Text 1: Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: While returning home, the King [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] felt that the act he had committed against the faultless and powerful brāhmaṇa was heinous and uncivilized. Consequently he was distressed.
Text 2: [King Parīkṣit thought:] Due to my neglecting the injunctions of the Supreme Lord I must certainly expect some difficulty to overcome me in the near future. I now desire without reservation that the calamity come now, for in this way I may be freed of the sinful action and not commit such an offense again.
Text 3: I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brāhmaṇa’s wrath so that in the future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.
Text 4: While the King was thus repenting, he received news of his imminent death, which would be due to the bite of a snake-bird, occasioned by the curse spoken by the sage’s son. The King accepted this as good news, for it would be the cause of his indifference toward worldly things.
Śrīdharasvāmi's Bhāvārthadīpikā:
While seated on the bank of the Ganges, surrounded by yogis, the arrival of Śukadeva there is described in the twentieth chapter. Reflecting on his sinful act of insulting the sage and neglecting the cow (protection), he became extremely distressed. He expresses his anguish with the words "aho nīcaṃ pāpam" (alas, I am vile and sinful). In the reading "amīva," the meaning is the same. He insulted the one in whom the profound power is hidden, i.e., the brahmin. (1)
Whatever sin was committed by me due to disregarding the Lord's injunctions—from that, some calamity will certainly befall me. But let it come without much delay, let it come directly upon me and not through my son or others. This is his prayer, expressed unhesitatingly. The purpose of this prayer is for the removal of sin and atonement, so that he may not commit such an act again. (2)
Thus praying for calamity to directly befall himself, he further prays: "Let the enraged brahmin community itself burn my kingdom and power today, so that my mind may never again engage in tormenting the twice-born and others." (3)
While thinking thus, the King heard how death would come to him on the seventh day, as stated by the sage's son. Hearing this from the messenger sent by Śamīka, he considered the serpent's venom as auspicious, for it would lead to detachment from sense objects for one who is attached to them. (4)
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara's Bhāvārthadīpikā Prakāśa:
While seated, having fasted until death, on the bank of the Ganges (1), then, after returning home. (He felt remorse) towards the faultless, sinless brahmin, for the smṛti states, "A brahmin, especially a faultless one, should not be disrespected." Gūḍhatejasi refers to the one in whom the profound power lies hidden and unmanifest - that is, the brahmin. This is according to the quote from Amarakośa which states: 'Brahman, Veda, austerity, truth - by these names the brahmin is called, for he is the creator (Prajāpati).' The term gūḍhatejasi is used to indicate his exceptional power. (1)
And reflecting that such a misdeed would inevitably lead to inescapable calamity, he says, "dhruvaṃ" (certainly). Ity artha means "having this sense." Disrespecting the brahmin also amounts to disrespecting Viṣṇu, as stated, "I ever move on this earth in the form of the brahmin." Therefore, it is due to disregarding the Lord. Dhruvaṃ means certainly, unavoidable. Vyasanaṃ means misery, as per the dictionary definition, "vyasanaṃ is used in the sense of calamity, distress." Anticipating such a calamity in his mind, he says, "tat" (that). (3)
Brahmakula means brahmin community itself, not just one brahmin, indicating his extremely remorseful attitude. Me means "desired by me." Adyaiva means without delay. The unusual word order is solely to indicate the King's great remorse. Dvijāḥ ca devatāḥ ca is a dvandva compound meaning "the twice-born and the deities." Or, dvijadevatāḥ means "the deities residing in the twice-born," as per the Śruti, "Whatever deities exist, all reside in the brahmin who knows the Veda." Hence, in other scriptures it is stated that a brahmin should not hold a heated seal, out of respect for the indwelling deities. Abhadrāṃstān means "those lacking brilliance, i.e., the unwise." Drāti means "insults." This is said in consideration of his own misdeeds. Ity artham means "for this purpose," with the fourth case-ending implied by the rule kriyārthopapad-ādi. (3)
Then, after such lamentation. From Śiṣya Dauramukha: "O King! Having heard the curse imprudently given by the child, our Guru repeatedly censured him and, being unable to find a remedy, and being compassionate towards you, instructed me thus: 'Let the King make some endeavor for the other world,' and with these words, he dismissed me. The King, forgiving his own offense, and considering the sage's likely embarrassment and his own ultimate fate due to the curse, did not go there out of a sense of propriety." (4)
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava's Commentary
