Shloka 26
भूमिभार-निवारणप्रसङ्गः (Bhūmibhāra-nivāraṇa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Motif of Relieving Earth’s Burden
आस्तीकस्य वच: श्रुत्वा यः सर्पो न निवर्तते । शतधा भियद्यते मूर्थ्नि शिंशवृक्षफलं यथा,“जो सर्प आस्तीकके वचनकी शपथ सुनकर भी नहीं लौटेगा, उसके फनके शीशमके फलके समान सैकड़ों टुकड़े हो जायँगे”
āstīkasya vacaḥ śrutvā yaḥ sarpo na nivartate | śatadhā bhidyate mūrdhni śiṃśavṛkṣaphalaṃ yathā ||
អាស្ទីកៈបាននិយាយថា៖ «ពស់ណាដែល ទោះបានឮពាក្យស្បថរបស់ខ្ញុំហើយ ក៏មិនត្រឡប់ថយវិញ នោះក្បាលពង្រ (hood) របស់វានឹងបែកជារយផ្នែក ដូចផ្លែឈើនៃដើមសិំសបា»។
आस्तीक उवाच
Educational Q&A
A righteous, truth-bound utterance (vāc) carries moral force: when a dharmic command is given and heard, willful refusal to heed it leads to self-destruction. The verse underscores accountability to solemn speech and the ethical necessity of restraint.
During the serpent-sacrifice context, Āstīka issues a stern warning to the serpents: if any serpent does not turn back after hearing his sworn words, it will suffer a catastrophic fate—its head splitting like a śiṃśapā fruit—thereby compelling obedience and halting further harm.