The brāhmaṇa’s son cursed the King thus: On the seventh day from today a snake-bird will bite the most wretched one of that dynasty [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] because of his having broken the laws of etiquette by insulting my father. (37)
Thereafter, when the boy returned to the hermitage, he saw a snake on his father’s shoulder, and out of his grief he cried very loudly. (38)
O brāhmaṇas, the ṛṣi, who was born in the family of Aṅgirā Muni, hearing his son crying, gradually opened his eyes and saw the dead snake around his neck. (39)
He threw the dead snake aside and asked his son why he was crying, whether anyone had done him harm. On hearing this, the son explained to him what had happened. (40)
Bhāvārthadīpikā commentary by Śrīdharasvāmin
Through casting the snake [on him], he will be biten. In another reading: he will reduce to ashes. Me refers to my [Dynasty], which is likened to a glowing ember of the family. Tateti has the ārṣa short vowel. (37)
Whose means "on whose neck was the snake's body". Muktakāntha means "crying out loudly". (38-39)
Having cast aside that snake, [he asked] "By whom was harm done?" (40)
Bhāvārthadīpikā Commentary by Śrī Vaṃśīdhara
In the alternative reading dhakṣyati, the meaning is: Since a dead snake was cast by him on the body of my father, therefore the excellent snake (takṣaka), being alive and capable of transforming its body, known as Āmarā, will bite him at the very moment of biting. The phrase saptame'hani means: It is a fact that the king, having gone hunting, arrived at the great sage's hermitage in the middle of the day, afflicted by hunger and thirst, but did not receive hospitality. Becoming enraged, he placed a dead snake around the sage's neck, and then returned to the city remorseful. Thereafter, the sage's son, having heard from the young sages about the king's treatment of his father, cursed that the snake Takṣaka would bite the king on the seventh day. Then, returning to the hermitage and seeing his father in that condition, he cried. Hearing that, the sage, reproaching his son, sent his disciple named Gauramukha to the king's side to narrate the circumstances of the curse. Hearing this, the king, after consulting with his ministers, installed his son on the throne, went from the city to the bank of the Ganges, performed atonements, and sat down after taking a vow of fasting, surrounded by an assembly of sages. Then Śrī Śuka arrived from another region and began to recite the Śrīmad Bhāgavata to him. However, it is not possible to do all this in a single day, or even half a day. Moreover, Śrī Śuka also said upon arrival: "Seven days is the limit of your life. Prepare yourself for that entire period which will be your final journey." Likewise, the procedure for hearing the narrative is prescribed to begin from the morning itself, as stated: "Starting from sunrise", etc. For on the first day, the narrative should conclude with the dialogue of Manu and Kardama - but even that much is not feasible here! So how can comprehending the literal meaning as heard be sustained in this case? Here, this should be considered: The word 'cha' means 'and', and 'saptamam' means the 'seventh' of those seven days. According to the view of the Keralans, the word 'ma' denotes the number five, so everything is unobjectionable. Or, combined with the seven days, 'ma' means the twelfth day, with elision of the middle term in the compound. For the Keralans say: "The Pādyas are declared to be five." Accordingly, having completed all tasks within five days, Śrī Śukadeva recited the verses from the sixth day until the twelfth day. Thus, his statement "Seven days is the limit of your life" would also be consistent. Or, it should be concluded that the entire task was accomplished in a single day by the inconceivable powers of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (37)
Thereafter, the boy cried out as a consequence of the cursing. The meaning is: Being in a trance, he could not be awakened by words due to the constriction of his throat, hence the crying. (38-39)
"O child!" Here, by the principle of partial application, the word 'child' should be understood in the sense of 'one who is affectionate to me'. That Shringi then related to him the curse he had pronounced on the king. (40)
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava's Commentary
He displays a veritable thunderbolt of speech, thus: "He who has transgressed the bounds of propriety towards my father, that ill-wisher, on the seventh day from today, I have incited Takṣaka, the snake, to bite that ruinous one of the royal dynasty." (37)
Thereafter, the boy, having returned to his father's hermitage, crying out loudly, his throat released, on seeing his father with the snake's body on his neck, afflicted by grief - the meaning is that he performed the act of crying. (38) Then, O Brahmins, the son of Angiras, having heard his son's wailing, gradually opened his eyes and saw the dead serpent. (39)
Casting that aside, he questioned the son: "O child!" the remainder being "for what reason do you cry? Or by whom was harm done to you?" Thus addressed, the boy related the whole account. (40)
Commentary by Śrīmad Vijayādhvaja Tīrtha in Padaratāvalī
From today onwards, on the seventh day, the snake Takṣaka, instigated by me, will bite - this connects to "will burn" in the single sequence. Takṣaka, the specific serpent, incited by me, will bite King Parīkṣit, who transgressed bounds, the ruinous ember of the dynasty, and an ill-wisher towards my father, on the seventh day from now. The word 'sma' should be understood as conveying the sense of the future tense due to its potency. To indicate its capability even in burning the principal king of the Bhāgavata, this irregular sandhi 'vāyam' is formed. (37)
