Shloka 3.19.21

खरस्य क्रोधः — शूर्पणखावृत्तान्तकथनम् (Khara’s Wrath and Śūrpaṇakhā’s Report)

Devanagari script

इति तस्यां ब्रुवाणायां चतुर्दश महाबलान्।व्यादिदेश खरः क्रुद्धो राक्षसानन्तकोपमान्।।।।

Transliteration

kaḥ kṛṣṇasarpam āsīnam āśīviṣam anāgasam | tudaty abhisamāpannam aṅgulyagreṇa līlayā ||

Translation

Who would, for sport, poke with a fingertip an innocent yet deadly black serpent lying coiled nearby—and then imagine he can remain safe?

Context

As she was speaking, the inflamed Khara ordered fourteen very strong demons, comparable to Yama, the god of death, to proceed.

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• Śūrpaṇakhā (implied by context)
• serpent (metaphor)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma here is prudence and restraint: one should not provoke danger or commit harm frivolously, because actions have inevitable consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

After Śūrpaṇakhā is disfigured, Khara reacts with anger and uses a metaphor to describe the folly of provoking a powerful adversary.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): recognizing that reckless aggression invites ruin.