Astika Sets Out for the Snake Sacrifice

Verse 1 (1.54.1)

तत आहूय पुत्रं स्वं जरत्कारुर्भुजंगमा । वासुकेर्नागराजस्य वचनादिदमब्रवीत् ॥

tata āhūya putraṃ svaṃ jaratkārurbhujaṃgamā | vāsukernāgarājasya vacanādidamabravīt

Then Jaratkaru, the serpent woman, called her son and, as Vasuki king of the serpents had asked, said this to him:

Verse 2 (1.54.2)

अहं तव पितुः पुत्र भ्रात्रा दत्ता निमित्ततः । कालः स चायं संप्राप्तस्तत्कुरुष्व यथातथम् ॥

ahaṃ tava pituḥ putra bhrātrā dattā nimittataḥ | kālaḥ sa cāyaṃ saṃprāptastatkuruṣva yathātatham

"My son, my brother gave me to your father for a purpose. That time has now come; do what must be done."

Verse 3 (1.54.3)

किंनिमित्तं मम पितुर्दत्ता त्वं मातुलेन मे । तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन श्रुत्वा कर्ताऽस्मि तत्तथा ॥

kiṃnimittaṃ mama piturdattā tvaṃ mātulena me | tanmamācakṣva tattvena śrutvā kartā'smi tattathā

"For what purpose did my uncle give you to my father? Tell me truly. Once I have heard it, I will do just that."

Verse 4 (1.54.4)

तत आचष्ट सा तस्मै बान्धवानां हितैषिणी । भगिनी नागराजस्य जरत्कारुरविक्लबा ॥

tata ācaṣṭa sā tasmai bāndhavānāṃ hitaiṣiṇī | bhaginī nāgarājasya jaratkāruraviklabā

Then Jaratkaru, sister of the serpent king, who wished her kinsfolk well, told him everything without faltering.

Verse 5 (1.54.5)

पन्नगानामशेषाणां माता कद्रूरिति श्रुता । तया शप्ता रुषितया सुता यस्मान्निबोध तत् ॥

pannagānāmaśeṣāṇāṃ mātā kadrūriti śrutā | tayā śaptā ruṣitayā sutā yasmānnibodha tat

"The mother of all the serpents is known to be Kadru. Hear why she cursed her sons in her anger.

Verse 6 (1.54.6)

उच्चैःश्रवाः सोऽश्वराजो यन्मिथ्या न कृतो मम । विनतार्थाय पणिते दासभावाय पुत्रकाः ॥

uccaiḥśravāḥ so'śvarājo yanmithyā na kṛto mama | vinatārthāya paṇite dāsabhāvāya putrakāḥ

'My sons, when the wager of slavery was laid against Vinata, you did not make Uchchaihshravas, king of horses, false for me as I asked.

Note on the text: Joined उच्चैः श्रवाः → उच्चैःश्रवाः (the horse's name is one word; the space is a misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 7 (1.54.7)

जनमेजयस्य वो यज्ञे धक्ष्यत्यनिलसारथिः । तत्र पञ्चत्वमापन्नाः प्रेतलोकं गमिष्यथ ॥

janamejayasya vo yajñe dhakṣyatyanilasārathiḥ | tatra pañcatvamāpannāḥ pretalokaṃ gamiṣyatha

Therefore at Janamejaya's sacrifice the fire, whose charioteer is the wind, will burn you. Meeting your end there, you will go to the world of the dead.'

Verse 8 (1.54.8)

तां च शप्तवतीं देवः साक्षाल्लोकपितामहः । एवमस्त्विति तद्वाक्यं प्रोवाचानुमुमोद च ॥

tāṃ ca śaptavatīṃ devaḥ sākṣāllokapitāmahaḥ | evamastviti tadvākyaṃ provācānumumoda ca

When she had cursed them, the god Brahma himself, Grandsire of the worlds, said "So be it" to her words and approved them.

Note on the text: Joined प्रोवाचानु मुमोद → प्रोवाचानुमुमोद (अनुमुमोद is one verb; the space is a misprint in Wikisource, and the critical edition reads anumumoda).

