The Brahmin Waits on the Gomati for the Absent Serpent

Verse 1 (12.367.1)

स वनानि विचित्राणि तीर्थानि च सरांसि च । अभिगच्छन्क्रमेण स्म कंचिन्मुनिमुपस्थितः ॥

sa vanāni vicitrāṇi tīrthāni ca sarāṃsi ca | abhigacchankrameṇa sma kaṃcinmunimupasthitaḥ

Going on by stages through varied forests, holy places and lakes, he came upon a certain sage.

Verse 2 (12.367.2)

तं स तेन यथोद्दिष्टं नागं विप्रेण ब्राह्मणः । पर्यपृच्छद्यथान्यायं श्रुत्वैव च जगाम सः ॥

taṃ sa tena yathoddiṣṭaṃ nāgaṃ vipreṇa brāhmaṇaḥ | paryapṛcchadyathānyāyaṃ śrutvaiva ca jagāma saḥ

The Brahmin asked that sage, as is proper, about the serpent whom the other Brahmin had described, and on hearing the answer he went on.

Verse 3 (12.367.3)

सोऽभिगम्य यथान्यायं नागायतनमर्थवित् । प्रोक्तवानहमस्मीति भोःशब्दालंकृतं वचः ॥

so'bhigamya yathānyāyaṃ nāgāyatanamarthavit | proktavānahamasmīti bhoḥśabdālaṃkṛtaṃ vacaḥ

That man of understanding duly approached the serpent's dwelling and spoke words adorned with the call "Ho!": "I am here."

Note on the text: Wikisource यथान्यायम् for the CE yathākhyātam; recension variant, kept.

Verse 4 (12.367.4)

तत्तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा रूपिणी धर्मवत्सला । दर्शयामास तं विप्रं नागपत्नी पतिव्रता ॥

tattasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rūpiṇī dharmavatsalā | darśayāmāsa taṃ vipraṃ nāgapatnī pativratā

Hearing his words, the serpent's wife, devoted to her husband and loving of dharma, took visible form and showed herself to the Brahmin.

Note on the text: Wikisource तत्तस्य for the CE tatas tasya; recension variant, kept.

Verse 5 (12.367.5)

सा तस्मै विधिवत्पूजां चक्रे धर्मपरायणा । स्वागतेनागतं कृत्वा किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत् ॥

sā tasmai vidhivatpūjāṃ cakre dharmaparāyaṇā | svāgatenāgataṃ kṛtvā kiṃ karomīti cābravīt

Devoted to dharma, she honoured him with worship according to rule, welcomed him with "Welcome!" and asked, "What shall I do?"

Verse 6 (12.367.6)

विश्रान्तोऽभ्यर्चितश्चास्मि भवत्या श्लक्ष्णया गिरा । द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भवति देवं नागमनुत्तमम् ॥

viśrānto'bhyarcitaścāsmi bhavatyā ślakṣṇayā girā | draṣṭumicchāmi bhavati devaṃ nāgamanuttamam

I am rested, and I have been honoured by you with your gentle speech. I wish to see, lady, your lord, the supreme Naga.

Note on the text: Corrected ऽभ्यर्चिंत → ऽभ्यर्चित (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara; the CE reads abhyarcitaś cāsmi). Wikisource देवं नागम् for the CE taṃ devaṃ nāgam; recension variant, kept.

Verse 7 (12.367.7)

एतद्धि परमं कार्यमेतन्मे परमीप्सितम् । अनेन चार्थेनास्म्यद्य संप्राप्तः पन्नगाश्रमम् ॥

etaddhi paramaṃ kāryametanme paramīpsitam | anena cārthenāsmyadya saṃprāptaḥ pannagāśramam

This is my highest purpose and what I most desire; it is for this that I have come today to the serpent's dwelling.

