FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.37

इति लङ्घितमर्यादं तक्षक: सप्तमेऽहनि । दङ्‍क्ष्यति स्म कुलाङ्गारं चोदितो मे ततद्रुहम् ॥ ३७ ॥
iti laṅghita-maryādaṁ
[iti langhita-maryaadam]
takṣakaḥ saptame ’hani
[takshakah saptame ’hani]
daṅkṣyati sma kulāṅgāraṁ
[dankshyati sma kulaangaaram]
codito me tata-druham
[chodito me tata-druham]
iti — thus laṅghita — surpassing maryādam — etiquette takṣakaḥ — snake-bird saptame — on the seventh ahani — day daṅkṣyati — will bite sma — certainly kula-aṅgāram — the wretched of the dynasty coditaḥ — having done me — my tata-druham — enmity towards the father.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
iti laṅghita-maryādaṁ
iti
thus
laṅghita
surpassing
maryādam
etiquette
takṣakaḥ saptame ’hani
takṣakaḥ
snake-bird
saptame
on the seventh
ahani
day
daṅkṣyati sma kulāṅgāraṁ
daṅkṣyati
will bite
sma
certainly
kula-aṅgāram
the wretched of the dynasty
codito me tata-druham
coditaḥ
having done
me
my
tata-druham
enmity towards the father.
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.

Thus the beginning of the misuse of brahminical power began, and gradually the brāhmaṇas in the Age of Kali became devoid of both brahminical powers and culture. The brāhmaṇa boy considered Mahārāja Parīkṣit to be kulāṅgāra, or the wretched of the dynasty, but factually the brāhmaṇa boy himself was so because only from him did the brāhmaṇa caste become powerless, like the snake whose poisoned teeth are broken. The snake is fearful as long as his poison teeth are there, otherwise he is fearful only to children. The personality of Kali conquered the brāhmaṇa boy first, and gradually the other castes. Thus the whole scientific system of the orders of society in this age has assumed the form of a vitiated caste system, which is now being uprooted by another class of men similarly influenced by the Age of Kali. One should see to the root cause of vitiation and not try to condemn the system as it is, without knowledge of its scientific value.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
By my order Takṣaka will bite this black sheep of his family, offender of my father, and a trespasser of boundaries.
Commentary

Because he placed a dead snake on the body of my father, Takṣaka a living snake, will bite him. Another version has dhakṣayti, “he will burn him to ashes.” Inspired by me (coditaḥ me) the snake will bite. Tata-druham means the same as tāta-druham (offender of my father).

On the seventh day a snake-bird will bite the most wretched one of that dynasty for insulting my father. The curse is precise. Anger here produces a date and a means. Precision can be cruelty.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I been too 'precise' in my anger?
  • What broader compassion would dissolve a specific resentment?
📝 My note

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