७-११॥
Overcome by anger, he cursed the king. Then, after touching water, the powerful one acted with the force of his rage.
शृङ्ग्युवाच॥
Śṛṅgi spoke:
योऽसौ वृद्धस्य तातस्य तथा कृच्छ्रगतस्य च। स्कन्धे मृतमवास्राक्षीत्पन्नगं राजकिल्बिषी ॥१-३७-१२॥
He who shed tears on the shoulder of the dead snake, which was the sin of the king, for the old father and also for the one in difficulty.
तं पापमतिसङ्क्रुद्धस्तक्षकः पन्नगोत्तमः। आशीविषस्तिग्मतेजा मद्वाक्यबलचोदितः ॥१-३७-१३॥
The enraged and evil-minded Takshaka, the best among serpents, driven by the power of my words, is a fierce and venomous snake.
सप्तरात्रादितो नेता यमस्य सदनं प्रति। द्विजानामवमन्तारं कुरूणामयशस्करम् ॥१-३७-१४॥
In seven days, the leader will head towards Yama's abode, bringing disgrace to the Kurus by insulting the twice-born.
सूत उवाच॥
Sūta said:
इति शप्त्वा नृपं क्रुद्धः शृङ्गी पितरमभ्ययात्। आसीनं गोचरे तस्मिन्वहन्तं शवपन्नगम् ॥१-३७-१५॥
After cursing the king, the enraged Śṛṅgī went to his father, who was seated in the pasture, holding a dead snake.
स तमालक्ष्य पितरं शृङ्गी स्कन्धगतेन वै। शवेन भुजगेनासीद्भूयः क्रोधसमन्वितः ॥१-३७-१६॥
Śṛṅgī, upon seeing his father with a corpse and a snake on his shoulder, was once again filled with intense anger.
दुःखाच्चाश्रूणि मुमुचे पितरं चेदमब्रवीत्। श्रुत्वेमां धर्षणां तात तव तेन दुरात्मना ॥१-३७-१७॥
Overcome with sorrow, she released tears and said to her father: "Having heard of this outrage committed by that wicked soul against you, father."
राज्ञा परिक्षिता कोपादशपं तमहं नृपम्। यथार्हति स एवोग्रं शापं कुरुकुलाधमः ॥१-३७-१८॥
King Parikshit, in his anger, cursed the king as he deserved. He indeed deserved a severe curse, being the disgrace of the Kuru dynasty.
सप्तमेऽहनि तं पापं तक्षकः पन्नगोत्तमः। वैवस्वतस्य भवनं नेता परमदारुणम् ॥१-३७-१९॥
On the seventh day, the dreadful serpent Takshaka, known as the best among serpents, led the way to the abode of Vaivasvata, bringing great terror.
तमब्रवीत्पिता ब्रह्मंस्तथा कोपसमन्वितम्। न मे प्रियं कृतं तात नैष धर्मस्तपस्विनाम् ॥१-३७-२०॥
The father, filled with anger, said to him, O Brahman: "Dear, what you have done is not pleasing to me; this is not the duty of ascetics."
वयं तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य विषये निवसामहे। न्यायतो रक्षितास्तेन तस्य पापं न रोचये ॥१-३७-२१॥
We live in the kingdom of the king, protected justly by him; I do not approve of his wrongdoing.
सर्वथा वर्तमानस्य राज्ञो ह्यस्मद्विधैः सदा। क्षन्तव्यं पुत्र धर्मो हि हतो हन्ति न संशयः ॥१-३७-२२॥
O son, in every way, the present king should always be forgiven by people like us. Indeed, when duty is destroyed, it kills without a doubt.
यदि राजा न रक्षेत पीडा वै नः परा भवेत्। न शक्नुयाम चरितुं धर्मं पुत्र यथासुखम् ॥१-३७-२३॥
If the king does not protect us, our suffering would indeed be great. We would not be able to live according to dharma comfortably, my son.
रक्ष्यमाणा वयं तात राजभिः शास्त्रदृष्टिभिः। चरामो विपुलं धर्मं तेषां चांशोऽस्ति धर्मतः ॥१-३७-२४॥
Dear father, we are protected by kings who follow the views of the scriptures, and we practice extensive dharma, which is rightfully a part of them.
परिक्षित्तु विशेषेण यथास्य प्रपितामहः। रक्षत्यस्मान्यथा राज्ञा रक्षितव्याः प्रजास्तथा ॥१-३७-२५॥
Parikshit, like his great-grandfather, especially protects us; just as a king should protect his subjects.
तेनेह क्षुधितेनाद्य श्रान्तेन च तपस्विना। अजानता व्रतमिदं कृतमेतदसंशयम् ॥१-३७-२६॥
Today, the hungry and tired ascetic unknowingly performed this vow here, undoubtedly.
तस्मादिदं त्वया बाल्यात्सहसा दुष्कृतं कृतम्। न ह्यर्हति नृपः शापमस्मत्तः पुत्र सर्वथा ॥१-३७-२७॥
Therefore, my son, this wrongdoing was done by you suddenly out of childishness. Indeed, the king does not deserve a curse from us in any way.
