Śṛṅgī, son of Ṛṣi Śamīka

 śṛṅgī nāma mahḍkrodhodho duṣprasādo mahāvrataḥ

sa devaṁ paramāsīnaṁ sarvabhūtahite ratam

brahmāṇamupatasthe vai kāle kāle susaṁyataḥ

santena samanujñāto brahmaṇā gṛhameyivān

Who was named Śṛṅgī. He was full of wrath, severe in his vows and difficult to be appeased. He sometimes worshipped with great attention his Guru Brahmā, seated on his seated and ever engaged in doing good to all creatures. Commandrd by him, he was coming home one day.

sakhyoktaḥ krīḍamānena sa tatra hasatā kila

saṁraṁbhātkopano ̍tīva viṣakalpo muneḥ sutaḥ

uddiśya pitaraṁ tasya yacchrutvā roṣamāharat

ṛṣiputreṇa dharmārthe kṛśena dvijasattama

When his friend Kṛṣṇa in a playful mood, laughingly spoke to him about his father, Ṛṣi ̍s son, even wrathful and like poison itself, hearing what had happened to his father, blazed up in a rage.

kṛśa uvāca

tejasvinastva pitā tathaiva ca tapasvinaḥ

śavaṁ skandhena vahati mā ṣṛṅgingarvito bhava

Kṛśa said: O Śṛṅgī! Do not be proud. Ascetic as you are and possessed of great powers, go and see your father, who is carrying dead body on his shourder.

vyāharatsvṛṣiputreṣu mā sma kiṁcidvaco vada

asmadvidheṣu siddheṣu brahmavitsu tapasviṣu

Don ̍t speak with the sons of Ṛṣis like ourselves, who are deep in asceticism, who have knowledge of truth and who have attained success.

kva te puruṣamānitvaṁ kva te vācastathāvidhāḥ

darpajāḥ pitaraṁ draṣṭvā yastvaṁ śavadharaṁ tathā

Where is your that manliness and where are your those proud words, when you see your father carrying a dead snake?

pitrā ca tava tatkarma nānurūpamivātmanaḥ

kṛtaṁ munijanaśreṣṭha yenāhaṁ bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ

O best of Ṛṣis, your father did nothing to meet with this treatment. I am pained as if it has been done to me.

sautiruvāca

evamuktaḥ sa tejasvī śṛṅgī kopa samanvitaḥ

mṛtadhāraṁ guruṁ śrutrā paryataptata manyunā

Sauti said: Being thus addressed and having heard that his father was bearing dead snake, powerful Śṛṅgī grew exceedingly angry.

sa taṁ kuśamabhiprekṣya sūnṛtāṁ vācamusṛjan

apṛcchattaṁ kathaṁ tātaḥ sa me ̍dya mṛtadhārakaḥ

Looking at Kṛśa, he softly asked him: Why does my father bear dead snake?

kṛśa uvāca

rājñā parikṣitā tāta mṛgayāṁ paridhāvatā

avasaktaḥ pituste ̍dya mṛtaḥ skandhe bhujaṅgamaḥ

Kṛśa said: O dear friend! When Parīkṣit was roving for the puropse of hunting, he placed dead snake on the shoulder of your father.

śṛṅgyavāca

kiṁ me pitrā tasya rājño ̍niṣṭaṁ durātmanaḥ

brūhi tatkṛśa tattvena me tapaso balam

Śṛṅgī said: What harm was done by my father to that miscreant king? Tell me this, O Kṛśa, and you will see then my sacetic power.

kṛśa uvāca

sa rājā mṛgayāṁ yātaḥ parikṣitabhimanyujaḥ

sasāra mṛgamekākī viddhvā bāṇena śīghragam

Kṛśa said: King Parīkṣit, son of Abhimanyu, having wounded a fleet stag with an arrow while hunting, chased it alone.

na cāpaśyanmṛga rājā caraṁstasminmahāvane

pitaraṁ te sa dṛṣṭvaiva papracchānabhibhāṣiṇam

He lost sight of the stag in the wilderness of the forest and seeeing your father he accosted him.

taṁ sthāṇubhūtaṁ tiṣṭhantaṁ kṣutpipāsāśramātutaḥ

punaḥ punarmṛgaṁ naṣṭaṁ papraccha pitaraṁ tava

But your father was then observing the vow of silence. Oppressed by hunger, thirst and fatigue, king repeatedly asked your father about missing deer.

sa ca maunavratopeto naivaṁ taṁ pratyabhāṣata

tasya rājā dhanuṣkoṭyā sarpaṁ skandhe samāsajat

But Ṛṣi, being then under the vow of silence, did not make any reply. Thereupon king, becoming angry, placed the snake on his shoulder, taking it up with the end of his bow.

śṛṅgistava pitā so ̍pi so ̍pi tathaivāste yatavrataḥ

so ̍pi rājā svanagaraṁ prasthito gajasāhvayam

O Śṛṅgī! Your father, engaged in devotion, is still that posture. King has, however, gone away to his capital Hastinapura, named after elephant.

sautiruvāca

śrutvaivamṛṣiputrastu śavaṁ skandhe pratiṣṭhitam

kopasaṁraktanayanaḥ prajvalanniva manyunā

Sauti said: Having heard that a dead snake had been placed on his father ̍s shoulder, Ṛṣi ̍s son looked like a blazing fire, his eyes reddened with anger.

