Āstīka arrives to snake sacrifice

 sautiruvāca

tata āhūya putraṁ svaṁ jaratkārurbhujaṁgamā

vāsukernāgarājasya vacanādidamabravīt

Sauti said: Snake lady, Jaratkāku, then calling her son, told him what was spoken to her by Vāsuki, king of Nāgas.

ahaṁ tava pituḥ putra bhrātrā gattā nimittataḥ 

kālaḥ sa cāyaṁ saṁprāptastatkuruṣva yathātatham

She said: O son! Time has come for accomplishment of that object for which I was bestowed by my brother on your father. Therefore, do what is needful.

āstīka uvāca

kiṁ nimittaṁ mama piturdattā tvaṁ mātulena me

tanmamācakṣva tattvena śrutvā kartā ̍smi tattath

Āstīka said: For what object, O mother, were you bestowed by my uncle on my father? Tell me all, so that I may do what is proper.

sautiruvāca

tata ācaṣṭa sā tasmai bāndhavānāṁ hitaiṣiṇī

bhaginī nāgarājasya jaratkāruraviklavā

Sauti said: Jaratkāru, sister of the snake king, ever desirous to do good to her race and much moved by generall distress said:

jaratkāruruvāca

pannagāmaśeṣāṇāṁ mātā kadrūriti śrutā

tayā śaptā ruṣitayā sutā yasmānnibodha tat

Jaratkāru said: O son, mother of all snakes was Kadrū. Hear, why she cursed her sons in anger.

uccaiḥśravāḥ so ̍śvarājo yanmithyā na kṛto mama

vinatārthāya paṇite dāsabhāvāya putrakāḥ

janamejayasya vo yajñe dhakṣyatyanilasārathiḥ

tatra pañcatvamāpannāḥ pretalokaṁ gamiṣyatha

Addressing her sons she said: As you have refused to change colour of Ucchaiḥśravā, king of horses, thus making me a slave to Vinatā according to the wager, god of fire will consume you all in sacrifice of Janamejaya. Thus being killed, you will go to the land of the dead.

tāṁ ca śaptavatīṁ devaḥ sākṣāllokapitāmahaḥ

evamastviti tadvākyaṁ provācānumumoda ca

Grandsire of all creatures approved her curse and when she was uttering it, he said: Be it so!

vāsukiścāpi tacchrutvā pitāmahavacastadā

amṛte mathite tāta devāñcharaṇamīyivān

O child! Vāsuki, having heard this curse and words of Grandsire, sought protection of celestials after completion of churning of the ocean.

sidvārthāśca surāḥ sarve prāpyāmṛtamanuttamam

bhrātaraṁ me puraskṛtya pitāmahamupāgaman

Crlestials, having their object gained, for they had obtained excellent Ambrosia, came to Grandsire, placing my brother Vāsuki at the head.

te taṁ prasādayāmāsuḥ surāḥ sarve ̍bjasaṁbhavam

rājā vāsukināsārdhaṁ śāpo ̍sau na bhavediti

All celestials, with snake king Vāsuki, tried to induce great Deity, born of the lotus to grace in a way so that curse might be made futile.

devā ūcuḥ

vāsukirnāgarājo ̍yaṁ duḥkhito jñātikāraṇat

abhiśāpaḥ sa mātustu bhagavanna bhavetkatham

Velestials said: O lord of snakes, Vāsuki, is sorry for his relatives. How may his mother ̍s curse be made futile?

brahmovāca

jaratkārurjaratkāruṁ yāṁ bhāryāṁ samavāpsyati

tatra jāto dvijaḥ śāpānmokṣayiṣyati pannagān

Brahmā said: Jaratkāru will marry a wife named Jaratkāru. That Brāhmaṇa, who will be born of her, will save snakes.

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṁ vāsukiḥ pannagottamaḥ

prādānmāmamaraprakhya tava pitre mahātmane

Jaratkāru said: The best of snakes, Vāsuki, having heard this, O illustrious son, bestowed me on your noble father, long before commencement of this sacrifice.

prāgevānāgate kāle tasmāttvaṁ mayyajāyathāḥ

ayaṁ sa kālaḥ saṁprāpto bhayānnastrātumarhasi

As the result of that marriage, you were born of me. That time has now come. You should now protect us from this danger.

bhrāraṁ cāpi me tasmāttrātumarhasi pāvakāt

na moghaṁ tu kṛtaṁ tatsyādyadahaṁ tava dhīmate

pitre dattā vimokṣārthaṁ kathaṁ vā putra manyase

you should protect my brother and myself from fire, so that object - our protection, for which I was bestowed on your wise father, may not remain un fulfilled. O my son, what do you think proper now?

sautiruvāca

evamuktastathetyuktvā sāstīko mātaraṁ tadā

abravīdduḥkhasaṁtaptaṁ vāsukiṁ jīvayanniva

Sauti said: Thus addressed, Āstīka said to his mother: Yes, I shall save snakes!

