Shloka 34
Śṛṅgī’s Curse on King Parikṣit
Parikṣit–Śṛṅgī–Takṣaka Causal Link
मया हीद॑ विधातव्यं भवतां यद्धितं भवेत् । अनेनाहं भृशं तप्ये गुणदोषौ मदाश्रयौ
mayā hīdaṁ vidhātavyaṁ bhavatāṁ yaddhitaṁ bhavet | anenāhaṁ bhṛśaṁ tapye guṇadoṣau madāśrayau ||
“Aku harus melakukan tepat apa yang sungguh menjadi kesejahteraan kalian. Karena itulah aku sangat gelisah: sebab aku yang tertua di antara kalian, tanggung jawab atas kebajikan maupun kesalahan bertumpu padaku.”
शेष उवाच
Educational Q&A
True leadership is measured by commitment to others’ welfare (hita) and by accepting accountability for outcomes—both virtues and faults—especially when one holds seniority or authority.
Śeṣa speaks as a responsible elder, stating that he must choose the action that genuinely benefits the others, and he expresses inner distress because he feels that the moral credit and blame for the group’s conduct ultimately falls upon him.