Verse 9 (1.54.9)

वासुकिश्चापि तच्छ्रुत्वा पितामहवचस्तदा । अमृते मथिते तात देवाञ्छरणमीयिवान् ॥

vāsukiścāpi tacchrutvā pitāmahavacastadā | amṛte mathite tāta devāñcharaṇamīyivān

Vasuki too heard the Grandsire's words then, dear son, and when the nectar had been churned he went to the gods for refuge.

Verse 10 (1.54.10)

सिद्धार्थाश्च सुराः सर्वे प्राप्यामृतमनुत्तमम् । भ्रातरं मे पुरस्कृत्य पितामहमुपागमन् ॥

siddhārthāśca surāḥ sarve prāpyāmṛtamanuttamam | bhrātaraṃ me puraskṛtya pitāmahamupāgaman

Their aim fulfilled and the supreme nectar won, all the gods put my brother at their head and went to the Grandsire.

Verse 11 (1.54.11)

ते तं प्रसादयामासुः सुराः सर्वेऽब्जसंभवम् । राज्ञा वासुकिना सार्धं शापोऽसौ न भवेदिति ॥

te taṃ prasādayāmāsuḥ surāḥ sarve'bjasaṃbhavam | rājñā vāsukinā sārdhaṃ śāpo'sau na bhavediti

Together with King Vasuki, all the gods sought to win the favour of the lotus-born god, so that the curse might not come to pass.

Note on the text: Corrected शापोऽसौन → शापोऽसौ न (misprint in Wikisource; a missing word space joins असौ to the negative).

Verse 12 (1.54.12)

वासुकिर्नागराजोऽयं दुःखितो ज्ञातिकारणात् । अभिशापः स मातुस्तु भगवन्न भवेत्कथम् ॥

vāsukirnāgarājo'yaṃ duḥkhito jñātikāraṇāt | abhiśāpaḥ sa mātustu bhagavanna bhavetkatham

"Vasuki, king of the serpents, is grieving for his kin. Lord, how may his mother's curse be kept from taking effect?"

Verse 13 (1.54.13)

जरत्कारुर्जरत्कारुं यां भार्यां समवाप्स्यति । तत्र जातो द्विजः शापान्मोक्षयिष्यति पन्नगान् ॥

jaratkārurjaratkāruṃ yāṃ bhāryāṃ samavāpsyati | tatra jāto dvijaḥ śāpānmokṣayiṣyati pannagān

"The wife named Jaratkaru whom Jaratkaru will take: a brahmin born of her will free the serpents from the curse."

Verse 14 (1.54.14)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं वासुकिः पन्नगोत्तमः । प्रादान्माममरप्रख्य तव पित्रे महात्मने ॥

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṃ vāsukiḥ pannagottamaḥ | prādānmāmamaraprakhya tava pitre mahātmane

Hearing these words, Vasuki, best of serpents, gave me to your great-souled father, O you who are like an immortal,

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from ब्रह्मा (parser carry-over) to जरत्कारु: Jaratkaru resumes her account to Astika. CE 1.49.14 is in critical_edition_unmatched; it matches this verse and the first line of the next.

Verse 15 (1.54.15)

प्रागेवानागते काले तस्मात्त्वं मय्यजायथाः । अयं स कालः संप्राप्तो भयान्नस्त्रातुमर्हसि ॥

prāgevānāgate kāle tasmāttvaṃ mayyajāyathāḥ | ayaṃ sa kālaḥ saṃprāpto bhayānnastrātumarhasi

long before the time had come, and so you were born of me. This is that time: you must save us from danger.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्मात्त्व → तस्मात्त्वं (misprint in Wikisource; the pronoun has lost its anusvara — the critical edition has tvaṃ). The two editions divide these lines differently: this verse spans CE 1.49.14–15. The critical edition reads tatra for तस्मात्.

Verse 16 (1.54.16)

भ्रातरं चापि मे तस्मात्त्रातुमर्हसि पावकात् । न मोघं तु कृतं तत्स्याद्यदहं तव धीमते । पित्रे दत्ता विमोक्षार्थं कथं वा पुत्र मन्यसे ॥

bhrātaraṃ cāpi me tasmāttrātumarhasi pāvakāt | na moghaṃ tu kṛtaṃ tatsyādyadahaṃ tava dhīmate | pitre dattā vimokṣārthaṃ kathaṃ vā putra manyase

So you must save my brother too from the fire. It must not be for nothing that I was given to your wise father for our deliverance. Or what do you think, my son?"