Then he addressed Vāsuki, thereby infusing life in him and said:

ahaṁ tvāṁ mokṣayiṣyāmi vāsuke pannagottama

tasmācchāpānmahāsattva satyametadbravīmi te

O Vāsuki, the best of snakes, I shall protect you, I tell you truly that I shall relieve you from the curse.

bhava svasthamanā nāma na hi te vidyate bhayam

prayatiṣye tathā rājanyathā śreyo bhaviṣyati

O snake, be at your ease! There is no longer any fear. I shall try my utmost to do you good!

na me vāganṛtaṁ prāha svaireṣvapi kuto ̍nyathā

taṁ vai nṛpavaraṁ gatvā dīkṣitaṁ janamejayam

vāgbhirmaṅgalayuktābhistoṣayiṣye ̍dya mātula

yathā sa yajño nṛpaternivartiṣyati sattama

None can say that my words even in jest have ever been false, not to speak of my words on serious occasions. O uncle, going to that best of kings, Janamejaya, now installed in sacrifice, I shall oplease him with words mixed with blessings, so that, O excellent one, that king will refrain from sacrifice.

sa saṁbhāvaya nāgendra mayi sarvaṁ mahāmate

na te mayi mano jātu mithyā bhavitumarhasi

O king of snakes, O high minded one, believe all I say. Believe me, my resolve can never remain unfulfilled.

vāsukiruvāca

āstīka parighūrṇāmi hṛdayaṁ me vidīryate

diśo na pratijānāmi brahmadaṇḍanipīḍitaḥ

Vāsuki said: O Āstīka, being afflicted with my mother ̍s curse my head is whirling, my heart is breaking. I cannot see points of heavens.

āstīka uvāca

na saṁtāpastvayā kāryaḥ kathaṁcitpannagottama

pradīptāgneḥ samutpannaṁ nāśayiṣyāmi te bhayam

Āstīka said: O best of snakes! You should not griev any longer. I shall dispel your fear of blazing fire.

brahmadaṇḍaṁ mahāghoraṁ kālāgnisamatejasam

nāśayiṣyāmi mātra tvaṁ bhayaṁ kārṣīḥ kathaṁcana

I shall extinguish this fire, this terrible punishment, blazing as fire of the end of the Yuga. You should not entertain any fear any longer.

sautiruvāca

tataḥ sa vāsukerghoramapanīya manojvaram

ādhāya cātmano ̍ṅgeṣu jagāma tvarito bhṛśam

janamejayasya taṁ yajñaṁ sarvaiḥ samuditaṁ guṇaiḥ

mokṣāya bhujagendrāmāstīko dvijasattamaḥ

Sauti said: In order to save king of snakes, best of Brāhmaṇas, Āstīka, dispelling terrible fever of Vāsuki ̍s heart and taking it as it was upon himself, went with speed to the sacrifice of Janamejaya,  which was adorned with all merits.

sa gatvāpaśyadāstīko yajñāyatanamuttamam

vṛttaṁ sadasyairbuhubhiḥ sūryavahnisamaprabhaiḥ

Having gone there, Āstīka saw excellent Yajña place, full of numerous Sadasyas, as effulgent as the sun or Agni.

sa tatra vārito dvāsthaiḥ praviśandvijasattamaḥ 

abhituṣṭāva taṁ yajñaṁ praveśārthī paraṁtapaḥ

But the best of Brāhmaṇas, Āstīka, was denied admittance by door keepers and mighty ascetic, wishing to enter into enclosed sacrificial place, pleased them by praising sacrifice.

sa prāpya yajñāyatanaṁ variṣṭhaṁ

dvijottamaḥ puṇyakṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ

tuṣṭāva rājānamanantakīrti-

mṛtviksadasyāṁśca tathaiva cāgnim

Thus having entered excellent sacrificial place, that best of Brāhmaṇas, foremost of all virtuous men, began to adore king of illustrious deeds, Ṛtvijas, Sadasyas and sacred fire.