Shloka 2
आकाशमेघवर्णनम् / Description of the Sky Filled with Rain-Clouds
प्रसन्ना मोक्षयेदस्मांस्तस्माच्छापाच्च भामिनी । कृष्णं पुच्छ॑ करिष्यामस्तुरगस्य न संशय:,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--महर्षियो! इधर नागोंने परस्पर विचार करके यह निश्चय किया कि “हमें माताकी आज्ञाका पालन करना चाहिये। यदि इसका मनोरथ पूरा न होगा तो वह स्नेहभाव छोड़कर रोषपूर्वक हमें जला देगी। यदि इच्छा पूर्ण हो जानेसे प्रसन्न हो गयी तो वह भामिनी हमें अपने शापसे मुक्त कर सकती है; इसलिये हम निश्चय ही उस घोड़ेकी पूँछको काली कर देंगे”
prasannā mokṣayed asmāṁs tasmāc chāpāc ca bhāminī | kṛṣṇaṁ pucchaṁ kariṣyāmas turagasya na saṁśayaḥ ||
Śaunaka said: “If she becomes pleased, that passionate lady may release us from her curse. Therefore, to avert her wrath and fulfill her command, we shall surely make the horse’s tail black—there is no doubt.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how actions driven by fear—especially fear of anger and curses—can push beings toward ethically questionable choices. It also reflects the idea that appeasing an offended authority may remove a punitive consequence, but the means chosen still carry moral weight.
The speakers describe a decision to fulfill a woman’s command by making a horse’s tail appear black. The motive is to prevent her wrath and to seek release from her curse if she becomes pleased.