Astika's Boon

Verse 1 (1.56.1)

बालोऽप्ययं स्थविर इवावभाषते । नायं बालः स्थविरोऽयं मतो मे । इच्छाम्यहं वरमस्मै प्रदातुं । तन्मे विप्राः संविदध्वं यथावत् ॥

bālo'pyayaṃ sthavira ivāvabhāṣate | nāyaṃ bālaḥ sthaviro'yaṃ mato me | icchāmyahaṃ varamasmai pradātuṃ | tanme viprāḥ saṃvidadhvaṃ yathāvat

Though a boy, he speaks like an elder. He is no boy; I hold him to be an elder. I wish to grant him a boon. Agree among yourselves on this, O brahmins, as is proper.

Verse 2 (1.56.2)

बालोऽपि विप्रो मान्य एवेह राज्ञां । यश्चाविद्वान्यश्च विद्वान्यथावत् । सर्वान्कामांस्त्वत्त एषोऽर्हतेऽद्य । यथा च नस्तक्षक एति शीघ्रम् ॥

bālo'pi vipro mānya eveha rājñāṃ | yaścāvidvānyaśca vidvānyathāvat | sarvānkāmāṃstvatta eṣo'rhate'dya | yathā ca nastakṣaka eti śīghram

A brahmin, even a boy, deserves honour from kings, whether he is learned or unlearned, as is fitting. He deserves to have every wish granted by you today — but only once Takshaka comes to us, and quickly.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (1.51.2): Wikisource prints only the last line of the members' reply (यथा च नस्तक्षक एति शीघ्रम्), the first three lines having dropped out.

Verse 3 (1.56.3)

व्याहर्तुकामे वरदे नृपे द्विजं । वरं वृणीष्वेति ततोऽभ्युवाच । होता वाक्यं नातिहृष्टान्तरात्मा । कर्मण्यस्मिंस्तक्षको नैति तावत् ॥

vyāhartukāme varade nṛpe dvijaṃ | varaṃ vṛṇīṣveti tato'bhyuvāca | hotā vākyaṃ nātihṛṣṭāntarātmā | karmaṇyasmiṃstakṣako naiti tāvat

As the boon-granting king was about to say to the brahmin, "Choose a boon," the hotar, not pleased at heart, spoke up: "Takshaka has not yet come to this rite of ours."

Note on the text: Corrected ततोऽब्युवाच → ततोऽभ्युवाच (misprint in Wikisource; ब for भ्, the critical edition reads tato 'bhyuvāca).

Verse 4 (1.56.4)

यथा चेदं कर्म समाप्यते मे । यथा च वै तक्षक एति शीघ्रम् । तथा भवन्तः प्रयतन्तु सर्वे । परं शक्त्या स हि मे विद्विषाणः ॥

yathā cedaṃ karma samāpyate me | yathā ca vai takṣaka eti śīghram | tathā bhavantaḥ prayatantu sarve | paraṃ śaktyā sa hi me vidviṣāṇaḥ

Strive, all of you, with all your power, so that this rite of mine may be completed and Takshaka may come here quickly; for he is my enemy.

Verse 5 (1.56.5)

यथा शस्त्राणि नः प्राहुर्यथा शंसति पावकः । इन्द्रस्य भवने राजंस्तक्षको भयपीडितः ॥

yathā śastrāṇi naḥ prāhuryathā śaṃsati pāvakaḥ | indrasya bhavane rājaṃstakṣako bhayapīḍitaḥ

As the hymns declare to us, and as the fire reveals, O king, Takshaka, stricken with fear, is in the palace of Indra.

Verse 6 (1.56.6)

यथा सूतो लोहिताक्षो महात्मा । पौराणिको वेदितवान्पुरस्तात् । स राजानं प्राह पृष्टस्तदानीं । यथाहुर्विप्रास्तद्वदेतन्नृदेव ॥

yathā sūto lohitākṣo mahātmā | paurāṇiko veditavānpurastāt | sa rājānaṃ prāha pṛṣṭastadānīṃ | yathāhurviprāstadvadetannṛdeva

So the great-souled sūta Lohitaksha, learned in the ancient lore, had made known before. Asked by the king then, he told him, "It is just as the brahmins say, O god among men.

