Day0311 SB 1.18.35-37_danger of immature spirituality, and ideal reaction of a true devotee

• Śṛṅgi, the sage’s young son, upon hearing this, became enraged and cursed Parīkṣit
• He Says-After the departure of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead and supreme ruler of everyone, these upstarts have flourished, our protector being gone. Therefore I myself shall take up this matter and punish them. Just witness my power.
• The son of the ṛṣi, his eyes red-hot with anger, touched the water of the River Kauśika while speaking to his playmates and discharged the following thunderbolt of words.
• 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.
• The inexperienced brāhmaṇa, puffed up by a little brahma-tejas, became influenced by the spell of Kali-yuga.
• The personality of Kali-yuga, was seeking the opportunity to establish authority, and by the grace of the Lord he found a hole in the puffed-up, inexperienced son of a brāhmaṇa.
• The little brāhmaṇa wanted to show his prowess in destruction, and he had the audacity to punish such a great king as Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
• He wanted to take the place of Lord Kṛṣṇa after His departure. These are the principal signs of upstarts who want to take the place of Śrī Kṛṣṇa under the influence of the Age of Kali
• An upstart with a little power wants to become an incarnation of the Lord. There are many false incarnations after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the face of the globe, and they are misleading the innocent public.
• Śṛṅgi, just a boy and not fully spiritually mature, reacts with intense ego and anger, claiming:
• Śṛṅgi represents those who, though born in high lineage (brahmaṇa), lack depth of spiritual understanding.
• BG 3.27 – prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni – people think they are doers, but actually, they are under modes of nature. Śṛṅgi thought he was the punisher.
• Dharma must be upheld with humility, not pride. Kṛṣṇa Himself never acted with false ego, even as the Supreme Lord.
• Even if one is born in a brahminical family, without tolerance and spiritual maturity, one can misuse power.
• The circumstances under which Mahārāja Parīkṣit was cursed were simply childish
• Śṛṅgi was showing his impudency amongst his playmates, who were innocent.
• By killing a king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, just to make a show of acquired brahminical power, the inexperienced son of a brāhmaṇa committed a great mistake.
• Śṛṅgi utters a curse (vāk-vajra) — literally a thunderbolt of speech — showing the potency of brāhmaṇa speech.
• Manu-saṁhitā 2.114: “The word of a brāhmaṇa is as authoritative as a scripture when backed by purity and tapasya.”
• But here, the intent was born of anger, not compassion. Thus, the outcome is tragic.
• Moral: Words, especially of those in spiritual positions, must be used with great caution. Like fire, they can either purify or burn.
• 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
• Moral: Even a curse, if coming under the Lord's supervision, becomes a blessing.
• Anger:
• Even brāhmaṇas can fall from spiritual dignity if overcome by anger.
• Speech:
• Brāhmaṇical words carry weight — they should be used for upliftment, not destruction.
• False Ego:
• Declaring oneself the upholder of dharma without understanding can lead to offenses.
• Divine Will:
• The Lord orchestrates events (even apparent misfortunes) for a greater good.
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja:
• His acceptance of the curse shows ideal detachment and surrender.
• Śṛṅgi’s act shows the danger of immature spirituality, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s response shows the ideal reaction of a true devotee.
Let us pray to be like Parīkṣit, tolerant and humble, and avoid the path of egoistic judgment like Śṛṅgi.