सर्पाणां तु वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषामिति चेति च। वासुकेश्च वचः श्रुत्वा एलापत्रोऽब्रवीदिदम्
Having heard the words of all the serpents, and also Vasuki's speech, Elapatra spoke these words.
प्रागेव दर्शिता बुद्धिर्मयैषा भुजगोत्तमाः। हेयेति यदि वो बुद्धिस्तवापि च तथा प्रभो
This plan was shown earlier by me, O chief of serpents; if your intention is to abandon it, then so be it, O lord.
अस्तु कामं मभाद्यापि बुद्धिः स्मरणमागता। तां शृणुध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि याथातथ्येन पन्नगाः
Let it be as you wish, even if the plan is recalled; listen, O serpents, I will speak it to you truthfully.
न स यज्ञो न भविता न स राजा तथाविधः। जनमेजयः पाण्डवेयो यतोऽस्माकं महद्भयम्
That sacrifice will not occur, nor will that king be such; Janamejaya, the Pandava, from whom our great fear arises.
दैवेनोपहतो राजन्यो भवेदिह पूरुषः। स दैवमेवाश्रयेत नान्यत्तत्र परायणम्
When a royal person is struck down by fate in this world, he should rely only upon destiny; there is no other refuge in that matter.
तदिदं चैवमस्माकं भयं पन्नगसत्तमाः। दैवमेवाश्रयामोऽत्र शृणुध्वं च वचो मम
Therefore, O best among serpents, this is the fear that has come upon us; let us rely here upon destiny alone, and listen to my words.
अहं शापे समुत्सृष्टे समश्रौषं वचस्तदा। मातुरुत्सङ्गमारूढो भयात्पन्नगसत्तमाः। देवानां पन्नगश्रेष्ठास्तीक्ष्णास्तीक्ष्ण इति प्रभो
When the curse was pronounced, I heard those words at that time, O best among serpents, seated in my mother's lap out of fear; the gods, O lord, called the foremost serpents 'fierce, fierce.'
शापदुःखाग्नितप्तानां पन्नगानामनामयम्। कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टाः प्रार्थयन्तो दिवौकसः
The gods, moved by great compassion, prayed for the well-being of the serpents afflicted by the fire of the curse's suffering.
का हि लब्ध्वा प्रियान्पुत्राञ्शपेदेवं पितामह। ऋते कद्रूं तीक्ष्णरूपां देवदेव तवाग्रतः
What father, having obtained beloved sons, would curse them so, O grandsire, except for Kadru, fierce in form, before you, O lord of gods?
तथेति च वचस्तस्यास्त्वयाप्युक्तं पितामह। इच्छाम एतद्विज्ञातुं कारणं यन्न वारिता
And you, O grandsire, also spoke the words 'so be it' to her; we wish to know the reason why you did not prevent it.
बहवः पन्नगास्तीक्ष्णा घोररूपा विषोल्बणाः। प्रजानां हितकामोऽहं न च वारितवांस्तदा
Many serpents are fierce, terrifying in form, and abundant in poison; desiring the welfare of creatures, I did not restrain her then.
ये दन्दशूकाः क्षुद्राश्च पापाचारा विषोल्बणाः। तेषां विनाशो भविता न तु ये धर्मचारिणः
Those who are small, wicked in conduct, and abundant in poison among the snakes will perish, but not those who follow righteousness.
यन्निमित्तं च भविता मोक्षस्तेषां महाभयात्। पन्नगानां निबोधध्वं तस्मिन्काले समागते
Hear now, when the time comes, the cause by which liberation from great fear will occur for the serpents.
यायावरकुले धीमान्भविष्यति महानृषिः। जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातस्तपस्वी नियतेन्द्रियः
In the lineage of wandering ascetics, a great sage will be born, renowned as Jaratkaru, devoted to austerity and self-restraint.
तस्य पुत्रो जरत्कारोर्भविष्यति तपोधनः। आस्तीको नाम यज्ञं स प्रतिषेत्स्यति तं तदा। तत्र मोक्ष्यन्ति भुजगा ये भविष्यन्ति धार्मिकाः
His son, Jaratkaru, rich in austerity, will be named Astika; he will halt the sacrifice at that time, and the righteous serpents will be freed there.