Note on the text: The two editions divide these lines differently: this verse spans CE 1.49.15–16. Three lines, as in Wikisource.

Verse 17 (1.54.17)

एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा सास्तीको मातरं तदा । अब्रवीद्दुःखसंतप्तं वासुकिं जीवयन्निव ॥

evamuktastathetyuktvā sāstīko mātaraṃ tadā | abravīdduḥkhasaṃtaptaṃ vāsukiṃ jīvayanniva

Thus addressed, Astika said "So be it" to his mother, and then he spoke to the grief-stricken Vasuki as though bringing him back to life:

Verse 18 (1.54.18)

अहं त्वां मोक्षयिष्यामि वासुके पन्नगोत्तम । तस्माच्छापान्महासत्त्व सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥

ahaṃ tvāṃ mokṣayiṣyāmi vāsuke pannagottama | tasmācchāpānmahāsattva satyametadbravīmi te

"Vasuki, best of serpents, mighty one, I will free you from that curse. I tell you this truly.

Note on the text: Speaker set to आस्तीक (parser had सौति): verses 18–22 are Astika's own words to Vasuki.

Verse 19 (1.54.19)

भव स्वस्थमना नाग न हि ते विद्यते भयम् । प्रयतिष्ये तथा राजन्यथा श्रेयो भविष्यति ॥

bhava svasthamanā nāga na hi te vidyate bhayam | prayatiṣye tathā rājanyathā śreyo bhaviṣyati

Be easy in your mind, serpent; you have nothing to fear. I will strive, O king, so that all turns out well.

Note on the text: Speaker set to आस्तीक (parser had सौति). CE 1.49.19 is in critical_edition_unmatched; it matches this verse and the first line of the next (the critical edition reads saumya for राजन्).

Verse 20 (1.54.20)

न मे वागनृतं प्राह स्वैरेष्वपि कुतोऽन्यथा । तं वै नृपवरं गत्वा दीक्षितं जनमेजयम् ॥

na me vāganṛtaṃ prāha svaireṣvapi kuto'nyathā | taṃ vai nṛpavaraṃ gatvā dīkṣitaṃ janamejayam

My tongue has never spoken a lie, even in jest; how then should it now? I will go to that best of kings, Janamejaya, consecrated for his sacrifice,

Note on the text: Speaker set to आस्तीक (parser had सौति). The two editions divide these lines differently: this verse spans CE 1.49.19–20.

Verse 21 (1.54.21)

वाग्भिर्मङ्गलयुक्ताभिस्तोषयिष्येऽद्य मातुल । यथा स यज्ञो नृपतेर्निर्वर्तिष्यति सत्तम ॥

vāgbhirmaṅgalayuktābhistoṣayiṣye'dya mātula | yathā sa yajño nṛpaternirvartiṣyati sattama

and this very day, uncle, I will please him with auspicious words, so that the king's sacrifice comes to an end, O best of the good.

Note on the text: Corrected निवत्रिष्यति → निर्वर्तिष्यति (misprint in Wikisource; transposed and dropped र, giving no valid verb — following the critical edition's nirvartiṣyati). Speaker set to आस्तीक (parser had सौति). CE 1.49.20 is in critical_edition_unmatched; this verse is its second and third lines.

Verse 22 (1.54.22)

स संभावय नागेन्द्र मयि सर्वं महामते । न ते मयि मनो जातु मिथ्या भवितुमर्हति ॥

sa saṃbhāvaya nāgendra mayi sarvaṃ mahāmate | na te mayi mano jātu mithyā bhavitumarhati

Trust me in all this, lord of serpents, wise one. Your faith in me will never prove false."

Note on the text: Speaker set to आस्तीक (parser had सौति).

Verse 23 (1.54.23)

आस्तीक परिघूर्णामि हृदयं मे विदीर्यते । दिशो न प्रतिजानामि ब्रह्मदण्डनिपीडितः ॥

āstīka parighūrṇāmi hṛdayaṃ me vidīryate | diśo na pratijānāmi brahmadaṇḍanipīḍitaḥ

"Astika, my head is spinning and my heart is breaking. I cannot tell one direction from another, crushed as I am by Brahma's rod of punishment."

