Shloka 39
Brāhmaṇa-māhātmya: Tārkṣya’s instruction on tapas, satya, and svadharma
Chapter 182
सर्प उवाच प्रमादात् सम्प्रमूढस्य भगवन् क्षन्तुमर्हसि । ततः स मामुवाचेदं प्रपतन्तं कृपान्वित:,सर्पने कहा--भगवन! मैं प्रमादवश विवेकशून्य हो गया था। इसीलिये मुझसे यह घोर अपराध हुआ है। आप कृपया क्षमा करें। तब मुझे गिरते देख वे महर्षि दयासे द्रवित होकर बोले--
sarpa uvāca pramādāt sampramūḍhasya bhagavan kṣantum arhasi | tataḥ sa mām uvācedaṁ prapatantaṁ kṛpānvitāḥ |
A serpente disse: “Ó venerável, por descuido fiquei completamente transtornado e sem discernimento; por isso cometi esta grave ofensa. Perdoa-me.” Então, vendo-me cair, aquele grande sábio, movido pela compaixão, disse-me estas palavras—
सर्प उवाच
Educational Q&A
Heedlessness (pramāda) leads to moral error, but sincere acknowledgement of delusion and a request for forgiveness open the way for compassion and correction; the sage’s response models kṣamā (forbearance) and dayā (mercy).
The serpent confesses that his wrongdoing arose from negligence and confusion, asks the revered sage to forgive him, and the compassionate sage—seeing the serpent in distress (falling)—begins to reply.