The Priests of the Sacrifice and Vasuki's Plea

Verse 1 (1.53.1)

सर्पसत्रे तदा राज्ञः पाण्डवेयस्य धीमतः । जनमेजयस्य के त्वासन्नृत्विजः परमर्षयः ॥

sarpasatre tadā rājñaḥ pāṇḍaveyasya dhīmataḥ | janamejayasya ke tvāsannṛtvijaḥ paramarṣayaḥ

At the snake sacrifice of the wise King Janamejaya, descendant of the Pandavas, which great seers served as his officiating priests?

Verse 2 (1.53.2)

के सदस्या बभूवुश्च सर्पसत्रे सुदारुणे । विषादजननेऽत्यर्थं पन्नगानां महाभये ॥

ke sadasyā babhūvuśca sarpasatre sudāruṇe | viṣādajanane'tyarthaṃ pannagānāṃ mahābhaye

And who were the members of the assembly at that most dreadful snake sacrifice, which brought such despair and great terror to the serpents?

Note on the text: Corrected महाभय → महाभये (misprint in Wikisource; the locative ending was dropped, the word agrees with सर्पसत्रे, as in the critical edition's mahābhaye).

Verse 3 (1.53.3)

सर्वं विस्तरशस्तात भवाञ्छंसितुमर्हति । सर्पसत्रविधानज्ञा विज्ञेयाः के च सूतज ॥

sarvaṃ vistaraśastāta bhavāñchaṃsitumarhati | sarpasatravidhānajñā vijñeyāḥ ke ca sūtaja

Tell all of it in detail, my son. Who are to be known as the experts in the rites of the snake sacrifice, O son of a Suta?

Note on the text: Corrected सर्पसत्रविधानज्ञविज्ञेयाः → सर्पसत्रविधानज्ञा विज्ञेयाः (misprint in Wikisource; the plural ending of विधानज्ञाः was lost and the two words run together; the critical edition reads sarpasatravidhānajñā vijñeyāḥ).

Verse 4 (1.53.4)

हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि नामानीह मनीषिणाम् । ये ऋत्विजः सदस्याश्च तस्यासन्नृपतेस्तदा ॥

hanta te kathayiṣyāmi nāmānīha manīṣiṇām | ye ṛtvijaḥ sadasyāśca tasyāsannṛpatestadā

Very well, I shall tell you the names of the wise men who were that king's officiating priests and members of the assembly at that time.

Verse 5 (1.53.5)

तत्र होता बभूवाथ ब्राह्मणश्चण्डभार्गवः । च्यवनस्यान्वये ख्यातो जातो वेदविदां वरः ॥

tatra hotā babhūvātha brāhmaṇaścaṇḍabhārgavaḥ | cyavanasyānvaye khyāto jāto vedavidāṃ varaḥ

The hotri there was the brahmin Chandabhargava, born in the line of Chyavana, renowned and foremost among those who know the Vedas.

Verse 6 (1.53.6)

उद्गाता ब्राह्मणो वृद्धो विद्वान्कौत्सोऽथ जैमिनिः । ब्रह्माऽभवच्छार्ङ्गरवोऽथाध्वर्युश्चापि पिङ्गलः ॥

udgātā brāhmaṇo vṛddho vidvānkautso'tha jaiminiḥ | brahmā'bhavacchārṅgaravo'thādhvaryuścāpi piṅgalaḥ

The udgatri was the aged and learned brahmin Kautsa, and Jaimini; Sharngarava served as the brahman priest, and Pingala as the adhvaryu.

Note on the text: Corrected कौत्सौऽथ → कौत्सोऽथ and ब्र्हमाऽभवत् → ब्रह्माऽभवत् (misprints in Wikisource; a wrong vowel sign before the avagraha and a broken conjunct). The second half differs from the critical edition (adhvaryur bodhapiṅgalaḥ), a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 7 (1.53.7)

सदस्यश्चाभवद्व्यासः पुत्रशिष्यसहायवान् । उद्दालकः प्रमतकः श्वेतकेतुश्च पिङ्गलः ॥

sadasyaścābhavadvyāsaḥ putraśiṣyasahāyavān | uddālakaḥ pramatakaḥ śvetaketuśca piṅgalaḥ

Vyasa, with his sons and disciples, was a member of the assembly, and so were Uddalaka, Pramataka, Shvetaketu and Pingala,

Verse 8 (1.53.8)

असितो देवलश्चैव नारदः पर्वतस्तथा । आत्रेयः कुण्डजठरो द्विजः कालघटस्तथा ॥

asito devalaścaiva nāradaḥ parvatastathā | ātreyaḥ kuṇḍajaṭharo dvijaḥ kālaghaṭastathā

Asita and Devala, Narada and Parvata, Atreya, the brahmin Kundajathara and Kalaghata,

Note on the text: Corrected कुम्डजठरौ → कुण्डजठरो (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct म्ड for ण्ड and a wrong vowel sign; the critical edition reads kuṇḍajaṭharo).

