Mahabharata 1.20.16 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 20, Shloka 16
गरुडजन्म तथा विनतादास्यवृत्तान्तः
Garuḍa’s Birth and Vinatā’s Enslavement
दृष्ट पुरातनं होतद् यज्ञे सर्पविनाशनम् । इत्युक्त्वा सृष्टिकृद् देवस्तं प्रसाद्य प्रजापतिम् । प्रादाद् विषहरीं विद्यां कश्यपाय महात्मने
dṛṣṭaṃ purātanaṃ hotad yajñe sarpavināśanam | ity uktvā sṛṣṭikṛd devastaṃ prasādya prajāpatiṃ | prādād viṣaharīṃ vidyāṃ kaśyapāya mahātmane ||
Śaunaka berkata: “Kisah purba ini telah masyhur—bahawa dalam suatu korban suci (yajña) akan berlaku kebinasaan para ular.” Setelah berkata demikian, Dewa Pencipta (Brahmā), sesudah memperkenankan hati Prajāpati Kaśyapa, menganugerahkan kepada resi agung itu ilmu penawar yang menyingkirkan bisa ular. Petikan ini menempatkan kebinasaan yang bakal menimpa para ular sebagai akibat yang ditetapkan ketuhanan bagi makhluk yang menyakiti yang lain, namun pada masa yang sama menyediakan pengetahuan pemulih demi kesejahteraan segala yang bernyawa.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Harmful beings who persist in injuring others invite a divinely sanctioned consequence, yet dharma also provides protective knowledge (viṣaharī vidyā) to reduce suffering and safeguard life. Justice and compassion operate together: punishment for harm, and remedies for the welfare of creatures.
Śaunaka recalls an ancient tradition that a sacrifice will bring about the destruction of serpents. Brahmā then pleases Prajāpati Kaśyapa and grants him a poison-removing lore, situating the coming serpent-destruction episode within a larger cosmic and ethical framework.
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