Vasuki Gives His Sister to Jaratkaru

Verse 1 (1.14.1)

ततो निवेशाय तदा स विप्रः संशितव्रतः । महीं चचार दारार्थी न च दारानविन्दत ॥

tato niveśāya tadā sa vipraḥ saṃśitavrataḥ | mahīṃ cacāra dārārthī na ca dārānavindata

Then that brahmin, rigorous in his vows, wandered over the earth in search of a wife so as to settle down, but he found none.

Verse 2 (1.14.2)

स कदाचिद्वनं गत्वा विप्रः पितृवचः स्मरन् । चुक्रोश कन्याभिक्षार्थी तिस्रो वाचः शनैरिव ॥

sa kadācidvanaṃ gatvā vipraḥ pitṛvacaḥ smaran | cukrośa kanyābhikṣārthī tisro vācaḥ śanairiva

Once, going into a forest and remembering his fathers' words, the brahmin, begging for a maiden as alms, called out three times, softly.

Verse 3 (1.14.3)

तं वासुकिः प्रत्यगृह्णादुद्यम्य भगिनीं तदा । न स तां प्रतिजग्राह न सनाम्नीति चिन्तयन् ॥

taṃ vāsukiḥ pratyagṛhṇādudyamya bhaginīṃ tadā | na sa tāṃ pratijagrāha na sanāmnīti cintayan

Then Vasuki came forward, offering his sister to him. But Jaratkaru did not accept her, thinking that she did not bear his name.

Verse 4 (1.14.4)

सनाम्नीं चोद्यतां भार्यां गृह्णीयामिति तस्य हि । मनो निविष्टमभवज्जरत्कारोर्महात्मनः ॥

sanāmnīṃ codyatāṃ bhāryāṃ gṛhṇīyāmiti tasya hi | mano niviṣṭamabhavajjaratkārormahātmanaḥ

For the great-souled Jaratkaru had set his mind on this: "I will take a wife who bears my name and is freely offered."

Verse 5 (1.14.5)

तमुवाच महाप्राज्ञो जरत्कारुर्महातपाः । किंनाम्नी भगिनीयं ते ब्रूहि सत्यं भुजंगम ॥

tamuvāca mahāprājño jaratkārurmahātapāḥ | kiṃnāmnī bhaginīyaṃ te brūhi satyaṃ bhujaṃgama

Then the wise Jaratkaru, the great ascetic, said to him: "Tell me truly, serpent, what is your sister's name?"

Verse 6 (1.14.6)

जरत्कारो जरत्कारुः स्वसेयमनुजा मम । प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भार्यार्थे मया दत्तां सुमध्यमाम् । त्वदर्थं रक्षिता पूर्वं प्रतीच्छेमां द्विजोत्तम ॥

jaratkāro jaratkāruḥ svaseyamanujā mama | pratigṛhṇīṣva bhāryārthe mayā dattāṃ sumadhyamām | tvadarthaṃ rakṣitā pūrvaṃ pratīcchemāṃ dvijottama

Jaratkaru, this younger sister of mine is named Jaratkaru. Take her as your wife; I give her to you, slender-waisted as she is. She has been kept for you from the beginning; accept her, best of brahmins.

Note on the text: The first and third lines are CE 1.13.34 (not aligned automatically; listed among the unmatched verses of adhyaya 15); the middle line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 7 (1.14.7)

एवमुक्त्वा ततः प्रादाद्भार्यार्थे वरवर्णिनीम् । स च तां प्रतिजग्राह विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥

evamuktvā tataḥ prādādbhāryārthe varavarṇinīm | sa ca tāṃ pratijagrāha vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

Having said this, he gave him the lovely maiden as his wife, and Jaratkaru accepted her with the rite laid down by scripture.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its second line recurs at CE 1.13.37a (adhyaya 15, v. 3).