Shloka 29
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
त॑ वै संयुज्य शापेन मण्डूकं॑ त्वरितो ययौ । अन्यत्र वासाय विभुर्न चात्मानमदर्शयत्,मेढकको शाप देकर वे तुरंत दूसरी जगह निवास करनेके लिये चले गये। सर्वव्यापी अग्निने अपने-आपको प्रकट नहीं किया
taṁ vai saṁyujya śāpena maṇḍūkaṁ tvarito yayau | anyatra vāsāya vibhur na cātmānam adarśayat ||
ભીષ્મે કહ્યું—શાપથી તેને બાંધી અગ્નિદેવ તરત જ અન્યત્ર નિવાસ કરવા ચાલ્યા ગયા; સર્વવ્યાપી પ્રભુએ ત્યારબાદ પોતાને પ્રગટ ન કર્યો.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical gravity of a curse (śāpa): once uttered, it binds and produces consequences, prompting even a powerful being to withdraw rather than act with unchecked display—implying restraint, responsibility in speech, and acceptance of moral causality.
After being connected with (or subjected to) a curse, Maṇḍūka quickly leaves to live elsewhere. Agni, described as vibhū (mighty/all-pervading), does not reveal himself—indicating a purposeful concealment following the cursing event.