Sampoorna Mahabharata • సంపూర్ణ శ్రీమహాభారతము • Episode 27

Shamika rebukes Shrngi

Even when the snake was thrown around him, the rishi remained calm. Observing this, Parikshit repented and thought, ‘What I have done is wrong. I have insulted a Maharishi’. He was scared to throw away the snake from the rishi’s neck. The rishi tolerated the insult but did not curse the king.

This Maharishi had a son Shrngi, a great ascetic, youthful, energetic, wrathful and who strictly followed vows. For a long time, with restrained mind and senses, he was meditating seeking wellbeing of all entities. The day Parikshit threw the snake was the last day of his stay in his Guru’s home. Having completed his education, he set out for his home.

Midway his friend Krisha laughingly mocked, ‘A dead snake hangs on your father’s neck’. Instantly Shrngi was angered.

Krisha further instigated, ‘Abandon your pride at being an ascetic. Show your might on him who insulted your father who is sinless. Even when your father is insulted you remain unaffected. Where is your self-pride? I am grieving as if my own father has been insulted’.

Shrngi was incensed. He said, ‘Give me a detailed account of what happened’.

Krisha told him of all the events that led to Parikshit throwing the snake around Maharishi Shamika’s neck and concluded, ‘But your father remained undisturbed in samadhi’.

Shrngi’s eyes turned red. Holding water he cursed, ‘My aged father is engaged in mouna vrata. By throwing a dead snake, Parikshit has insulted brahmins. He has brought ill-repute to Kuru lineage. On the 7th day from today, may this wicked man be reduced to dust due to Takshaka’s poisonous bite’.

Quickly he rushed home. Seeing the dead snake around his father’s neck, he grieved and said, ‘I have cursed that wicked man who has done this. He will die on the 7th day from today’.

Maharishi Shamika said, ‘Is it right to curse a king? This behaviour is unacceptable for the ascetics engaged in penance. I am unhappy with your deed.

The king has to be pardoned, for, he is an embodiment of dharma. If dharma is killed, it will kill us. If king does not protect us, we are harmed.

In the absence of king, we cannot adhere to dharma. As long as king rules righteously, we are safe and can peacefully complete our righteous duties. Hence a king gets a share in all our good deeds.

Due to this, even if the king has erred, we must forgive him. Like his great-grandfather Pandu, Parikshit protects us well. More importantly, think of his condition. He was hungry and thirsty when he arrived. He was unaware of my mouna and hence acted thus.

A land without king becomes a hub for burglars. Disregarding dharma, people behave wickedly. A king’s punishments instil fear in the wicked. Due to this fear, peace prevails.

A person who fears burglars can never conduct his righteous duties properly. One who is agitated cannot complete yagnas or shrāddha ceremonies properly.

When a king establishes dharma, it facilitates others to reach heaven. Due to his protection alone Brahmins are able to perform yagnas satisfactorily and appease the Devatas. When Gods are pleased, timely rains occur, which lead to good food and medicinal crops, which in turn lead to prosperity of mankind. All this occurs only due to a good king.

Manu has said that a king is equal to 10 srotriyas. This is his greatness. The king acted out of fatigue but not out of pride. In your youthfulness you have acted hastily. Your deed is wrong’.

Shrngi said, ‘Father, my deed may be inapt, disliked by you and sinful. But my curse can never go in vain. Even jokingly I don’t tell lies’.

Shamika said, ‘I know that you eternally adhere to truthfulness. I know about your anger. So I know the outcome of your words.

But yet, a father should, understanding his son’s mental state and age, counsel him about good deeds seeking that he gets good qualities and renown. You are still a boy. It is my duty to correct you.

It is good that your penance bestowed you with mystical powers. But anger exists even in those who acquire powers. You are my son but childish and rash. So I seek to teach you.

Develop sense-restraint. Sustain only on roots and fruits from the forests. Restrain anger. Never abandon dharma.

Anger destroys dharma. It can lead even Yatis into sorrows. Those who do not abide by dharma can never fulfil desires. Penance undertaken along with anger always goes for a waste. Further, even the 8 mystical powers acquired by him with enormous effort turn useless.

There is no use of talking much about this. Understand that a person engaged in penance should discard anger’.