Verse 9 (1.53.9)

वात्स्यः श्रुतश्रवा वृद्धो जपस्वाध्यायशीलवान् । कोहलो देवशर्मा च मौद्गल्यः समसौरभः ॥

vātsyaḥ śrutaśravā vṛddho japasvādhyāyaśīlavān | kohalo devaśarmā ca maudgalyaḥ samasaurabhaḥ

Vatsya, the aged Shrutashravas, devoted to prayer and Vedic recitation, Kohala, Devasharma, Maudgalya and Samasaurabha.

Verse 10 (1.53.10)

एते चान्ये च बहवो ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः । सदस्याश्चाभवंस्तत्र सत्रे पारिक्षितस्य ह ॥

ete cānye ca bahavo brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ | sadasyāścābhavaṃstatra satre pārikṣitasya ha

These and many other brahmins who had mastered the Vedas were members of the assembly there, at the sacrifice of Parikshit's son.

Verse 11 (1.53.11)

जुह्वत्स्वृत्विक्ष्वथ तदा सर्पसत्रे महाक्रतौ । अहयः प्रापतंस्तत्र घोराः प्राणिभयावहाः ॥

juhvatsvṛtvikṣvatha tadā sarpasatre mahākratau | ahayaḥ prāpataṃstatra ghorāḥ prāṇibhayāvahāḥ

As the priests poured their offerings at that great snake sacrifice, the dreadful snakes, terror of all living things, fell into it.

Verse 12 (1.53.12)

वसामेदोवहाः कुल्या नागानां संप्रवर्तिताः । ववौ गन्धश्च तुमुलो दह्यतामनिशं तदा ॥

vasāmedovahāḥ kulyā nāgānāṃ saṃpravartitāḥ | vavau gandhaśca tumulo dahyatāmaniśaṃ tadā

Streams flowed carrying the fat and marrow of the serpents, and a heavy stench spread without pause from those being burned.

Verse 13 (1.53.13)

पततां चैव नागानां धिष्ठितानां तथाम्बरे । अश्रूयतानिशं शब्दः पच्यतां चाग्निना भृशम् ॥

patatāṃ caiva nāgānāṃ dhiṣṭhitānāṃ tathāmbare | aśrūyatāniśaṃ śabdaḥ pacyatāṃ cāgninā bhṛśam

Without pause was heard the din of the serpents: of those falling, of those held fast in the sky, and of those being fiercely roasted by the fire.

Verse 14 (1.53.14)

तक्षकस्तु स नागेन्द्रः पुरंदरनिवेशनम् । गतः श्रुत्वैव राजानं दीक्षितं जनमेजयम् ॥

takṣakastu sa nāgendraḥ puraṃdaraniveśanam | gataḥ śrutvaiva rājānaṃ dīkṣitaṃ janamejayam

But Takshaka, lord of serpents, as soon as he heard that King Janamejaya had been consecrated, went to the dwelling of Purandara.

Verse 15 (1.53.15)

ततः सर्वं यथावृत्तमाख्याय भुजगोत्तमः । अगच्छच्छरणं भीत आगस्कृत्वा पुरंदरम् ॥

tataḥ sarvaṃ yathāvṛttamākhyāya bhujagottamaḥ | agacchaccharaṇaṃ bhīta āgaskṛtvā puraṃdaram

There the foremost of serpents told him everything as it had happened, and, afraid, having done wrong, he went to Purandara for refuge.

Verse 16 (1.53.16)

तमिन्द्रः प्राह सुप्रीतो न तवास्तीह तक्षक । भयं नागेन्द्र तस्माद्वै सर्पसत्रात्कदाचन ॥

tamindraḥ prāha suprīto na tavāstīha takṣaka | bhayaṃ nāgendra tasmādvai sarpasatrātkadācana

Well pleased, Indra said to him: "Takshaka, lord of serpents, you need never fear that snake sacrifice here.

Verse 17 (1.53.17)

प्रसादितो मया पूर्वं तवार्थाय पितामहः । तस्मात्तव भयं नास्ति व्येतु ते मानसो ज्वरः ॥

prasādito mayā pūrvaṃ tavārthāya pitāmahaḥ | tasmāttava bhayaṃ nāsti vyetu te mānaso jvaraḥ

Long ago I won the Grandfather's favour for your sake. So you have nothing to fear; let the fever of your mind pass."

Note on the text: Corrected तेनसो → ते मानसो (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara 'मा' and a missing word break; the critical edition reads vyetu te mānaso jvaraḥ).

