The Serpent Quells His Anger and Goes to the Brahmin

Verse 1 (12.370.1)

अथ ब्राह्मणरूपेण कं तं समनुपश्यसि । मानुषं केवलं विप्रं देवं वाऽथ शुचिस्मिते ॥

atha brāhmaṇarūpeṇa kaṃ taṃ samanupaśyasi | mānuṣaṃ kevalaṃ vipraṃ devaṃ vā'tha śucismite

Then whom do you take that person in Brahmin form to be: a mere man, a Brahmin only, or a god, O smiling lady?

Verse 2 (12.370.2)

को हि मां मानुषः शक्तो द्रष्टुकामो यशस्विनि । संदर्शनरुचिर्वाक्यमाज्ञापूर्वं वदिष्यति ॥

ko hi māṃ mānuṣaḥ śakto draṣṭukāmo yaśasvini | saṃdarśanarucirvākyamājñāpūrvaṃ vadiṣyati

What man, O renowned lady, could be able to wish to see me? One who longed to see me would speak with a command first.

Verse 3 (12.370.3)

सुरासुरगणानां च देवर्षीणां च भामिनि । ननु नागा महावीर्याः सौरभेयास्तरस्विनः ॥

surāsuragaṇānāṃ ca devarṣīṇāṃ ca bhāmini | nanu nāgā mahāvīryāḥ saurabheyāstarasvinaḥ

Are not the Nagas, bearers of divine fragrance, mighty and swift, O lovely lady, in the eyes of the hosts of gods and asuras and of the divine sages?

Note on the text: Corrected देवर्षीनां → देवर्षीणां (misprint in Wikisource; न for ण; the CE reads devarṣīṇām). Wikisource सौरभेयाः for the CE sauraseyāḥ (page footnote: सौरभेयाः दिव्यगन्धवहाः); recension variant, kept.

Verse 4 (12.370.4)

वन्दनीयाश्च वरदा वयमप्यनुयायिनः । मनुष्याणां विशेषेण नावेक्ष्या इति मे मतिः ॥

vandanīyāśca varadā vayamapyanuyāyinaḥ | manuṣyāṇāṃ viśeṣeṇa nāvekṣyā iti me matiḥ

We are worthy of reverence and are givers of boons, and we have followers of our own; and, I believe, we are not to be gazed upon by men in particular.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from the CE (dhanādhyakṣā iti śrutiḥ); recension variant, kept.

Verse 5 (12.370.5)

आर्जवेन विजानामि नासौ देवोऽनिलाशन । एकं तस्मिन्विजानामि भक्तिमानतिरोषण ॥

ārjavena vijānāmi nāsau devo'nilāśana | ekaṃ tasminvijānāmi bhaktimānatiroṣaṇa

By his simplicity I judge that he is no god, O wind-eater. One thing I know of him: he is devoted — O you who are so quick to anger.

Note on the text: Corrected भक्तिमानतिरोपण → भक्तिमानतिरोषण (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the CE reads atiroṣaṇaḥ). Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13). Wikisource ends the verse with the vocative अतिरोषण (no visarga) where the CE reads atiroṣaṇaḥ; kept as printed. Wikisource एकं तस्मिन् for the CE ekaṃ tv asya, and आर्जवेन विजानामि for ārjavenābhijānāmi; variants, kept.

Verse 6 (12.370.6)

स हि कार्यान्तराकाङ्क्षी जलेप्सुः स्तोकको यथा । वर्षं वर्षप्रियः पक्षी दर्शनं तव काङ्क्षते ॥

sa hi kāryāntarākāṅkṣī jalepsuḥ stokako yathā | varṣaṃ varṣapriyaḥ pakṣī darśanaṃ tava kāṅkṣate

For he has an errand to bring him to you, and longs for it as the stokaka bird longs for water: like that bird, fond of rain, he waits for the rain, and he longs to see you.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13). Page footnote: स्तोककः चातकः.

Verse 7 (12.370.7)

हित्वा त्वद्दर्शनं किंचिद्विघ्नं न प्रतिपालयेत् । तुल्योप्यभिजने जातो न कश्चित्पर्युपासते ॥

hitvā tvaddarśanaṃ kiṃcidvighnaṃ na pratipālayet | tulyopyabhijane jāto na kaścitparyupāsate

Apart from the sight of you, he would heed no obstacle; and though born into a family on a par with yours, he waits upon no one else.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13). The verse differs from the CE (na hi tvā daivataṃ kiṃ cid vivignaṃ pratipālayet / tulye hy abhijane jāto na kaś cit paryupāsate); the page footnote offers the CE-type reading as ट. पाठः. Recension variant, kept; the sense is obscure and is translated as printed.