स मुनिप्रवरो ब्रह्मञ्जरत्कारुर्महातपाः। कस्यां पुत्रं महात्मानं जनयिष्यति वीर्यवान्
O Brahman, that foremost sage, Jaratkaru, of great austerity, will beget a mighty son—whose daughter will he marry?
वासुकेर्भगिनी कन्या समुत्पन्ना सुशोभना। तस्मै दास्यति तां कन्यां वासुकिर्भुजगोत्तमः
A beautiful maiden, the sister of Vasuki, has been born; Vasuki, the chief of serpents, will give her to him.
तस्यां जनयिता पुत्रं वेदवेदाङ्गपारगम्।' सनामायां सनामा स कन्यायां द्विजसत्तमः
In her, he will beget a son who is accomplished in the Vedas and their branches; that maiden, named Sanama, will bear the illustrious twice-born.
एवमस्त्विति तं देवाः पितामहमथाब्रुवन्। उत्क्वैवं वचनं देवान्विरिञ्चिस्त्रिदिवं ययौ
Let it be so—thus the gods spoke to the grandsire; then, having said this to the gods, Virinchi went to heaven.
सोऽहमेवं प्रपश्यामि वासुके भगिनी तव। जरत्कारुरिति ख्याता तां तस्मै प्रतिपादय
Thus I see it, O Vasuki, your sister, renowned as Jaratkaru; give her to him.
भैक्षवद्भिक्षमाणाय नागानां भयशान्तये। ऋषये सुव्रतायैनामेष मोक्षः श्रुतो मया
For the appeasement of the serpents' fear, to the sage who lives by alms and is of good vows, I have heard that this liberation will occur.
एलापत्रवचः श्रुत्वा ते नागा द्विजसत्तम। सर्वे प्रहृष्टमनसः साधुसाध्वित्यपूजयन्
Hearing the words of Elapatra, all the serpents, O best of twice-born, rejoiced and praised him, saying 'well done, well done.'
ततःप्रभृति तां कन्यां वासुकिः पर्यरक्षत। जरत्कारुं स्वसारं वै परं हर्षमवाप च
From that time onward, Vāsuki protected that maiden, his sister Jaratkāru, and he experienced great joy.
ततो नातिमहान्कालः समतीत इवाभवत्। अथ देवासुराः `सर्वे ममन्थुर्वरुणालयम्
Then, after not much time had passed, it was as if a short period elapsed; at that time, all the gods and asuras churned the abode of Varuṇa.
तत्र नेत्रमभून्नागो वासुकिर्बलिनां वरः। समाप्यैव च तत्कर्म पितामहमुपागमन्
There, Vāsuki, the best among the strong serpents, became the rope; and having completed that task, he approached the Grandsire.
देवा वासुकिना सार्धं पितामहमथाव्रुवन्। भगवञ्शापभीतोऽयं वासुकिस्तप्यते भृशम्
The gods, together with Vāsuki, then addressed the Grandsire: 'Lord, Vāsuki is greatly afflicted, being fearful of a curse.'
अस्यैतन्मानसं शल्यं समुद्धर्तुं त्वमर्हसि। जनन्याः शापजं देव ज्ञातीनां हितमिच्छतः
'You ought to remove this mental thorn of his, O god, which arose from his mother's curse, for he desires the welfare of his kin.'
हितो ह्ययं सदास्मकं प्रियकारी च नागराट्। प्रसादं कुरु देवेश शमयास्य मनोज्वरम्
'He is always beneficial to us and acts kindly, O king of the gods; be gracious, O lord of gods, and relieve the anguish of his mind.'
मयैव तद्वितीर्णं वै वचनं मनसाऽमराः। एलापत्रेण नागेन यदस्याभिहितं पुरा
'That statement was indeed uttered by me in thought, O immortals, which was formerly spoken to him by the serpent Elāpatra.'
तत्करोत्वेष नागेन्द्रः प्राप्तकालं वचः स्वयम्। विनशिष्यन्ति ये पापा न तु ये धर्मचारिणः
'Let this lord of serpents now carry out that timely word himself; those who are wicked will perish, but not those who follow righteousness.'