Shloka 41
Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)
न बुध्येतामुभौ तौ च नगस्थं पन्नगद्वधिजौ । सह तेनैव वृक्षेण भस्मी भूतो5 भवन्नूप
janamejaya uvāca | na budhyetām ubhau tau ca nagasthaṃ pannagadvadhijau | saha tenaiva vṛkṣeṇa bhasmībhūto 'bhavan nṛpa ||
Janamejaya berkata: Kedua-duanya—Takṣaka, raja ular, dan Brahmana yang bertekad membunuh ular itu—tidak menyedari bahawa ada seorang lagi manusia yang duduk di atas pohon tersebut. Wahai raja, ketika Takṣaka menggigit, lelaki itu turut terbakar menjadi abu bersama pohon itu sendiri. Peristiwa ini menegaskan bahawa kebutaan akibat obsesi dan pembalasan boleh mencederakan yang tidak bersalah, menjadikan permusuhan peribadi sebagai kebinasaan sampingan.
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
When actions are driven by vengeance and fixation, perception narrows; the uninvolved can suffer unintended consequences. Ethical restraint and awareness are implied as safeguards against such collateral harm.
Janamejaya reports that Takṣaka and the Brahmin intent on killing the serpent failed to notice another person sitting in the same tree; when Takṣaka bit and the tree was destroyed, that person was also burned to ashes along with it.