Verse 8 (12.370.8)

तद्रोषं सहजं त्यक्त्वा त्वमेनं द्रष्टुमर्हसि । आशाच्छेदेन तस्याद्य नात्मानं दग्धुमर्हसि ॥

tadroṣaṃ sahajaṃ tyaktvā tvamenaṃ draṣṭumarhasi | āśācchedena tasyādya nātmānaṃ dagdhumarhasi

So put aside your inborn anger and go to see him. Do not burn yourself today by cutting off his hope.

Note on the text: Corrected दरधुमर्हसि → दग्धुमर्हसि (misprint in Wikisource; र for ग; the CE reads dagdhum). Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13).

Verse 9 (12.370.9)

आशया ह्यभिपन्नानामकृत्वाऽश्रुप्रमार्जनम् । राजा वा राजपुत्रो वा भ्रूणहत्यैव युज्यते ॥

āśayā hyabhipannānāmakṛtvā'śrupramārjanam | rājā vā rājaputro vā bhrūṇahatyaiva yujyate

A king or a king's son who fails to wipe away the tears of those who have come to him in hope incurs the guilt of killing an embryo.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13). Page footnote: भ्रूणहत्यैव = भ्रूणहत्ययैव.

Verse 10 (12.370.10)

मौने ज्ञानफलावाप्तिर्दानेन च यशो महत् । वाग्मित्वं सत्यवाक्येन परत्र च महीयते ॥

maune jñānaphalāvāptirdānena ca yaśo mahat | vāgmitvaṃ satyavākyena paratra ca mahīyate

From silence comes the fruit of knowledge, and from giving great fame; from truthful speech comes eloquence, and he is honoured in the world beyond.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13). Wikisource मौने for the CE maunāt; recension variant, kept.

Verse 11 (12.370.11)

भूप्रदानेन च गतिं लभत्याश्रमसंमिताम् । न्याय्यस्यार्थस्य संप्राप्तिं कृत्वा फलमुपाश्रुते ॥

bhūpradānena ca gatiṃ labhatyāśramasaṃmitām | nyāyyasyārthasya saṃprāptiṃ kṛtvā phalamupāśrute

By the gift of land one wins a state equal to that of the hermitages; by bringing about the recovery of rightful wealth, one reaps the fruit.

Note on the text: Corrected न्याय्यस्यार्धस्य → न्याय्यस्यार्थस्य (misprint in Wikisource; ध for थ; "rightful wealth", cf. the CE naṣṭasyārthasya). Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13). Wikisource भूप्रदानेन and न्याय्यस्य for the CE bhūmipradānena and naṣṭasya; recension variants, kept.

Verse 12 (12.370.12)

अभिप्रेतामसंश्लिष्टां कृत्वा चात्महितां क्रियाम् । न याति निरयं कश्चिदिति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥

abhipretāmasaṃśliṣṭāṃ kṛtvā cātmahitāṃ kriyām | na yāti nirayaṃ kaściditi dharmavido viduḥ

By performing an act that is desired, unentangled and beneficial to oneself, no one goes to hell: so the knowers of dharma say.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife (the page prints no heading for her speech, only नाग at verse 1 and a misprinted नाम at verse 13). Line 1 second half differs from the CE (kṛtvākāmavatīṃ kriyām); recension variant, kept.

Verse 13 (12.370.13)

अभिमानैर्न मानो मे जातिदोषेण वै महान् । रोषः संकल्पजः साध्वि दग्धो वागग्निना त्वया ॥

abhimānairna māno me jātidoṣeṇa vai mahān | roṣaḥ saṃkalpajaḥ sādhvi dagdho vāgagninā tvayā

My pride, great as it is, comes not from conceit but from the fault of my birth; and the anger born of resolve, O virtuous lady, you have burnt away with the fire of your speech.

Note on the text: Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha. The page prints the heading as "नाम उवाच", an evident misprint for नाग उवाच; the input row's नाम is corrected to नाग. Wikisource अभिमानैर्न and वागग्निना for the CE abhimānena and vācāgninā; recension variants, kept.