āviṣṭaḥ sa hi kopena śaśāpa nṛpatiṁ tadā

vāryupaspṛśya tejasvī krodhavegabalātkṛtaḥ

Inflamed with anger, powerful Ṛṣi, touching water, cursed king thus.

śṛṅgyuvāca

yo ̍sau vṛddhasya tātasya tathā kṛcchragatasya ha

skandhe mṛtaṁ samāsrākṣītpannagaḥ rājakilbiṣī

taṁ pāpamatisaṁkruddhastakṣakaḥ pannageśvaraḥ

āśīviṣastigmatejā madvākyabalacoditaḥ

saptarātrādito netā yamasya sadanaṁ prati

dvijānāmavamantāraṁ kurūṇāmayaśaskaram

Śṛṅgī said: He who has placed dead snake on the shoulder of my old and lean father, that miscreant of a king, that insulter of Brāhmaṇas, destroyer of the fame of Kuru race, will be taken within 7 days from today to the land of Yama by the snake Takṣaka, powerful king of serpents, stimulated by my words.

sautiruvāca

iti śaptvā ̍tisaṁkruddhaḥ śṛṅgī pitaramabhyagāt

āsīnaṁ govraje tasminvahantaṁ śavapannagam

Sauti said: Having thus cursed king from anger, Śṛṅgī went to his father and saw that he was sitting in cow shed, dead snake was still on his shoulder.

sa tamālakṣya pitaraṁ śṛṅgī skandhgatena vai

śavena bhugenāsīdbhūyaḥ krodhsamākulaḥ

Seeing that dead snake was on the shoulder of his father, he was again inflamed with anger.

 

duḥkhāccāśrūṇi mumuce pitaraṁ cedamabravīt

śrutvemāṁ dharṣaṇāṁ tāta tava tena durātmanā

He shed tears of grief and addressed his father thus: O father, hearing insult offered to you by miscreant,

jājñā parikṣitā kopādaśapantamahaṁ nṛpam

yathārhati sa evograṁ śāpaṁ kurukulādhamaḥ

saptame ̍hani taṁ pāpaṁ takṣaḥ pannagottamaḥ

vaivasvatasya sadanaṁ netā paramadāruṇam

tamabravītpitā brahmaṁstathā kopasamanvitam

King Parīkṣit. I have cursed him from anger, that wretch of Kurus richly deserves my potent curse. Within seven days from thisdate king of snakes, Takṣaka, will take sinner to fearful house of Death and father said to enraged son:

na me priyaṁ kṛtaṁ tāta naiṣa dharmastapasvinām

vayaṁ tasya narendrasya viṣaye nivasāmahe

Śamīka said: O child! I am not pleased with your act. It is not proper for ascetics to act thus. We live in the domains of that king.

nyāyato rakṣitāstena tasya pāpaṁ na rocaye

sarvathā vartamānasya rājño hyasmadvidhaiḥ sadā

We are righteously protected by him and therefore, we should not mind his faults. Reigning kings should always be pardoned by men like us.

kṣantavyaṁ putradharmo hi hato hanti na saṁśayaḥ

yadi rājā na saṁrakṣetpīḍā naḥ paramā bhavet

O son, if you destroy Dharma, Dharma will certainly destroy you! If king does not protect us, we meet with many afflictions.

na śaknuyāma carituṁ dharmaṁ putra yathāsukham

rakṣyamāṇā vayaṁ tāta rājabhirdharmadṛṣṭibhiḥ

O son, we cannot then perform our religious rites as we desire. Protected by various kings.

carāmo vipulaṁ dhrmaṁ teṣāṁ bhāgo ̍sti dharmataḥ

sarvathā vartamānasya rājñaḥ kṣantavyameva hi

We achieve great merits and a share of it always goes to such kings. Therefore, reigning kings are always to be forgiven.

parikṣittu viśeṣeṇa yathā ̍sya prapitāmahaḥ

rakṣatyasmāṁstathā rājñā rakṣitavyāḥ prajā vibho

Specially Parīkṣit, who like his great grandfather, protects us as a king should protect his subjects.

teneha kṣudhitenādya śrāntena ca tapasvinā

ajānatā kṛtaṁ manye vratametadidaṁ mama

That penance practising king was oppressed by hunger and thirst and he did not know that I was observing the vow of silence.

arājake janapade doṣā jāyanti vai sadā

udvṛttaṁ satataṁ lokaṁ rājā daṇḍena śāsti vai

Disasters always fefall on a country where there is no king. King punishes those who grow wicked.

daṇḍātpratibhayaṁ bhūyaḥ śāntirutpadyate tadā

nodvignaścarate dhrmaṁ nodvignaścarate kriyām

Fear of punishment brings in peace and men thus perform their duties and their rites undisturbed.