Having gone to the hermitage thereafter, on seeing his father with the serpent's body on his neck, he cried out loudly - this is the connection. Since one absorbed in trance cannot be roused by words, the meaning is that he cried out loudly, indicated by the word 'ha'. (38-39)
The son of Aṅgiras, that very Śamīka, having heard his son's wailing... (39)
Casting aside the serpent, he questioned the son: "For what reason do you cry?" - this is the connection. The natural sequence is reversed. (40)
Sārārthadarśinī Commentary by Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartin
Since a dead snake was cast on the body of my father, therefore the excellent living snake Takṣaka will devour him. In the reading dhakṣyati, it means "will burn to ashes." Incited by me. Tatadruham means one who is an ill-wisher towards my father. (37)
Gale means the compounded form without the case ending (aluk samāsa). (38-40)
Siddhāntadīpa Commentary by Śrī Śukadevā
Thus, "He who transgressed propriety by casting the snake, that ill-wisher and one who wronged him (my father), Takṣaka, the snake, instigated by me, will bite him on the seventh day from today." (37)
Having seen the snake's body on his (father's) neck, the one whose throat was released (mukta-kaṇṭhaḥ), he cried - this is a compound without case ending (aluk samāsa). (38)
That Śamīka, the son of Aṅgiras, having heard the wailing, opened his eyes and saw the dead serpent. Casting it aside, he questioned the son - this is the connection with the following verse. (39)
And having cast aside the dead serpent, he questioned the son: "O child! By whom has harm been done to you?" (40)
Subodhinī Commentary by Śrī Vallabhācārya
He explains the meaning with the words 'iti' (thus). In this way, Takṣaka, who transgressed propriety, will bite on the seventh day - the meaning is that by common convention, he will surely devour the ruinous ember of the dynasty, incited by me, the ill-wisher towards my father. By this, it is indicated that there will be no remedy for him. From the Vedic statement "There are indeed seven life-breaths in the head," it is said that even if he is a destroyer of life-breaths, he would live that long if the snake were placed on the head; only then would he die. Now, how can Takṣaka bite one born in the Pāṇḍava dynasty? To this, he says 'kulāṅgāram' (ruinous ember). If he is not burned now, while committing such a grave offense, he will ruin the entire dynasty, just like the Yādavas. Hence, Takṣaka will bite for the benefit of the Pāṇḍavas. If there is an apprehension that being requested, he may not bite, he says 'coditaḥ' (incited) by me - meaning, being instigated, he will do it no other way; otherwise, I will make him bite. The reason for giving this command is 'pitṛdruham' (ill-wisher towards my father). (37)
Having thus cursed, when that energy subsided, he came home in human form and cried - this is indicated by 'tataḥ' (thereafter). 'Gale' is a compound without case ending (aluk samāsa). Being a child, he did not know that the dead is alive, and on seeing such a father, afflicted by grief, his throat was released, making a coarse sound. But for the father himself, with the snake around his neck, it was certain that his throat was released. (38) What happened then is stated in 'sa vā' (or he). Born in the Aṅgiras family, his nobility is also indicated. Any doubt of his being a brahmin is removed by 'brahman'. For brahmins do not act otherwise; their trance does not break even by a violent sound, like in a dream. Then, gradually opening his eyes and seeing the snake on his shoulders, he first cast it aside due to his nature, not otherwise, since the speech was possible since the son was present. (39)
He asked the very question with 'vatseti' (O child!). With the ending 'kṛtam' (done), there are two sentences: "For what reason do you cry?" and "Or by whom was harm done to you?" Since there was no need for a detailed account, he says concisely 'sarvam' (the whole). (40)
Subodhinī Prakāśa Commentary by Śrī Purushottama Gosvāmī
In relation to "having heard" (niśamya), tasya (his) refers to the son. (40)
Bālaprabodhinī Commentary by Śrī Giridhara
He shows the curse pronounced by him (the son) - "Thus, since propriety was transgressed by the act of placing the snake, by which ill-wisher towards my father, the destroyer of his own dynasty, the king worthy of being cursed, will be devoured by Takṣaka on the seventh day from today, incited by me. In the reading 'dhakṣyati', it means 'will burn to ashes'. The word 'sma' is for completing the metrical foot. The lengthening of the vowel in 'tata' is a Vedic license." (37)
After pronouncing the curse, he went to his father's hermitage. Having seen his father with the snake on his neck, the child, afflicted with grief, cried aloud with a released throat. The word 'ha' indicates his ignorance - for where is the giving of the curse, and where is his own crying? (38)
Then, the son of Aṅgiras, Śamīka, having heard the wailing of his son, gradually opened his eyes, saw the dead serpent on his shoulders, cast it aside, and questioned the son - this connects the two verses. He asks the very question: "O child! For what particular reason do you cry? Or by whom has harm been done to you?" Thus questioned, the child narrated the whole incident. (39-40)
Hindi Translation
'Parikshit, the ruinous ember of the dynasty, transgressed propriety by insulting my father; therefore, on the seventh day from today, instigated by me, the serpent Takshaka will bite him.' (37)
After that, the child came to his hermitage and seeing the snake around his father's neck, he felt extremely sorrowful and began to cry loudly. (38)
O great sage Shaunaka! Hearing the wailing of his son, the sage Shameek gradually opened his eyes and saw a dead serpent lying around his neck. (39)
Casting it aside, he asked his son, "Child! Why are you crying? Who has harmed you?" When asked thus, the child narrated the whole incident. (40)
SB 1.18.37-40