Verse 7 (1.56.7)

पुराणमागम्य ततो ब्रवीम्यहं । दत्तं तस्मै वरमिन्द्रेण राजन् । वसेह त्वं मत्सकाशे सुगुप्तो । न पावकस्त्वां प्रदहिष्यतीति ॥

purāṇamāgamya tato bravīmyahaṃ | dattaṃ tasmai varamindreṇa rājan | vaseha tvaṃ matsakāśe sugupto | na pāvakastvāṃ pradahiṣyatīti

Having learned it from the ancient account, I tell you, O king: Indra granted him a boon — 'Live here near me, well guarded, and fire will not burn you.'"

Verse 8 (1.56.8)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा दीक्षितस्तप्यमान । आस्ते होतारं चोदयन्कर्मकाले । होता च यत्तः स जुहाव मन्त्रै- । रथो इन्द्रः स्वयमेवाजगाम ॥

etacchrutvā dīkṣitastapyamāna | āste hotāraṃ codayankarmakāle | hotā ca yattaḥ sa juhāva mantrai- | ratho indraḥ svayamevājagāma

Hearing this, the consecrated king, in torment, sat urging on the hotar at the time of the rite. And the hotar, intent, poured the oblations with mantras; and then Indra himself came.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (1.51.8): Wikisource lacks its verse 8 (the numbering runs 7, 9) and keeps only the last line of each of verses 9 and 10, while the next verse needs Indra to have arrived.

Verse 9 (1.56.9)

आयातु चेन्द्रोऽपि सतक्षकः पते- । द्विभावसौ नागराजेन तूर्णम् । जम्भस्य हन्तेति जुहाव होता । तदा जगामाहिदत्ताभयः प्रभुः ॥

āyātu cendro'pi satakṣakaḥ pate- | dvibhāvasau nāgarājena tūrṇam | jambhasya hanteti juhāva hotā | tadā jagāmāhidattābhayaḥ prabhuḥ

"Let Indra too come, and with Takshaka fall swiftly into the fire along with the king of serpents!" With these words — "O slayer of Jambha!" — the hotar poured the oblation. Then the lord who had promised the serpent safety set out.

Note on the text: Restored the first three lines from the critical edition's apparatus (1.51.8*0443, lines 1–3): Wikisource keeps only the last line of this verse (its 9d), here kept in Wikisource's reading तदा जगाम…; removed the stray double danda and quote mark after it.

Verse 10 (1.56.10)

विमानमारुह्य महानुभावः । सर्वैर्देवैः परिसंस्तूयमानः । बलाहकैश्चाप्यनुगम्यमानो । विद्याधरैरप्सरसां गणैश्च । नागस्य नाशो मम चैव नाशो । भविष्यतीत्येव विचिन्तयानः ॥

vimānamāruhya mahānubhāvaḥ | sarvairdevaiḥ parisaṃstūyamānaḥ | balāhakaiścāpyanugamyamāno | vidyādharairapsarasāṃ gaṇaiśca | nāgasya nāśo mama caiva nāśo | bhaviṣyatītyeva vicintayānaḥ

The mighty one came mounted on his aerial chariot, praised by all the gods, followed by the clouds and by the Vidyadharas and the hosts of Apsaras — thinking all the while, "The serpent will perish, and I shall perish too."

Note on the text: Restored the first five lines from the critical edition (1.51.9, and line 1 of the apparatus passage 1.51.9*0444): Wikisource keeps only the last line of this six-line verse (its 10f), here kept in Wikisource's reading विचिन्तयानः (the apparatus has vicintyamānaḥ); removed the stray double danda and quote mark after it.

Verse 11 (1.56.11)

तस्योत्तरीये निहितः स नागो । भयोद्विग्नः शर्म नैवाभ्यगच्छत् । ततो राजा मन्त्रविदोऽब्रवीत्पुनः । क्रुद्धो वाक्यं तक्षकस्यान्तमिच्छन् ॥

tasyottarīye nihitaḥ sa nāgo | bhayodvignaḥ śarma naivābhyagacchat | tato rājā mantravido'bravītpunaḥ | kruddho vākyaṃ takṣakasyāntamicchan

Placed in the fold of his upper garment, the serpent, shaken with fear, found no comfort. Then the king, angry and wanting Takshaka's end, spoke again to the priests who knew the mantras:

Verse 12 (1.56.12)

इन्द्रस्य भवने विप्रा यदि नागः स तक्षकः । तमिन्द्रेणैव सहितं पातयध्वं विभावसौ ॥

indrasya bhavane viprā yadi nāgaḥ sa takṣakaḥ | tamindreṇaiva sahitaṃ pātayadhvaṃ vibhāvasau

If that serpent Takshaka is in Indra's palace, O brahmins, then make him fall into the fire together with Indra himself.

