Shloka 58
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
सर्प! यह सब जानकर भी तुम मुझे कैसे दोषी मानते हो? और यदि ऐसी स्थितिमें भी मुझपर दोषारोपण हो सकता है, तब तो तू भी दोषी ही है ।।
sarpa uvāca | nirdoṣaṁ doṣavantaṁ vā na tvāṁ mṛtyo bravīmy aham | tvayāhaṁ codita iti bravīmy etāvad eva tu ||
“Ó serpente! Sabendo tudo isso, como ainda me consideras culpado? E se, mesmo assim, pode haver culpa em mim, então tu também és culpado.” A serpente disse: “Ó Morte, não te declaro nem sem culpa nem culpado. Digo apenas isto: foste tu quem me impeliu a morder este menino.”
सर्प उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a nuanced view of moral responsibility: blame may not rest solely on the immediate doer (the serpent) if the act was prompted by another (Death). It raises the ethical issue of instigation and shared accountability.
In a dialogue with personified Death (Mṛtyu), the serpent responds to the question of fault for a boy’s death. The serpent refuses to label Death as innocent or guilty, but asserts that Death urged him to bite the boy.