Shloka 256
Śṛṅgī’s Curse on King Parikṣit
Parikṣit–Śṛṅgī–Takṣaka Causal Link
वश्यतां च गतोडसौ न: करिष्यति यथेप्सितम् । इसके बाद अन्य सर्पोने कहा--“हम उस यज्ञमें ऋत्विज हो जायँगे और यह कहकर कि हमें मुँहमाँगी दक्षिणा दो” यज्ञमें विघ्न खड़ा कर देंगे। उस समय राजा हमारे वशमें पड़कर जैसी हमारी इच्छा होगी, वैसा करेंगे”
vaśyatāṃ ca gato 'sau naḥ kariṣyati yathepsitam |
Śeṣa dijo: «Ahora ha caído bajo nuestro dominio; actuará exactamente como deseamos». Entonces añadieron las otras serpientes: «Seremos ṛtvij, sacerdotes oficiantes en ese sacrificio, y exigiendo la dakṣiṇā que se nos antoje, levantaremos un obstáculo en el rito. En ese momento el rey, sometido por nosotros, hará lo que queramos».
शेष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage warns against corrupting sacred institutions: when ritual authority (ṛtvij-hood) is driven by greed for dakṣiṇā and used to manipulate rulers, yajña loses its dharmic purpose and becomes a tool of harm.
Śeṣa declares that the king is now under the serpents’ control. The serpents plan to enter the king’s sacrifice as officiating priests, demand any fee they like, and thereby create a disruption, forcing the king to comply with their wishes.