Shloka 11
Brāhmaṇa-māhātmya: Tārkṣya’s instruction on tapas, satya, and svadharma
Chapter 182
विपरीतैश्व राजेन्द्र कारणैर्मानुषो भवेत् । तिर्यग्योनिस्तथा तात विशेषज्षात्र वक्ष्यते,राजेन्द्र! इसके विपरीत कारण उपस्थित होनेपर मनुष्ययोनिमें तथा पशु-पक्षी आदि योनिमें जन्म लेना पड़ता है। तात! पशु-पक्षी आदि योनियोंमें जन्म लेनेका जो विशेष कारण है, उसे भी यहाँ बतलाया जाता है। जो काम, क्रोध, लोभ और हिंसामें तत्पर होकर मानवतासे भ्रष्ट हो जाता है, अपनी मनुष्य होनेकी योग्यताको भी खो देता है, वही पशु- पक्षी आदि योनिमें जन्म पाता है
viparītaiś ca rājendra kāraṇair mānuṣo bhavet | tiryagyonis tathā tāta viśeṣaś cātra vakṣyate ||
The serpent said: “O king, when the causes are reversed, one becomes human again; and likewise, dear child, one may be born among the animal species. Here I shall also explain the particular cause for birth as an animal: one who is devoted to lust, anger, greed, and violence—falling away from true humanity and losing the very fitness of being human—comes to be born among beasts and birds.”
सर्प उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral conduct determines the direction of rebirth: indulgence in lust, anger, greed, and violence erodes one’s human fitness and leads to lower (animal) births, while contrary causes can restore human birth.
A serpent addresses a king and a younger listener, explaining the karmic logic behind taking birth as a human versus being born among animals, and promises to state the specific distinguishing cause for animal birth.