The king (mahīpatir), after entering his city, reflecting on that sinful act of killing the snake which was to be protected, became remorseful and self-condemning. This is what he shows in these two and a half verses: "Alas! I have committed a vile act against the faultless brahmin possessing inscrutable, unmanifest spiritual power. Truly, I have committed a sin." (1) Thereafter, due to that base act which amounted to disregarding the Lord, he says: "Not only have I disrespected the brahmin, but in effect I have disregarded the Lord Himself. For me, extreme misery and calamity that is impossible to overcome will certainly arise, and soon. May that very calamity purge me today, though sinful as I am." He questions himself: "Why do you wish for misery?" To this he replies: "So that I may never again commit such an evil deed - or rather, so that I definitely never commit it again." The word addhā is an indeclinable emphatic particle used for instructing. (1-2)
"Today, may the brahmin community's wrath, which I have kindled, burn down my kingdom, army, abundant wealth and treasury - so that my mind never again entertains such sinful thoughts as disrespecting the twice-born, deities and cows. May it burn them down for the sake of this lesson." (3)
Reflecting thus, the king heard how Death itself, called Taksaka, was pronounced as a curse by the sage's son, exactly as stated. Thereafter, being attached to objects of sensual pleasure, the king considered this to be the very cause for his detachment, being pregnant with that very effect. He therefore accepted Death in the form of the serpent Taksaka as good. (4)
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja tīrtha-kṛtā Padaratnāvalī
Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: While returning home, the King contemplated the uncivilized act he had committed against the faultless and powerful brāhmaṇa, and his mind became extremely distressed. (1)
[The King thought:] Due to my transgression of the Lord's order through this grievous act, I have certainly gained both merit and demerit in an impure way, which was undesirable. (2)
Therefore, being deluded by false ego, I consider myself indifferent to brahminical culture, cows, and the Vedic knowledge. You should know that I desire that the fire of the angry brāhmaṇa class burns up my kingdom and everything else immediately, so that I do not develop such inauspicious attitudes again. (3)
However, on receiving the news of his impending death due to the curse of the sage's son, in the form of being bitten by the king of serpents, the self-realized soul [King Parīkṣit] saw this opportunity for indifference towards worldly things as good news and spoke thus. (4)
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī's Krama Sandarbha
3-5) Regarding "adyaiva" (today itself): [The meaning is that] today itself, taking the enraged brāhmaṇa community as the instrument, may my kingdom etc. depart from me, as if burnt by fire directly. Since it would be inappropriate to wish for the destruction of others like brāhmaṇas, it is meant that [only my] kingdom etc. [should be destroyed].
Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī's Sārārtha Darśinī:
After the King felt remorse and detachment due to the deed [he had done], the arrival of Śrī Śukadeva at the assembly of the great sages in the twenty-sixth [chapter is described].
Then, even while returning home, he became extremely distressed. He expresses his anxiety in one and a half verses. Nīcam means condemned. In the reading "amīvam", it means sin. Brahmaṇi means a brāhmaṇa. (1) Addhā means directly, not through a son etc. (2) There was no thought in me to torment the brāhmaṇas and deities, nor should there be. (3) He heard from Gauramukha, the disciple sent by Śamīka, how death in the form of the serpent Takṣaka would come on the seventh day, in this way: "O King! Having heard the curse given by the ignorant child, our guru felt remorseful again and again. Not finding any remedy, he was dejected but, being compassionate towards you, he instructed me, 'Let the King make an effort for the other world after understanding this.'" Having been told this, the King forgave the offense against him, but did not go there [to the sage], out of shyness and contemplating the arising embarrassment for the sage and his own unwillingness for the curse to end, because he considered the fire of Takṣaka's venom as good for one attached [to the world] like him, a cause for detachment. (4)
Śrī Śuka Deva's Siddhānta Pradīpa:
Then, after entering the city, the King, contemplating the condemned act of throwing the serpent at the sage, which he had committed, became extremely distressed. He expresses his anxiety as "aho" in one and a half verses. Aho! I have committed a sin against the brāhmaṇa in an unworthy manner. (1)
Therefore, due to that reason, which was the transgression of the Lord in the form of disrespecting the object of meditation, misery which is difficult to overcome will certainly occur. However, may it not occur after a long time, but directly. And in that case too, may it occur as desired, not with reservation. He states the purpose: "For me, who has committed sin, so that I do not do it again." (2)
Today itself, may the fire of the enraged brāhmaṇa community, kindled by me, burn my army, prosperous treasury, etc. And may my mind never again have the most sinful thought of disrespecting the race of sages, brāhmaṇas, etc. (3)
Contemplating thus, King Parīkṣit heard from Gauramukha, the disciple sent by Śamīka, that death in the form of the serpent Takṣaka would bite him on the seventh day, as stated. Then, after hearing this, King Parīkṣit considered the fire of Takṣaka's venom as the cause of detachment for himself, who was attached to the kingdom, etc. He did not think of a remedy for it. The meaning is that he did not consider it good [to avoid death] after a long time. (4)
SB 1.19.1-4