Verse 18 (1.53.18)

एवमाश्वासितस्तेन ततः स भुजगोत्तमः । उवास भवने तस्मिञ्शक्रस्य मुदितः सुखी ॥

evamāśvāsitastena tataḥ sa bhujagottamaḥ | uvāsa bhavane tasmiñśakrasya muditaḥ sukhī

Reassured by him in this way, the foremost of serpents lived on happily and contentedly in Shakra's palace.

Verse 19 (1.53.19)

अजस्रं निपतत्स्वग्नौ नागेषु भृशदुःखितः । अल्पशेषपरीवारो वासुकिः पर्यतप्यत ॥

ajasraṃ nipatatsvagnau nāgeṣu bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ | alpaśeṣaparīvāro vāsukiḥ paryatapyata

As the serpents kept falling into the fire without end, Vasuki, deeply pained, with only a few of his retinue left, was tormented with grief.

Verse 20 (1.53.20)

कश्मलं चाविशद्धोरं वासुकिं पन्नगोत्तमम् । स घूर्णमानहृदयो भगिनीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥

kaśmalaṃ cāviśaddhoraṃ vāsukiṃ pannagottamam | sa ghūrṇamānahṛdayo bhaginīmidamabravīt

A dreadful faintness seized Vasuki, foremost of serpents, and with his heart reeling he said this to his sister:

Verse 21 (1.53.21)

दह्यन्तेऽङ्गानि मे भद्रे न दिशः प्रतिभान्ति माम् । सीदामीव च संमोहाद्धूर्णतीव च मे मनः ॥

dahyante'ṅgāni me bhadre na diśaḥ pratibhānti mām | sīdāmīva ca saṃmohāddhūrṇatīva ca me manaḥ

"My limbs are burning, good lady; I can no longer make out the directions. I seem to sink in bewilderment, and my mind seems to spin.

Verse 22 (1.53.22)

दृष्टिर्भ्राम्यति मेऽतीव हृदयं दीर्यतीव च । पतिष्याम्यवशोऽद्याहं तस्मिन्दीप्ते विभावसौ ॥

dṛṣṭirbhrāmyati me'tīva hṛdayaṃ dīryatīva ca | patiṣyāmyavaśo'dyāhaṃ tasmindīpte vibhāvasau

My sight wavers wildly and my heart seems to be breaking. Today I shall fall helpless into that blazing fire.

Verse 23 (1.53.23)

पारिक्षितस्य यज्ञोऽसौ वर्ततेऽस्मज्जिघांसया । व्यक्तं मयाऽभिगन्तव्यं प्रेतराजनिवेशनम् ॥

pārikṣitasya yajño'sau vartate'smajjighāṃsayā | vyaktaṃ mayā'bhigantavyaṃ pretarājaniveśanam

This sacrifice of Parikshit's son goes on with the purpose of killing us. Clearly I must go to the abode of the king of the dead.

Verse 24 (1.53.24)

अयं स कालः संप्राप्तो यदर्थमसि मे स्वसः । जरत्कारौ मया दत्ता त्रायस्वास्मान्सबान्धवान् ॥

ayaṃ sa kālaḥ saṃprāpto yadarthamasi me svasaḥ | jaratkārau mayā dattā trāyasvāsmānsabāndhavān

The time has come, sister, for which I gave you in marriage to Jaratkaru. Save us, together with our kin.

Note on the text: Corrected जरत्करौ(पुरा)मयादत्तात्रायस्वास्मान् → जरत्कारौ मया दत्ता त्रायस्वास्मान् (misprint in Wikisource; the name had lost its long ā, the bracketed '(पुरा)' is an editorial gloss that breaks the metre and was removed, and the run-together words were separated).

Verse 25 (1.53.25)

आस्तीकः किल यज्ञं तं वर्तन्तं भुजगोत्तमे । प्रतिषेत्स्यति मां पूर्वं स्वयमाह पितामहः ॥

āstīkaḥ kila yajñaṃ taṃ vartantaṃ bhujagottame | pratiṣetsyati māṃ pūrvaṃ svayamāha pitāmahaḥ

Astika, they say, will stop that sacrifice as it proceeds, O noblest of serpent women; so the Grandfather himself told me long ago.

Verse 26 (1.53.26)

तद्वत्से ब्रूहि वत्सं स्वं कुमारं वृद्धसंमतम् । ममाद्य त्वं सभृत्यस्य मोक्षार्थं वेदवित्तमम् ॥

tadvatse brūhi vatsaṃ svaṃ kumāraṃ vṛddhasaṃmatam | mamādya tvaṃ sabhṛtyasya mokṣārthaṃ vedavittamam

So, dear one, tell your own child, that youth esteemed by the elders and deeply learned in the Veda, to free me and my dependants today."