Shloka 36
नियोगप्रसङ्गः — The Niyoga Episode: Births of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura
शप्ता: सम इति जानन्त ऋषिं तमुपचक्रमु: । प्रसादयन्तस्तमृषिं वसव: पार्थिवर्षभ,उन्हें शाप देकर उन महाभाग महर्षिने फिर तपस्यामें ही मन लगाया। राजन! तपस्याके धनी ब्रह्मर्षि वसिष्ठका प्रभाव बहुत बड़ा है। इसीलिये उन्होंने क्रोधमें भरकर देवता होनेपर भी उन आठों वसुओंको शाप दे दिया। तदनन्तर हमें शाप मिला है, यह जानकर वे वसु पुनः महामना वसिष्ठके आश्रमपर आये और उन महर्षिको प्रसन्न करनेकी चेष्टा करने लगे। नृपश्रेष्ठी महर्षि आपव समस्त धर्मोके ज्ञानमें निपुण थे। महाराज! उनको प्रसन्न करनेकी पूरी चेष्टा करने-पर भी वे वसु उन मुनिश्रेष्ठसे उनका कृपाप्रसाद न पा सके
śaptāḥ sma iti jānanta ṛṣiṁ tam upacakramuḥ | prasādayantas tam ṛṣiṁ vasavaḥ pārthivarṣabha ||
Sabendo: “Fomos amaldiçoados”, os Vasus aproximaram-se novamente daquele sábio, ó touro entre os reis. Buscando apaziguá-lo, tentaram conquistar o favor do rishi; contudo, apesar de seus esforços, não obtiveram seu perdão gracioso—mostrando como até seres divinos devem curvar-se diante da força moral do tapas de um brahmarṣi e das consequências da falta.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even gods are not above dharma: wrongful acts bring consequences, and the moral-spiritual authority of a true rishi’s tapas makes a curse effective and not easily revoked. Seeking forgiveness is right, but it does not guarantee immediate release from the results of one’s deeds.
After being cursed, the eight Vasus realize their condition and return to the sage they offended. They approach him respectfully and attempt to propitiate him, but they fail to secure his gracious pardon at that time.