Shloka 4
Śṛṅgī’s Curse on King Parikṣit
Parikṣit–Śṛṅgī–Takṣaka Causal Link
सर्वेषामेव शापानां प्रतिघातो हि विद्यते । नतु मात्राभिशप्तानां मोक्ष: क्वचन विद्यते
sarveṣām eva śāpānāṃ pratighāto hi vidyate | na tu mātrābhiśaptānāṃ mokṣaḥ kvacana vidyate ||
“ਹਰ ਕਿਸਮ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਾਪ ਦਾ ਉਪਾਅ ਮਿਲ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਪਰ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਂ ਨੇ ਸ਼ਾਪ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੋਵੇ, ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਲਈ ਕਿਤੇ ਵੀ ਮੁਕਤੀ ਨਹੀਂ।”
शेष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that not all wrongs are equal in moral weight: a mother’s curse is treated as uniquely binding, highlighting reverence for parents and the ethical seriousness of familial speech-acts.
In the Nāga-related episode of Ādi Parva, the speaker reflects on the curse placed upon the serpent community and stresses that while many curses can be countered, a maternal curse is portrayed as inescapable, shaping their response and future actions.