Shloka 60
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
जग्राह तरसोपेत्य साद्रिका मत्स्यरूपिणी । कदाचिदपि मत्सीं तां बबन्धुर्मत्स्यजीविन:
jagrāha tarasopetya sādrikā matsyarūpiṇī | kadācid api matsīṁ tāṁ babandhur matsyajīvinaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Si Adrikā na nasa anyong isda ay biglang sumugod at mabilis na sinunggaban iyon. Pagkaraan, ang mga mangingisdang nabubuhay sa pangingisda ay nakahuli at nagbigkis sa isdang iyon sa lambat; at nang buksan nila ang tiyan nito, natagpuan nila sa loob ang isang batang babae at isang batang lalaki—kaya sa tubig ng Yamunā, nahayag ang kakaibang bunga ng pagnanasa at tadhana.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The episode underscores how actions and impulses can yield unforeseen results, and how destiny (often mediated through curses and transformations) can redirect even morally ambiguous events into the unfolding of a larger lineage and cosmic plan.
Adrikā, an apsaras cursed to live as a fish, quickly swallows the fallen seed; later fishermen catch that fish, and upon cutting it open they discover two infants—a girl and a boy—setting up the origin story connected with later dynastic developments.