Shloka 426
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
अग्निदेवने उसकी भी जिह्ला उलट दी। अब अग्निदेवको प्रत्यक्ष देखकर देवताओंने दयायुक्त होकर शुकसे कहा--“तू शुकयोनिमें रहकर अत्यन्त वाणीरहित नहीं होगा--कुछ- कुछ बोल सकेगा। जीभ उलट जानेपर भी तेरी बोली बड़ी मधुर एवं कमनीय होगी ।।
agnidevena tasya jihvā ulṭā kṛtā | atha agnidevaṃ pratyakṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā devā dayāyuktāḥ śukam ūcuḥ— “tvaṃ śukayonau sthitvā atyantaṃ vāṇīrahito na bhaviṣyasi—kiñcit-kiñcid vaktuṃ śakṣyasi | jihvāyā ulṭāyāṃ satyām api tava vāk atīva madhurā ca kamanīyā ca bhaviṣyati || bālasyeva pravṛddhasya kalamavyaktam adbhutam | yathā pravṛddhasya puruṣasya bālabhāṣāyāṃ na vyaktā adbhutā toṭalī vāk madhurā pratibhāti, tathā tava vāk api sarveṣāṃ priyā bhaviṣyati ||”
Wika ni Bhishma: Ipinabaligtad ni Agni ang dila ni Shuka. Pagkaraan, nang makita ng mga diyos si Agni na hayagang nagpakita sa kanila, naantig sila sa habag at sinabi kay Shuka: “Kahit manatili ka sa sinapupunan ng isang loro, hindi ka lubos na mawawalan ng pananalita—makapagsasalita ka pa nang kaunti. Bagama’t nabaligtad ang iyong dila, ang iyong tinig ay magiging labis na matamis at kaakit-akit. Kung paanong ang kamangha-manghang, hindi malinaw na pag-utal ng isang bata ay nakalulugod pakinggan kahit sa isang matanda, gayon din ang iyong pananalita ay magiging kalugud-lugod sa lahat.” Ipinapakita ng pangyayaring ito ang parusang banal na pinapahinuhod ng awa: may ipinataw na hangganan, ngunit may kapalit na biyaya upang manatiling kapaki-pakinabang ang kanyang pag-iral.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when a corrective consequence is imposed, dharma is fulfilled more fully when it is balanced with compassion; limitation can be accompanied by a compensating grace that preserves dignity and benefit to others.
Agni reverses Shuka’s tongue, restricting his speech; the gods, seeing Agni directly, pity Shuka and grant that although he will be in a parrot-birth, his speech will still be possible and will sound sweet and pleasing—like a child’s charming lisp.