Shloka 19
Ruru’s Lament and the Lifespan Exchange for Pramadvarā (रुरु–प्रमद्वरा आयुर्विभागः)
स लब्ध्वा दुर्लभां भार्या पद्मकिज्जल्कसुप्र भाम् । व्रतं चक्रे विनाशाय जिह्मगानां धृतव्रत:,कमलके केसरकी-सी कान्तिवाली उस दुर्लभ भार्याको पाकर व्रतधारी रुरुने सर्पोंके विनाशका निश्चय कर लिया
sa labdhvā durlabhāṃ bhāryāṃ padmakijjalkasuprabhām | vrataṃ cakre vināśāya jihmagānāṃ dhṛtavrataḥ ||
Nachdem er jene seltene Gattin gewonnen hatte, strahlend wie die Staubfäden des Lotos, fasste Ruru, standhaft in seinem Gelübde, einen Schwur, der auf die Vernichtung der Schlangen zielte.
धर्मराज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how intense attachment and grief can turn into a rigid vow of retaliation. It invites reflection on whether a vow born from anger aligns with dharma, and foreshadows the moral complexity of punishing an entire class (serpents) for a particular harm.
Ruru, having gained a rare and exceptionally radiant wife, becomes fixed in a vow to destroy serpents. This marks the turning point where his personal circumstances lead him toward a campaign against snakes, setting up subsequent encounters and ethical questioning.