rājñā pratiṣṭhito dharmo dharmātsvargaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ

rājño yajñakriyāḥ sarvā yajñāddevāḥ pratiṣṭhitā

King establishes Dharma and by Dharma, one gains kingdom of heaven. King protects all sacrifices and sacrifices please celestials.

devādvṛṣṭiḥ pravarteta vṛṣṭeroṣadhayaḥ smṛtāḥ

oṣadhibhyo manuṣyāṇāṁ dhārayansatataṁ hitam

Celestials cause rain and rain produces medicinal herbs, medicinal herbs do immense good to mankind.

manuṣyāṇāṁ ca yo dhātā rājā rājyakaraḥ punaḥ

daśrotriyasamo rājā ityevaṁ manurabravīt

Manu said: Ruler of the destiny of men is equal to 10 Veda knowing Brāhmaṇas.

teneha kṣudhitenādya śrāntena ca tapasvinā

ajānatā kṛtaṁ manye vratametadidaṁ mama

That penance observing king, oppressed by hunger and thirst, has done this through ignorance of my vow.

kasmādidaṁ tvayā bālyātsahasā duṣkṛtaṁ kṛtam

na hyarhati nṛpaḥ śāpamasmattaḥ putra sarvathā

Why have you, through childishness, done rashly this unrigteous action? O son! That king in no way deserves a curse from you.

śṛṅgyuvāca

yadyetatsāhasaṁ tāta yadi vā duṣkṛtaṁ kṛtam

priyaṁ vā ̍pyapriyaṁ vā te vāguktā na mṛṣā bhavet

Śṛṅgī said: O father! whether my act was rash or improper, whether you like it or dislike it. Words spoken by me shall never be in vain.

naivānyathedaṁ bhavitā pitareṣa bravīmi te

nāhaṁ mṛṣā bravīmyevaṁ svaireṣvapi kutaḥ ṣapan

O father! I tell you, this can never be otherwise. I have never spoken a lie even in jest.

śamīka uvāca

jānāmyugraprabhāvaṁ tvaṁ tāta satyagiraṁ tathā

nānṛtaṁ coktapūrvaṁ te naitanmithyā bbhaviṣyati

Śamīka said: My child! I know, you are greatly powerful and you are very truthful. You have never spoken a falsehood in your life and therefore your curse will never be false.

pitrā putro vayaḥ stho ̍pi satataṁ vācya eva tu

yathā syādguṇasaṁyuktaḥ prāpnuyācca mahadyaśaḥ

But son, even he is grown up, should always be advised by his father, so that adorned with good qualities, he may earn great renown.

kiṁ punarbāla eva tvaṁ tapasā bhāvitaḥ sadā

vardhate ca prabhavatāṁ kopo tīva mahātmanām

You are mere child and therefore, how much more do you stand in need of counsel! You are always engaged in asceticism. Even anger of illustrious and high souled men increases with increase of their powers.

 so ̍haṁ paśyāmi vaktavyaṁ tvayi dharmabhūtāṁ vara

putratvaṁ bālatā caiva tavāvekṣya ca sāhasam

O best of pious men, considering that you are my son and mere boy and seeing your rashness, I see, I must give you advice.

sa tvaṁ śamaparo bhūtvā vanyamāhāramācaran

cara krodhamimaṁ hatvā naivaṁ dharmaṁ prahāsyasi

Live, O son, having your mind inclined to peace, live on fruits and roots of the forest. Destroy your anger, but do not destroy fruits of your asceticism by giving vent to anger.

krodho hi dharmaṁ harati yatīnāṁ duḥkhasṁcitam

tato dharmavihīnānāṁ gatiriṣṭāṁ na vidyate

Anger diminishes merits that ascetics acquire with great pains. There is no hope for those who are deprived of virtue.

śama eva yatīnāṁ hi kṣsmiṇāṁ siddhikārakaḥ

kṣamāvatāmayaṁ lokaḥ paraścaiva kṣamāvatām

Peacefulness produces success to forgiving ascetics. Good come to foegiving men, both in this world and in the next.

tasmāccarethāḥ satataṁ kṣamāśīlo jitendriyaḥ

kṣamayā prāpsyase lokānbrahmaṇaḥ samanantarān

Therfore, you should always live, being forgiving in your temper and self controlling of your passions. By forgiveness you will attain to the worlds that are beyond the reach of even Brahmā.

mayā tu śamamāsthāya yacchakyaṁ kartumadya vai

tatkariṣyāmyahaṁ tāta preṣayiṣye nṛpāya vai

O my son! Having adopted peacefulness, I shall do as much as lies in my power. Ishall do this. I shall send word to king, telling him.

mama putreṇa śapto ̍si bālena kṛśabuddhinā

mamemāṁ dharṣaṇṁ tvattaḥ prekṣya rājannamarṣiṇā

O king! You have been cursed by my son, who is a mere child and whose intellect is not yet developed. Seeing your disrespect towards me, he has done this in anger.

sautiruvāca

evamādiśya śiṣyaṁ sa preṣayāmāsa suvrataḥ

parikṣite nṛpataye dayāpanno mahātapāḥ

Sauti said: That great ascetic, observant of vows, moved by kindness, sent a disciple to Parīkṣit with proper instructions.