Shloka 12
Vyāsa’s Arrival at Janamejaya’s Sarpasatra; Commissioning of Vaiśaṃpāyana’s Recital (व्यासागमनम्)
देवा ऊचु वासुकिर्नागराजो<यं दुःखितो ज्ञातिकारणात् । अभिशाप: स मातुस्तु भगवन् न भवेत् कथम्
devā ūcuḥ—vāsukir nāgarājo 'yaṃ duḥkhito jñātikāraṇāt | abhiśāpaḥ sa mātus tu bhagavan na bhavet katham ||
Para dewa berkata: “Wahai Yang Mulia, raja ular Vāsuki ini bersedih karena sanak-saudaranya. Dengan cara apakah kutukan ibunya dapat tidak berlaku atas mereka?”
आस्तीक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights compassionate responsibility toward one’s kin and the ethical urgency to seek a righteous remedy when a harmful consequence (a curse) threatens a community; it frames fate as something approached through counsel, right means, and divine guidance rather than despair.
The gods observe Vāsuki, the Nāga-king, grieving for his relatives because of a maternal curse. They ask a revered figure (addressed as “Bhagavan”) what method could prevent that curse from taking effect on the Nāgas.