Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19
किं पुनर्जलसर्पोऽयं निर्विषो रज्जुसंनिभः । न मामुद्दिश्य निर्मुक्तः सर्पोऽनेन द्विजन्मना । शापमोक्षं कुरुष्वास्य तस्माच्छीघ्रं द्विजन्मनः
kiṃ punarjalasarpo'yaṃ nirviṣo rajjusaṃnibhaḥ | na māmuddiśya nirmuktaḥ sarpo'nena dvijanmanā | śāpamokṣaṃ kuruṣvāsya tasmācchīghraṃ dvijanmanaḥ
“Huống chi con rắn nước này—không nọc, chỉ như sợi dây—làm sao có thể gây hại? Hình rắn này không do vị ‘nhị sinh’ kia thả ra với ý nhắm đến ta. Vậy nên, hỡi bậc nhị sinh, hãy mau ban cho người ấy sự giải thoát khỏi lời nguyền.”
Bhṛgu (continuing admonition/instruction to Cyavana)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A harmless water-snake, pale and rope-like, lies near a sacred water-edge while a concerned speaker urges a twice-born sage to grant immediate release from a curse; the atmosphere is tense yet compassionate.
FAQs
A curse should be lifted when its application is unjust; compassion and discernment are central to dharma.
The verse is part of the lead-up; the place-based resolution is connected with Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra mentioned later.
The prescription is juridical-spiritual rather than ritual: to perform śāpa-mokṣa (formal release from a curse).
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