Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14
एवमुक्त्वा मृगी राजाग्रतः प्राणैर्व्ययुज्यत । पीडिता शरघातेन पुत्रस्नेहाद्विशेषतः
evamuktvā mṛgī rājāgrataḥ prāṇairvyayujyata | pīḍitā śaraghātena putrasnehādviśeṣataḥ
Setelah berkata demikian, di hadapan raja, rusa betina itu pun melepaskan nyawanya—tersiksa oleh hentaman anak panah, dan lebih-lebih lagi oleh kasihnya kepada anaknya.
Pulastya (narrative voice continues implicitly after the quoted speech)
Scene: The doe collapses before the king, arrow-wound visible; her gaze turns toward an unseen fawn, conveying maternal attachment; the king stands stunned, remorse deepening as life departs.
FAQs
Violence produces layered suffering—physical pain and the deeper wound of broken care and responsibility.
The Arbuda mountain setting is the sanctified backdrop where the moral drama culminates and karmic transformation follows.
None; this verse narrates the event that triggers the curse’s immediate effect.