Shloka 30
Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy (Śṛṅgi) and the Moral Crisis of Kali-yuga
स तु ब्रह्मऋषेरंसे गतासुमुरगं रुषा । विनिर्गच्छन्धनुष्कोट्या निधाय पुरमागत: ॥ ३० ॥
sa tu brahma-ṛṣer aṁse gatāsum uragaṁ ruṣā vinirgacchan dhanuṣ-koṭyā nidhāya puram āgataḥ
As he departed, the King, enraged by the insult, lifted a lifeless snake with the tip of his bow, placed it on the sage’s shoulder, and then returned to his palace.
The King thus treated the sage tit for tat, although he was never accustomed to such silly actions. By the will of the Lord, the King, while going away, found a dead snake in front of him, and he thought that the sage, who had coldly received him, thus might be coldly rewarded by being offered a garland of a dead snake. In the ordinary course of dealing, this was not very unnatural, but in the case of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s dealing with a brāhmaṇa sage, this was certainly unprecedented. It so happened by the will of the Lord.
FAQs
Feeling insulted and frustrated when the silent sage did not respond, Parīkṣit acted in anger and, with the tip of his bow, placed a dead snake on the sage’s shoulder—an impulsive lapse in etiquette toward a brāhmaṇa.
It shows how a moment of anger can lead to aparādha toward a saintly person, triggering serious consequences and underscoring the need for humility and restraint.
When feeling ignored or disrespected, pause before reacting; choose self-control and respectful speech, especially toward elders, teachers, and spiritually devoted people.