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.'
उत्पन्नः स जरत्कारुस्तपस्युग्रे रतो द्विजः। तस्यैष भगिनीं काले जरत्कारुं प्रयच्छतु
Jaratkāru, that twice-born sage, was born and devoted himself to severe austerities; at the proper time, let him be given Jaratkāru, the sister, as wife.
एलापत्रेण यत्प्रोक्तं वचनं भुजगेन ह। पन्नगानां हितं देवास्तत्तथा न तदन्यथा
'What was spoken by the serpent Elāpatra is for the welfare of the serpents, O gods; let it be so, and not otherwise.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु नागेन्द्रः पितामहवचस्तदा। संदिश्य पन्नगान्सर्वान्वासुकिः शापमोहितः
Hearing this command of the Grandsire, the lord of serpents Vāsuki, bewildered by the curse, then instructed all the serpents.
स्वसारमुद्यम्य तदा जरत्कारुमृषिं प्रति। सर्पान्बहूञ्जरत्कारौ नित्ययुक्तान्समादधत्
Then, raising his sister for the sage Jaratkāru, Vāsuki assigned many serpents to always attend upon Jaratkāru.
जरत्कारुर्यदा भार्यामिच्छेद्वरयितुं प्रभुः। शीघ्रमेत्य तदाऽऽख्येयं तन्नः श्रेयो भविष्यति
'When Jaratkāru, the sage, wishes to choose a wife, let us quickly inform him; that will be for our welfare.'
जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातो यस्त्वया सूतनन्दन। इच्छामि तदहं श्रोतुं ऋषेस्तस्य महात्मनः
'O Sūtanandana, he who is known as Jaratkāru— I wish to hear about that great sage.'
किं कारणं जरत्कारोर्नामैतत्प्रथितं भुवि। जरत्कारुनिरुक्तिं त्वं यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि
'What is the reason that the name Jaratkāru became renowned on earth? You ought to explain the derivation of Jaratkāru as it truly is.'
जरेति क्षयमाहुर्वै दारुणं कारुसंज्ञितम्। शरीरं कारु तस्यासीत्तत्स धीमाञ्शनैःशनैः
'Decay (jara) is said to be destruction, and kāru means body; his body was kāru, and that wise one gradually diminished it.'
क्षपयामास तीव्रेण तपसेत्यत उच्यते। जरत्कारुरिति ब्रह्मन्वासुकेर्भगिनी तथा
'He reduced it through intense austerity; therefore he is called Jaratkāru, O brāhmaṇa, and so also is Vāsuki’s sister.'
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा शौनकः प्राहसत्तदा। उग्रश्रवसमामन्त्र्य उपपन्नमिति ब्रुवन्
Thus addressed, the righteous Śaunaka then smiled and, addressing Ugraśravas, said, 'It is fitting.'
उक्तं नाम यथा पूर्वं सर्वं तच्छ्रुतवानहम्। यथा तु जातो ह्यास्तीक एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य सौतिः प्रोवाच शास्त्रतः
I have heard all that was previously spoken; but I wish to know how Āstīka was born. Hearing this request, Sauti replied according to the tradition.
संदिश्य पन्नगान्सर्वान्वासुकिः सुसमाहितः। स्वसारमुद्यम्य तदा जरत्कारुमृषिं प्रति
Vāsuki, having summoned all the serpents, earnestly raised his sister and presented her to the sage Jaratkāru.
अथ कालस्य महतः स मुनिः संशितव्रतः। तपस्यभिरतो धीमान्स दारान्नाभ्यकाङ्क्षत
Then, after a long time, that sage, steadfast in his vows and devoted to austerities, did not desire a wife.
स तूर्ध्वरेतास्तपसि प्रसक्तः स्वाध्यायवान्वीतभयः कृतात्मा। चचार सर्वां पृथिवीं महात्मा न चापि दारान्मनसाध्यकाङ्क्षत्
He, whose seed was held upward, absorbed in ascetic practice, learned in the scriptures, fearless, and self-controlled, wandered across the whole earth, and did not even mentally desire a wife.
ततोऽपरस्मिन्संप्राप्ते काले कस्मिंश्चिदेव तु। परिक्षिन्नाम राजासीद्ब्रह्मन्कौरववंशजः
Then, at another time, a king named Parikṣit, descendant of the Kauravas, became exhausted, O Brāhmaṇa.
यथा पाण्डुर्महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरवरो युधि। बभूव मृगयाशीलः पुरास्य प्रपितामहः
Just as mighty-armed Pāṇḍu, the foremost archer in battle, was fond of hunting, so was his ancestor in former times.
तथा विख्यातवाँल्लोके परीक्षिदभिमन्युजः।' मृगान्विध्यन्वराहांश्च तरक्षून्महिषांस्तथा। अन्यांश्च विविधान्वन्यांश्चचार पृथिवीपतिः
Similarly, Parikṣit, son of Abhimanyu, became renowned in the world; striking deer, boars, tigers, buffaloes, and various other wild animals, the king roamed the earth.
स कदाचिन्मृगं विद्ध्वा बाणेनानतपर्वणा। पृष्ठतो धनुरादाय ससार गहने वने
Once, after striking a deer with a barbless arrow, he took up his bow and pursued it into the dense forest.
यथैव भगवान्रुद्रो विद्ध्वा यज्ञमृगं दिवि। अन्वगच्छद्धनुष्पाणिः पर्यन्वेष्टुमितस्ततः
Just as the revered Rudra, after striking the sacrificial beast in heaven, pursued it with bow in hand, searching all around, so did he.
न हि तेन मृगो विद्धो जीवन्गच्छति वै वने। पूर्वरूपं तु तत्तूर्णं तस्यासीत्स्वर्गतिं प्रति
But the deer, though struck, did not die in the forest; its previous form quickly moved toward heaven.