Śrāddha-Kalpa: Pitṛ-Pūjā and Tithi-Phala (श्राद्धकल्पः पितृपूजा च तिथिफलम्)
“देवताओ! मेरे पतिदेव मुझसे संतान उत्पन्न करना चाहते थे, किंतु तुमलोगोंने इन्हें इस कार्यसे निवृत्त कर दिया; इसलिये तुम सभी देवता निर्वश हो जाओगे ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | “devatāḥ! mama patidevaḥ mayā santānam utpādayitum aicchat, kintu yūyaṃ lokā enam asmin kārye nivṛttavantaḥ; tasmāt yūyaṃ sarve devatā nirvaṃśā bhaviṣyatha || prajocchedo mama kṛto yasmād yuṣmābhir adya vai tasmāt prajā vaḥ khagamāḥ sarveṣāṃ na bhaviṣyati | ākāśacāriṇaḥ devatāḥ! adya yūyaṃ sarve miltvā mama santater ucchedaṃ kṛtavantaḥ; ataḥ yuṣmākam api santāno na bhaviṣyati”
Wahai para dewa pengembara langit! Hari ini kalian semua bersama-sama telah memutus keturunanku; maka bagi kalian semua pun tidak akan ada keturunan.
भीष्म उवाच
The verse highlights moral causality: when powerful beings obstruct another’s rightful continuation of lineage and marital intention, they incur reciprocal consequences. It frames interference in dharmic duties (here, begetting progeny within marriage) as ethically weighty, inviting retributive outcomes.
The speaker addresses the gods and pronounces a curse: because they collectively prevented her husband from begetting offspring through her, they will themselves become without progeny. The speech is structured as a cause-and-effect declaration (yasmāt… tasmāt), emphasizing collective responsibility.