Verse 24 (1.54.24)

न सन्तापस्त्वया कार्यः कथंचित्पन्नगोत्तम । प्रदीप्ताग्नेः समुत्पन्नं नाशयिष्यामि ते भयम् ॥

na santāpastvayā kāryaḥ kathaṃcitpannagottama | pradīptāgneḥ samutpannaṃ nāśayiṣyāmi te bhayam

"You must not grieve in any way, best of serpents. I will dispel the fear that has arisen from the blazing fire.

Verse 25 (1.54.25)

ब्रह्मदण्डं महाघोरं कालाग्निसमतेजसम् । नाशयिष्यामि माऽत्र त्वं भयं कार्षीः कथंचन ॥

brahmadaṇḍaṃ mahāghoraṃ kālāgnisamatejasam | nāśayiṣyāmi mā'tra tvaṃ bhayaṃ kārṣīḥ kathaṃcana

Brahma's punishment is dreadful and blazes like the fire at the end of time, but I will destroy it. Have no fear about this at all."

Note on the text: Corrected भयंकार्षीः → भयं कार्षीः (misprint in Wikisource; a missing word space).

Verse 26 (1.54.26)

ततः स वासुकेर्घोरमपनीय मनोज्वरम् । आधाय चात्मनोऽङ्गेषु जगाम त्वरितो भृशम् ॥

tataḥ sa vāsukerghoramapanīya manojvaram | ādhāya cātmano'ṅgeṣu jagāma tvarito bhṛśam

Then, having lifted the dreadful fever from Vasuki's mind and taken it upon himself, he set out in great haste

Verse 27 (1.54.27)

जनमेजयस्य तं यज्ञं सर्वैः समुदितं गुणैः । मोक्षाय भुजगेन्द्राणामास्तीको द्विजसत्तमः ॥

janamejayasya taṃ yajñaṃ sarvaiḥ samuditaṃ guṇaiḥ | mokṣāya bhujagendrāṇāmāstīko dvijasattamaḥ

— Astika, best of brahmins — for Janamejaya's sacrifice, rich in every excellence, to free the lords of the serpents.

Verse 28 (1.54.28)

स गत्वाऽपश्यदास्तीको यज्ञायतनमुत्तमम् । वृतं सदस्यैर्बहुभिः सूर्यवह्निसमप्रभैः ॥

sa gatvā'paśyadāstīko yajñāyatanamuttamam | vṛtaṃ sadasyairbahubhiḥ sūryavahnisamaprabhaiḥ

Arriving there, Astika saw the splendid sacrificial ground, crowded with many assessors as bright as the sun and fire.

Verse 29 (1.54.29)

स तत्र वारितो द्वास्थैः प्रविशन्द्विजसत्तमः । अभितुष्टाव तं यज्ञं प्रवेशार्थी परंतपः ॥

sa tatra vārito dvāsthaiḥ praviśandvijasattamaḥ | abhituṣṭāva taṃ yajñaṃ praveśārthī paraṃtapaḥ

Stopped by the doorkeepers as he was entering, that best of brahmins, scorcher of foes, began to praise the sacrifice in order to gain entry.

Verse 30 (1.54.30)

स प्राप्य यज्ञायतनं वरिष्ठं द्विजोत्तमः पुण्यकृतां वरिष्ठः । तुष्टाव राजानमनन्तकीर्तिमृत्विक्सदस्यांश्च तथैव चाग्निम् ॥

sa prāpya yajñāyatanaṃ variṣṭhaṃ dvijottamaḥ puṇyakṛtāṃ variṣṭhaḥ | tuṣṭāva rājānamanantakīrtimṛtviksadasyāṃśca tathaiva cāgnim

Having reached that finest of sacrificial grounds, the best of brahmins, foremost of the virtuous, praised the king of endless fame, the priests and the assessors, and the fire as well.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). A tristubh verse that Wikisource printed one quarter per line (with a hyphen splitting अनन्तकीर्तिम्); re-set as two half-verse lines and the hyphen removed.