Brāhmaṇa-māhātmya: Tārkṣya’s instruction on tapas, satya, and svadharma
Chapter 182
तत्र हागस्त्य: पादेन वहन् स्पृष्टो मया मुनि: । अगस्त्येन ततो<स्म्युक्त: सर्पस्त्वं च भवेति ह,स्वर्गमें मुनिवर अगस्त्य जब मेरी पालकी ढो रहे थे, तब मैंने उन्हें लात मारी, इसलिये उन्होंने मुझे ऐसा कहा कि “तू निश्चय ही सर्प हो जा”
tatra hāgastyaḥ pādena vahan spṛṣṭo mayā muniḥ | agastyena tato 'smy uktaḥ sarpastvaṃ ca bhaveti ha ||
Con rắn nói: “Tại đó, nơi cõi trời, khi hiền giả Agastya đang khiêng ta, ta đã dùng chân đá vào bậc ẩn sĩ. Vì thế, Agastya liền giáng lời nguyền lên ta: ‘Ngươi nhất định sẽ hóa thành rắn.’”
सर्प उवाच
Disrespect toward the virtuous—especially ascetics who embody restraint and dharma—brings immediate moral repercussions; humility and reverence are safeguards against self-inflicted downfall.
The serpent narrates his past: when Agastya was carrying him, he kicked the sage, and Agastya responded by declaring that he would become a serpent—explaining the origin of his present condition.