Shloka 18
नापश्यत् सम्प्रसुप्तं वै भुजड़ूूं तिर्यगायतम् । पदा चैनं समाक्रामन्मुमूर्ष: कालचोदिता,मार्गमें एक साँप चौड़ी जगह घेरकर तिरछा सो रहा था। प्रमद्वराने उसे नहीं देखा। वह कालसे प्रेरित होकर मरना चाहती थी, इसलिये सर्पको पैरसे कुचलती हुई आगे निकल गयी
nāpaśyat samprasuptaṃ vai bhujaṅgaṃ tiryagāyatam | padā cainaṃ samākrāman mumūrṣaḥ kālacoditā ||
She did not notice the serpent lying fast asleep, stretched crosswise across the path. Driven by fate and as though wishing for death, she stepped upon it with her foot and went on.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unintended actions can still trigger serious consequences, and how the epic often frames sudden turns of events as being propelled by kāla (Time/Fate), reminding readers to be mindful and humble before forces beyond immediate control.
A woman (contextually, Pramadvārā in this episode) fails to see a snake sleeping across the path and accidentally steps on it; the narration emphasizes that this occurs under the impulse of kāla, setting up the ensuing consequence of the serpent’s reaction.