Note on the text: Corrected पातयध्यं → पातयध्वं (misprint in Wikisource; य for व in the imperative ending, the critical edition reads pātayadhvaṃ).

Verse 13 (1.56.13)

जनमेजयेन राज्ञा तु नोदितस्तक्षकं प्रति । होता जुहाव तत्रस्थं तक्षकं पन्नगं तथा ॥

janamejayena rājñā tu noditastakṣakaṃ prati | hotā juhāva tatrasthaṃ takṣakaṃ pannagaṃ tathā

Urged on against Takshaka by King Janamejaya, the hotar made the offering, invoking the serpent Takshaka where he was.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives it in its apparatus, 1.51.11*0446).

Verse 14 (1.56.14)

हूयमाने तथा चैव तक्षकः सपुरन्दरः । आकाशे ददृशे तत्र क्षणेन व्यथितस्तदा ॥

hūyamāne tathā caiva takṣakaḥ sapurandaraḥ | ākāśe dadṛśe tatra kṣaṇena vyathitastadā

As the oblation was being offered, Takshaka was seen there in the sky together with Purandara, in sudden distress.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 1.51.11*0446).

Verse 15 (1.56.15)

पुरन्दरस्तु तं यज्ञं दृष्ट्वोरुभयमाविशत् । हित्वा तु तक्षकं त्रस्तः स्वमेव भवनं ययौ ॥

purandarastu taṃ yajñaṃ dṛṣṭvorubhayamāviśat | hitvā tu takṣakaṃ trastaḥ svameva bhavanaṃ yayau

But Purandara, seeing that sacrifice, was seized with great fear; abandoning Takshaka, he fled in terror to his own abode.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 1.51.11*0446).

Verse 16 (1.56.16)

इन्द्रे गते तु राजेन्द्र तक्षको भयमोहितः । मन्त्रशक्त्या पावकार्चिस्समीपमवशो गतः । तं दृष्ट्वा ऋत्विजस्तत्र वचनं चेदमब्रुवन् ॥

indre gate tu rājendra takṣako bhayamohitaḥ | mantraśaktyā pāvakārcissamīpamavaśo gataḥ | taṃ dṛṣṭvā ṛtvijastatra vacanaṃ cedamabruvan

When Indra had gone, O lord of kings, Takshaka, bewildered with fear, was drawn helplessly by the power of the mantras close to the flames of the fire. Seeing him, the priests there spoke these words:

Note on the text: Removed the wiki quote marks (`…') around the third line. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 1.51.11*0446–0447).

Verse 17 (1.56.17)

अयमायाति तूर्णं स तक्षकस्ते वशं नृप । श्रूयतेऽस्य महान्नादो नदतो भैरवं रवम् ॥

ayamāyāti tūrṇaṃ sa takṣakaste vaśaṃ nṛpa | śrūyate'sya mahānnādo nadato bhairavaṃ ravam

Here he comes swiftly into your power, O king — that Takshaka! His great noise can be heard as he bellows a terrible roar.

Verse 18 (1.56.18)

नूनं मुक्तो वज्रभृता स नागो । भ्रष्टो नाकान्मन्त्रवित्रस्तकायः । घूर्णन्नाकाशे नष्टसंज्ञोऽभ्युपैति । तीव्रान्निश्वासान्निश्वसन्पन्नगेन्द्रः ॥

nūnaṃ mukto vajrabhṛtā sa nāgo | bhraṣṭo nākānmantravitrastakāyaḥ | ghūrṇannākāśe naṣṭasaṃjño'bhyupaiti | tīvrānniśvāsānniśvasanpannagendraḥ

Surely the serpent has been let go by the wielder of the thunderbolt. Fallen from heaven, his body shaken by the mantras, he comes whirling through the sky, senseless — the lord of serpents, heaving fierce breaths.

Verse 19 (1.56.19)

वर्तते तव राजेन्द्र कर्मैतद्विधिवत्प्रभो । अस्मै तु द्विजमुख्याय वरं त्वं दातुमर्हसि ॥

vartate tava rājendra karmaitadvidhivatprabho | asmai tu dvijamukhyāya varaṃ tvaṃ dātumarhasi

This rite of yours, O lord of kings, is proceeding according to rule, O master. Now you should grant a boon to this foremost of brahmins.