Note on the text: Corrected परमप्सितम् → परमीप्सितम् (misprint in Wikisource; परमप्सितम् is not a word, a dropped ई; परम + ईप्सित gives परमीप्सितम्). Otherwise the line differs from the CE (etan me phalam īpsitam for एतन्मे परमीप्सितम्); recension variant, kept.

Verse 8 (12.367.8)

आर्यः सूर्यरथं वोढुं गतोऽसौ मासचारिकः । सप्ताष्टभिर्दिनैर्विप्र दर्शयिष्यत्यसंशयम् ॥

āryaḥ sūryarathaṃ voḍhuṃ gato'sau māsacārikaḥ | saptāṣṭabhirdinairvipra darśayiṣyatyasaṃśayam

My lord has gone to carry the sun's chariot, for his month; in seven or eight days, O Brahmin, he will let you see him, without doubt.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech; the headings are ब्राह्मण at verse 6 and again at verse 10).

Verse 9 (12.367.9)

एतद्विदितमार्यस्य विवासकरणं तव । भर्तुर्भवतु किंचान्यत्क्रियतां तद्वदस्व मे ॥

etadviditamāryasya vivāsakaraṇaṃ tava | bharturbhavatu kiṃcānyatkriyatāṃ tadvadasva me

You now know why my lord is away. Whatever else is wanted for my husband's sake, let it be done: tell me.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, continuing. Wikisource तव for the CE mama; recension variant, kept. Page footnote: विवासकरणं = प्रवासकारणम्.

Verse 10 (12.367.10)

अनेन निश्चयेनाहं साध्वि संप्राप्तवानिह । प्रतीक्षन्नागमं देवि वत्स्याम्यस्मिन्महावने ॥

anena niścayenāhaṃ sādhvi saṃprāptavāniha | pratīkṣannāgamaṃ devi vatsyāmyasminmahāvane

With this resolve, good lady, I have come here. Awaiting his return, O lady, I shall stay in this great forest.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रहावने → महावने (misprint in Wikisource; प्र for म; the CE reads mahāvane).

Verse 11 (12.367.11)

संप्राप्तस्यैव चाव्यग्रमावेद्योऽहमिहागतः । मयाभिगमनं प्राप्तो वाच्यश्च वचनं त्वया ॥

saṃprāptasyaiva cāvyagramāvedyo'hamihāgataḥ | mayābhigamanaṃ prāpto vācyaśca vacanaṃ tvayā

As soon as he arrives, let him be told calmly that I am here. Say to him that I came to him, and give him my message.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from the CE (mamābhigamanaṃ prāpto vācyaś ca vacanaṃ tvayā); recension variant, kept.

Verse 12 (12.367.12)

अहमप्यत्र वत्स्यामि गोमत्याः पुलिने शुभे । कालं परिमिताहारो यथोक्तं परिपालयन् ॥

ahamapyatra vatsyāmi gomatyāḥ puline śubhe | kālaṃ parimitāhāro yathoktaṃ paripālayan

I too shall stay on the pleasant bank of the Gomati, eating a measured amount and keeping to what I have said.

Verse 13 (12.367.13)

ततः स विप्रस्तां नागीं समाधाय पुनःपुनः । वेदवित्पुलिनं नद्याः प्रययौ ब्राह्मणर्षभः ॥

tataḥ sa viprastāṃ nāgīṃ samādhāya punaḥpunaḥ | vedavitpulinaṃ nadyāḥ prayayau brāhmaṇarṣabhaḥ

Then the Brahmin, learned in the Veda and a bull among Brahmins, having reassured the serpent's wife again and again, set out for the river bank.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मणर्भषः → ब्राह्मणर्षभः (misprint in Wikisource; र्भष for र्षभ; the CE reads brāhmaṇarṣabhaḥ). Speaker: Bhishma (narration; the ब्राह्मण heading of verse 10 does not cover this verse). Wikisource वेदवित्पुलिनम् for the CE tad eva pulinam; recension variant, kept.