Shloka 17
शपिष्ये त्वामहं क्रुद्धो ब्राह्मणं पितरं च ते । त्वत्कृते तान् प्रधक्ष्यामि सर्वानपि न संशय:,भद्रे! सुन्दर मुसकानवाली पृथे! तुमसे समागम करके मैं पुनः लौट जाऊँगा; परंतु यदि आज तुम मेरा प्रिय वचन नहीं मानोगी तो मैं कुपित होकर तुमको, उस मन्त्रदाता ब्राह्मणको और तुम्हारे पिताको भी शाप दे दूँगा। तुम्हारे कारण मैं उन सबको जलाकर भस्म कर दूँगा; इसमें संशय नहीं है
śapiṣye tvām ahaṃ kruddho brāhmaṇaṃ pitaraṃ ca te | tvatkṛte tān pradhakṣyāmi sarvān api na saṃśayaḥ ||
Sūrya said: “If you do not comply with my cherished request today, I will become enraged and curse you, the Brahmin who bestowed that mantra, and your father as well. Because of you, I will burn them all to ashes—of this there is no doubt.”
सूर्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension: power used through threats (śāpa) to compel compliance undermines dharma. It warns that desire, when coupled with coercion, spreads harm beyond the immediate parties—endangering teachers (the mantra-giving Brahmin) and elders (the father) through cascading consequences.
Sūrya addresses Pṛthā after being invoked by her mantra. When she hesitates to accept his demand, he threatens to curse her, the Brahmin who taught the mantra, and her father, declaring he will burn them all because of her refusal.