Verse 20 (1.56.20)

बालाभिरूपस्य तवाप्रमेय । वरं प्रयच्छामि यथानुरूपम् । वृणीष्व यत्तेऽभिमतं हृदि स्थितं । तत्ते प्रदास्याम्यपि चेददेयम् ॥

bālābhirūpasya tavāprameya | varaṃ prayacchāmi yathānurūpam | vṛṇīṣva yatte'bhimataṃ hṛdi sthitaṃ | tatte pradāsyāmyapi cedadeyam

O fair young boy of immeasurable worth, I grant you a boon such as befits you. Choose whatever you desire in your heart; I shall give it to you, even if it ought not to be given.

Verse 21 (1.56.21)

पतिष्यमाणे नागेन्द्रे तक्षके जातवेदसि । इदमन्तरमित्येवं तदास्तीकोऽभ्यचोदयत् ॥

patiṣyamāṇe nāgendre takṣake jātavedasi | idamantaramityevaṃ tadāstīko'bhyacodayat

As Takshaka, lord of serpents, was about to fall into the fire, Astika, seeing that this was the moment, spoke up then:

Verse 22 (1.56.22)

वरं ददासि चेन्मह्यं वृणोमि जनमेजय । सत्रं ते विरमत्वेतन्न पतेयुरिहोरगाः ॥

varaṃ dadāsi cenmahyaṃ vṛṇomi janamejaya | satraṃ te viramatvetanna pateyurihoragāḥ

If you give me a boon, Janamejaya, this is what I choose: let this sacrifice of yours cease, and let no more serpents fall here.

Verse 23 (1.56.23)

एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन ब्रह्मन्पारिक्षितस्तु सः । नातिहृष्टमनाश्चेदमास्तीकं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

evamuktastadā tena brahmanpārikṣitastu saḥ | nātihṛṣṭamanāścedamāstīkaṃ vākyamabravīt

Thus addressed by him, O brahmin, the son of Parikshit, none too pleased at heart, said these words to Astika:

Verse 24 (1.56.24)

सुवर्णं रजतं गाश्च यच्चान्यन्मन्यसे विभो । तत्ते दद्यां वरं विप्र न निवर्तेत्क्रतुर्मम ॥

suvarṇaṃ rajataṃ gāśca yaccānyanmanyase vibho | tatte dadyāṃ varaṃ vipra na nivartetkraturmama

Gold, silver, cattle, or anything else you wish, my lord — that I will give you as your boon, O brahmin; but let my sacrifice not be stopped.

Verse 25 (1.56.25)

सुवर्णं रजतं गाश्च न त्वां राजन्वृणोम्यहम् । सत्रं ते विरमत्वेतत्स्वस्ति मातृकुलस्य नः ॥

suvarṇaṃ rajataṃ gāśca na tvāṃ rājanvṛṇomyaham | satraṃ te viramatvetatsvasti mātṛkulasya naḥ

Gold, silver, cattle — none of these do I ask of you, O king. Let this sacrifice of yours cease, so that my mother's family may be safe.

Verse 26 (1.56.26)

आस्तीकेनैवमुक्तस्तु राजा पारिक्षितस्तदा । पुनःपुनरुवाचेदमास्तीकं वदतां वरः ॥

āstīkenaivamuktastu rājā pārikṣitastadā | punaḥpunaruvācedamāstīkaṃ vadatāṃ varaḥ

Thus addressed by Astika, King Janamejaya, son of Parikshit, best of speakers, said to Astika again and again:

Verse 27 (1.56.27)

अन्यं वरय भद्रं ते वरं द्विजवरोत्तम । अयाचत न चाप्यन्यं वरं स भृगुनन्दन ॥

anyaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te varaṃ dvijavarottama | ayācata na cāpyanyaṃ varaṃ sa bhṛgunandana

"Choose another boon, and good fortune to you, O best of the twice-born!" But he asked for no other boon, O descendant of Bhrigu.

Note on the text: Corrected द्विज्वरोत्तम → द्विजवरोत्तम (misprint in Wikisource; a stray virama on ज, the critical edition reads dvijavarottama).

Verse 28 (1.56.28)

ततो वेदविदस्तात सदस्याः सर्व एव तम् । राजानमूचुः सहिता लभतां ब्राह्मणो वरम् ॥

tato vedavidastāta sadasyāḥ sarva eva tam | rājānamūcuḥ sahitā labhatāṃ brāhmaṇo varam

Then all the members of the assembly, learned in the Vedas, my friend, said together to the king: "Let the brahmin have his boon."