By The importance of cleanliness and the care required to provide quality food to guests are mentioned here. The difference between Kshatriya and Brahmana is also discussed. Further, not all curses would materialise but under what circumstances would a curse fail to take effect is also narrated.
SRIMAD MAHABHARATA – AADI PARVA – PAUSHYA (UPA) PARVA – PART 3(F) – PAUSHYA AND UTTANKA
“Soota continued, “Thus addressed, his Upaadhyaayini replied, ‘Go to King Paushya and beg (Bhiksha in Sanskrit) of him the pair of ear-rings worn by his Queen, and bring them here. The fourth day from now is a sacred day, when I wish to appear before the Brahmanas (who may dine at my house) decked with these ear-rings. Then accomplish this, O Uttanka! If you should succeed, good fortune shall attend you; if not, what good can you expect?’
“Uttanka thus commanded, took his departure. As he was passing along the road he saw a bull of extraordinary size and a man of uncommon height mounted thereon (the bull). That man addressed Uttanka and said, ‘You eat the dung of this bull.’ However, Uttanka was unwilling to obey. The man said again, ‘O Uttanka, eat of it without inspection. Your Upaadhyaaya ate of it before.’ Uttanka signified his acceptance and ate of the dung and drank of the urine of that bull, and rose respectfully, and washing his hands and mouth went to where King Paushya was.
“On arriving at the palace, Uttanka saw (King) Paushya seated (on his throne). Approaching him Uttanka saluted the monarch (King Paushya) by pronouncing blessings and said, ‘I have come as a petitioner to you.’ King Paushya, having returned Uttanka’s salutations, said, ‘Sir, what shall I do for you?’ Uttanka said, ‘I came to beg of you a pair of ear-rings as a present to my Upaadhyaayini. It is your duty to give me the ear-rings worn by the Queen.’
“King Paushya replied, ‘Go, Uttanka, into the female castle where the Queen is and demand them of her.’ Uttanka went into the women’s castle. But as he could not discover the Queen, he again addressed the king (Paushya), saying, ‘It is not proper that I should be treated by you with trickery. Your Queen is not in the private castle, for I could not find her.’ The king (Paushya) thus addressed, considered for a while and replied, ‘Recollect Sir (Uttanka) with attention, whether you are not in a state of dirtyness in consequence of contact with the impurities of a meal. My Queen is a chaste wife (Pativrata in Sanskrit) and cannot be seen by anyone who is impure owing to contact with the leavings of a meal. Nor does she herself appear in sight of any one who is dirty.’
“Thus informed, Uttanka thought for a while and then said, ‘Yes, it must be so. Having been in a hurry I performed my ablutions (after meal) in a standing posture.’ King Paushya then said, ‘Here is a wrongdoing, purification is not properly effected by one in a standing posture, not by one while he is going along.’ Uttanka having agreed to this, sat down with his face towards the east, and washed his face, hands, and feet thoroughly. He then, without a noise, sipped thrice of water free from dirt and froth, and not warm, and just sufficient to reach his stomach and wiped his face twice. He then touched with water the apertures of his organs (eyes, ears, etc.).
“Having done all this, he once more entered the castle of the women (Antapura in Sanskrit). This time he saw the Queen. As the Queen recognised him, she saluted him respectfully and said, ‘Welcome Sir, command me what I have to do.’ Uttanka said to her, ‘It is your duty to give me those ear-rings of yours. I beg them as a Guru Artha for my Upaadhyaayini.’ The Queen having been highly pleased with Uttanka’s behaviour and, considering that Uttanka as an object of charity could not be passed over, took off her ear-rings and gave them to him. She said, ‘These ear-rings are very much sought after by Naagaraja Takshaka. Therefore, you should carry them with the greatest care.’
“Uttanka being told this, said to the Queen, ‘Lady, be under no worry. Naagaraja Takshaka is not able to overtake me.’ Having said this, and taking leave of the Queen, he went back into the presence of (King) Paushya, and said, ‘Paushya, I am pleased.’ Then Paushya said to Uttanka, ‘A fit object of charity can only be given after a long period of time. You are a qualified guest, therefore do I desire to perform a sraddha. You stay for a sometime.’
“Uttanka replied, ‘Yes, I will stay, and beg that the clean provisions (of food) that are ready may be soon brought in.’ The king (Paushya) having signified his acceptance, entertained Uttanka duly. Uttanka seeing that the food placed before him had hair in it, and also that it was cold, thought it unclean. He said to (King) Paushya, ‘You gave me food that is unclean, therefore you shall lose your (eye)sight.’ Paushya in answer said, ‘Because you do represent uncleanliness to food that is clean, therefore you shall be without issue (children).’ Uttanka immediately rejoined, ‘It is your responsibility not, after having offered me unclean food, to curse me in return. Satisfy yourself by proof of your own vision (at the food).’
“(King) Paushya seeing the food alleged to be unclean satisfied himself of its uncleanliness. Paushya having confirmed that the food was truly unclean, being cold and mixed with hair, prepared as it was by a woman with untied (loose) hair, began to pacify the Rishi Uttanka, saying, ‘Sir, the food placed before you is cold, and does contain hair, having been prepared without sufficient care. Therefore, I pray you to forgive me. Let me not become blind.’
“Uttanka answered, ‘What I said (in my curse) must happen. Having become blind, you may, however, recover the (eye)sight in a short span of time. Grant that your curse also does not take effect on me.’ (King) Paushya said to him, ‘I am unable to revoke my curse. For my anger now has not been pacified. But you do not know this. For a Brahmana’s heart is soft as new-churned butter, even though his words bear a sharp-edged sword. It is otherwise in respect of these with the Kshatriya. His (Kshatriya’s) words are soft as new-churned butter, but his heart is like a sharp-edged tool, such being the case, I am unable, because of the hardness of my heart, to neutralise my curse. Then you go your own way.’
“To this Uttanka made answer, ‘I showed you the uncleanliness of the food offered to me, and I was now pacified by you. Besides, you said at first that because I represent uncleanliness to food that was clean I should be without issue (children). But the food truly unclean, your curse cannot affect me. Of this I am sure.’ Uttanka having said this left with the ear-rings.
