Shloka 5
अग्निशाप-प्रसंगः
Agni’s Curse and the Restoration of Ritual Order
शक्तो5हमपि शप्तुं त्वां मान्यास्तु ब्राह्मणा मम । जानतो<पि च ते ब्रह्मन् कथयिष्ये निबोध तत्,“मैं भी तुम्हें शाप देनेकी शक्ति रखता हूँ तो भी नहीं देता हूँ; क्योंकि ब्राह्मण मेरे मान्य हैं। ब्रह्मन! यद्यपि तुम सब कुछ जानते हो, तथापि मैं तुम्हें जो बता रहा हूँ, उसे ध्यान देकर सुनो--
śakto 'ham api śaptuṁ tvāṁ mānyās tu brāhmaṇā mama | jānato 'pi ca te brahman kathayiṣye nibodha tat ||
I am able even to curse you, yet I do not—for Brahmins are worthy of honor to me. O Brahmin, though you already know all this, still I shall state it; listen attentively to what I say.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint: even when one has the power to retaliate (by cursing), one should refrain out of respect for dharma—here expressed as honoring Brahmins and controlling harmful speech.
Śaunaka addresses a Brahmin interlocutor, stating that although he could curse him, he will not, because Brahmins are to be honored. He then signals that he will nevertheless explain something and asks the listener to pay close attention.