Shloka 19
Ruru–Pramadvarā: Lineage, Fosterage, Betrothal, and the Snakebite Crisis (Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 8)
स तस्या: सम्प्रमत्तायाश्वोदित: कालधर्मणा । विषोपलिप्तान् दशनान् भृशमड़े न्यपातयत्,उस समय कालधर्मसे प्रेरित हुए उस सर्पने उस असावधान कन्याके अंगमें बड़े जोरसे अपने विषभरे दाँत गड़ा दिये
sa tasyāḥ sampramattāyāś coditaḥ kāladharmaṇā | viṣopaliptān daśanān bhṛśam aṅge nyapātayat ||
Driven by the inexorable law of Time, the serpent, finding the maiden off her guard, struck fiercely and sank its poison-smeared fangs into her body. The episode underscores how negligence and unawareness can invite sudden calamity, and how events often unfold under the larger, impersonal force of kāla (Time) that overrides ordinary human expectation.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the power of kāla (Time) as an impersonal force that brings about events, and it cautions against sampramāda (carelessness). Ethical reflection centers on vigilance and responsibility, since negligence can open the way for harm that arrives swiftly and decisively.
Śaunaka describes a moment when a serpent, impelled by kāladharma, attacks an unsuspecting maiden and drives its poison-coated fangs into her body, causing sudden injury through a forceful bite.