Verse 14 (12.370.14)

न च रोषादहं साध्वि पश्येयमधिकं तमः । तस्य वक्तव्यतां यान्ति विशेषेण भुजङ्गमाः ॥

na ca roṣādahaṃ sādhvi paśyeyamadhikaṃ tamaḥ | tasya vaktavyatāṃ yānti viśeṣeṇa bhujaṅgamāḥ

And because of anger, O virtuous lady, I would not see any greater darkness; it is for this above all that serpents come to be blamed.

Note on the text: Corrected याति विशेषेण भुजङ्गमाः → यान्ति विशेषेण भुजङ्गमाः (misprint in Wikisource; the plural subject भुजङ्गमाः needs यान्ति; the CE reads yānti). Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha. Wikisource तस्य for the CE yasya; recension variant, kept.

Verse 15 (12.370.15)

रोषस्य हि वशं गत्वा दशग्रीवः प्रतापवान् । तथा शक्रप्रतिस्पर्धी हतो रामेण संयुगे ॥

roṣasya hi vaśaṃ gatvā daśagrīvaḥ pratāpavān | tathā śakrapratispardhī hato rāmeṇa saṃyuge

Falling under the sway of anger, the mighty ten-necked Ravana, rival of Indra, was slain in battle by Rama.

Note on the text: Corrected दशग्नीवः → दशग्रीवः (misprint in Wikisource; ग्न for ग्र; the CE reads daśagrīvaḥ). Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha. Wikisource रोषस्य for the CE doṣasya; recension variant, kept.

Verse 16 (12.370.16)

अन्तःपुरगतं वत्सं श्रुत्वा रामेण निर्हृतम् । धर्षणाद्रोषसंविग्नाः कार्तवीर्यसुता हताः ॥

antaḥpuragataṃ vatsaṃ śrutvā rāmeṇa nirhṛtam | dharṣaṇādroṣasaṃvignāḥ kārtavīryasutā hatāḥ

Hearing that their calf, taken into their inner chambers, had been carried off by Rama, the sons of Kartavirya, shaken with anger at the outrage, were slain.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मणारोषसंविग्नाः → धर्षणाद्रोषसंविग्नाः (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled phrase; the CE reads dharṣaṇād roṣasaṃvignāḥ). Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha.

Verse 17 (12.370.17)

जामदग्न्येन रामेण सहस्रनयनोपमः । संयुगे निहतो रोषात्कार्तवीर्यो महाबलः ॥

jāmadagnyena rāmeṇa sahasranayanopamaḥ | saṃyuge nihato roṣātkārtavīryo mahābalaḥ

By Rama, son of Jamadagni, Kartavirya of great strength, whose might was like that of the thousand-eyed Indra, was slain in battle because of his anger.

Note on the text: Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha.

Verse 18 (12.370.18)

तदेष तपसां शत्रुः श्रेयसां विनिपातकः । निगृहीतो मया रोषः श्रुत्वैवं वचनं तव ॥

tadeṣa tapasāṃ śatruḥ śreyasāṃ vinipātakaḥ | nigṛhīto mayā roṣaḥ śrutvaivaṃ vacanaṃ tava

This is the enemy of austerities and the destroyer of what is good. On hearing your words I have restrained my anger.

Note on the text: Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha. Wikisource श्रेयसां विनिपातकः for the CE śreyasaś ca nipātanaḥ; recension variant, kept.

Verse 19 (12.370.19)

आत्मानं च विशेषेण प्रशंसाम्यनपायिनि । यस्य मे त्वं विशालाक्षि भार्या गुणसमन्विता ॥

ātmānaṃ ca viśeṣeṇa praśaṃsāmyanapāyini | yasya me tvaṃ viśālākṣi bhāryā guṇasamanvitā

And I especially praise myself, O blameless one, that you, so full of virtues, are my wife.

Note on the text: Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha. Wikisource गुणसमन्विता for the CE sarvaguṇānvitā; recension variant, kept.

Verse 20 (12.370.20)

एष तत्रैव गच्छामि यत्र तिष्ठत्यसौ द्विजः । सर्वथा चोक्तवान्वाक्यं स कृतार्थः प्रयास्यति ॥

eṣa tatraiva gacchāmi yatra tiṣṭhatyasau dvijaḥ | sarvathā coktavānvākyaṃ sa kṛtārthaḥ prayāsyati

I am going right now to where that Brahmin waits; when he has said what he has to say, he will surely depart with his purpose fulfilled.

Note on the text: Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha. Wikisource स कृतार्थः for the CE nākṛtārthaḥ; recension variant, kept.