Shloka 7
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 10: Ruru’s Vow and Ḍuṇḍubha’s Appeal (रुरोः प्रतिज्ञा—डुण्डुभोपदेशः)
डुण्ड्रुभ उवाच अहं पुरा रुरो नाम्ना ऋषिरासं सहस्रपात् । सो<हं शापेन विप्रस्य भुजगत्वमुपागत:,डुण्डुभने कहा--रुरो! मैं पूर्वजन्ममें सहस्रपाद नामक ऋषि था; किंतु एक ब्राह्मणके शापसे मुझे सर्पयोनिमें आना पड़ा है
Ḍuṇḍrubha uvāca: ahaṁ purā Ruro nāmnā ṛṣir āsaṁ sahasrapāt; so ’haṁ śāpena viprasya bhujagatvam upāgataḥ.
Ḍuṇḍrubha nói: “Thuở trước ta là một vị hiền triết tên Ruru, được gọi là ‘kẻ ngàn chân’. Nhưng vì lời nguyền của một bà-la-môn, ta đã sa vào thân phận loài rắn.”
डुण्ड्रुभ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral force of a brāhmaṇa’s curse and the principle that one’s present condition can be shaped by past actions and their consequences; it cautions against conduct that provokes righteous anger and emphasizes accountability.
Ḍuṇḍrubha identifies himself and explains his backstory: he was once the sage Ruru (called ‘sahasrapāt’), but due to a brāhmaṇa’s curse he has been transformed into a serpent, setting the context for the episode’s unfolding events.