# The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section XLI

Section XLI. ( Astika Parva continued. )
Sauti said, "Thus addressed, and hearing that his sire was bearing a dead snake, the powerful Sringi burned with wrath. And looking at Krisha, and speaking softly, he asked him, 'Pray, why doth my father bear to-day a dead snake?' And Krisha replied, 'Even as the king Parikshita was roving for purposes of hunting, O dear one, he placed the dead snake the shoulder of thy sire?'
"And Sringi asked, 'What wrong was done to that wicked monarch by my father? O Krisha tell me this, and witness thou the force of my asceticism.'
"And Krisha answered, 'King Parikshita, the son of Abhimanyu, while hunting, wounded a fleet stag with an arrow and chased it alone. And the king lost sight the animal in that extensive wilderness. And on seeing thy sire, he immediately accosted him. He was then observing the vow of silence. Oppressed by hunger, thirst, and labour, the prince again and again asked thy father sitting motionless, about the ​missing deer. And the sage being under the vow of silence returneth no reply. And the king thereupon placeth the snake on thy father's shoulder with the end of his bow. O Sringi, thy father engaged in devotion is in the same posture still. And the king also hath gone to his capital named after the elephant?'"
Sauti continued, "Having heard of a dead snake being placed upon his (father's) shoulder, the son of the Rishi, his eyes reddening with anger, as it were flamed up with rage. And possessed by anger, the puissant Rishi then cursed the king, touching water and overcome with wrath.
"And Sringi said, 'That sinful wretch of a monarch who hath placed a dead snake on the shoulder of my lean and old parent, that insulter of Brahmanas and tarnisher of the fame of the Kurus, shall be taken within seven nights hence to the regions of Yama by the snake Takshaka, the powerful king of serpents, stimulated thereto by the strength of my words.'"
Sauti continued, "And having thus cursed (the king) from anger, Sringi went to his father, and saw the sage sitting in the cow-pen, bearing the dead snake. And seeing his parent in that plight, he was again inflamed with ire. And he shed tears of grief, and addressed his sire, saying, 'Father, having been informed of this thy disgrace at the hands of that wicked wretch, the king Parikshita, I have from anger even cursed him; and that worst of Kurus hath richly deserved my potent curse. Seven days hence, Takshaka, the lord of snakes, shall take the sinful king to the horrible mansions of death.' And the father said to the enraged son, 'Child, I am not pleased with thee. Ascetics should not act thus. We live in the domains of that great king. We are protected by him righteously. In all he does, the reigning king should by the like of us be forgiven. If thou destroy Dharma, verily Dharma will destroy thee. If the king doth not properly protect us, we fare very ill; we can not perform our religious rites according to our desire. But protected by righteous sovereigns, we attain immense merit, and they are entitled to a share thereof. Therefore reigning royalty is by all means to be forgiven. And Parikshita like unto his great-grand-sire protecteth us as a king should protect his subjects. That ​penance-practising monarch was fatigued and oppressed with hunger. Ignorant of my vow (of silence) he did this. A kingless country always suffereth from evils. The king punisheth offenders, and fear of punishments conduceth to peace; and people do their duties and perform their rites undisturbed. The king establisheth religion (Dharma) and religion establisheth the kingdom of heaven. The king protecteth sacrifices from annoyance, and sacrifices please the gods. The gods cause rain, and rain produceth medicinal herbs, which are always useful to man. Manu sayeth, a ruler of the destinies of men is equal (in dignity) to ten veda-studying priests. Fatigued and oppressed with hunger, that penance-practicing prince hath done this through ignorance of my vow. Why then hast thou rashly done this unrighteous action, through childishness? O son, in no ways doth the king deserve a curse from us.'"
And so ends the forty-first Section in the Astika of the Adi Parva.