Janamejaya gives blessings to Āstīka

 janamejaya uvāca

bālo ̍pyayaṁ sthavira ivāvabhāṣate

nāyaṁ bālaḥ sthaviro ̍yaṁ mato me

icchāmyahaṁ varamasmai pradātuṁ

tanme viprāḥ saṁvidadhvaṁ yathāvat

Janamejaya said: Though this Ṛṣi is but a boy, he speaks like a wise old man. He is not a boy, I think he is wise and old. I wish to bestow on him a boon. Therefore, O Brāhmaṇas, give me necessary permiccion. 

sadāsyā ūcuḥ

bālo ̍pi vipro mānya eveha rājñāṁ

vidvānyo vai sa yathāvat

sarvānkāmāṁstvatta evārhate ̍dya

yathā ca nastakṣaka eti śīghram

Sadasyas said: Brāhmaṇa, though he may be a boy, deserves respect of kings, more so if he is learned. This boy deserves to have his all desires fulfilled, but not before Takṣaka is here with all speed.

sautiruvāca

vyāhartukāme varade nṛpe dvijaṁ

varaṁ vṛṇīṣveti tato ̍yuvāca

hotā vākyaṁ nātihṛṣṭāntarātmā

karmaṇyasmiṁstakṣako naiti tāvat

Sauti said: king, being willing to grant a boon to Brāhmaṇa boy, said: Ask from me a boon!

Hotā, being rather displeased at this, said: Takṣaka has not yet come to yhis sacrifice!

janamejaya uvāca

yathā cedaṁ karma samāpyate me

yathā ca vai takṣaka eti śīghram

tahā bhavantaḥ prayantu sarve

paraṁ śaktyā sa hi me vidviṣāṇaḥ

Janamejaya said: Try your best to bring this my sacrifice to successful completion, exert your might, so that Takṣaka may come here without further delay! He is my enemy!

ṛtvija ūcuḥ

yathā śāstrāṇi naḥ prāhuryathā śaṁsati pāvakaḥ

indrasya bhavane rājaṁstakṣako bhayapīḍitaḥ

Ṛtvijas said: O king! Takṣaka is now living in fear in abode of Indra. Śāstras declere this to us and Fire also says it!

yathā sūto lokhitākṣo mahātmā

paurāṇiko veditavānpurastāt

sa rājānaṁ prāha pṛṣṭastadānīṁ

yathāhurviprāstadvadetannṛdeva

Sauti said: Illustrious Suta, Lohitākṣya, well versed in Purāṇas, had also said this before. Asked by king again on this occasion, he told him what he said before.

purāṇamāgamya tato bravīmyahaṁ 

dattaṁ tasmai varamindreṇa rājan

vaseha tvaṁ matsakāśe sugupto

na pāvakastvaṁ pradahiṣyatīti

He said: O king, what Brāhmaṇas have said is true. Knowing as I do Purāṇas, I say, O king, Indra has granted him boon, saying: Live here in concealment and fire will not be able to burn you!

etacchrutvā dīkṣitastapyamāna

āste hotāraṁ codayankarmakāle

hotā ca yatto ̍syājuhāvātha mantrai-

ratho mahendraḥ svayamājagāma

Having heard this, king, installed in sacrifice, became very sorry and urged Hotā to do his duty. He too, with Mantras, began to pour ghee into Fire. Thereupon Indra himself came to the place.

vimānamāruhya mahānubhāvaḥ

sarvairdevaiḥ parisaṁstūyamānaḥ

balāhakaiścāpyanugamyamāno 

vidyādharairapsarasāṁ gaṇaiśca

Illustrious god came on his car, adored and worshipped by all celestials standing around his chariot and entertained by masses of clouds, celestial singers and various classes of celestial dancing girls.

tasyottarīye nihitaḥ sa nāgo

bhayodvignaḥ śarma naivābhyagacchat

tato rājā mantravido ̍bravītpunaḥ

kruddho vakyaṁ takṣakasyāntamicchan

Snake Takṣaka, however, kept himself hidden within the garments of Indra. Thereupon king, being desirous of destruction of Takṣaka, spoke to his Mantra knowing Brāhmaṇas thus:

janamejaya uvāca

indrasya bhavame viprā yadi nāgaḥ sa takṣakaḥ

tamindreṇaiva sahitaṁ pātayadhvaṁ vibhāvasau

Janamejaya said: O Brāhmaṇas, if Takṣaka be in abode of Indra, throw him into the fire with Indra also!

sautiruvāca

janamejayena rājñā tu noditastakṣakaṁ prati

hotā juhāva tatrasthaṁ takṣakaṁ pannagaṁ tathā

Sauti said: Thus urged by king Janamejaya to destroy Takṣaka, Hotā again and again poured libations into the fire, calling snake Takṣaka by name, who was then staying there hidden within the garments of Indra.

hūyamāne tathā caiva takṣakaḥ sapuraṅdaraḥ

ākāśe dadṛśe caiva kṣaṇena vyathitastadā

as libations were continually poured into fire, Takṣaka with Indra, anxious and afflicted, became visible in a moment in the sky.

puraṅdarastu taṁ yajñaṁ dṛṣṭvorubhayamāviśat

hitvā tu takṣakaṁ trastaḥ svameva bhavanaṁ yayau

Having seen that sacrifice, Indra was filled with fear and casting off Takṣaka, he hastened back to his own abode.

indre gate tu rājendra takṣako bhayamohitaḥ 

mantraśaktyā pāvakārciḥ samīpamavaśo gataḥ

On departure of Indra, king of the snakes, Takṣaka, insensible with fear, was brought near sacrificial fire by the virtue of Mantras.

ṛtvija ūcuḥ 

vartate tava rājendra karmaitadvidhivatprabho

asmai tu dvijamukhyāya varaṁ tvaṁ dātumarhasi

Ṛtvijas said: O king of kings, O lord, your this act - sacrifice, is being properly performed. It is now proper for you to grant a boon to this best of Brāhmaṇas - Āstīka.

janamejaya uvāca

bālābhirūpasya tavāprameya

varaṁ prayacchāmi yathānurūpam

vṛṇīṣva yatte ̍bhimataṁ hṛdi sthitaṁ

tato pradāsyāmyapi cedadeyam

Janamejaya said: O immeasurable one, you are of such child like and handsome features, that I desire to bestow on you a worthy boon! Therefore, ask that what you desire in your heart to posess. I promise you, I shall grant it if it be even ungrantable!

ṛtvija ūcuḥ

ayamāyāti tūrṇaṁ sa takṣakaste vaśaṁ nṛpa

śrūyate ̍sya mahānnādo nadato bhairavaṁ ravam

Ṛtvijas said: O king! Behold, Takṣaka has come under your control. His terrible cries and loud roars are ahead.

nūnaṁ mukto vajrabhṛtā sa nāgo

bhraṣṭo nākānmantravisrastakāyaḥ

ghūrṇākāśe naṣṭasaṁjño ̍bhyupaiti

tīvrānniḥsvāsānniḥśvasanpannagendraḥ

Snake has been forsaken by the wielder of thunder bolt Indra. His body has been disabled by our Mantras. Behold, he is falling from heavens. Behold, king of the snakes, deprived of his consciousness, comes rolling in the sky breathing loudly.

sautiruvāca

patiṣyamāṇe nāgendre takṣake jātavedasi

idamantaratyevaṁ tadāstīko ̍bhyacodayat

Sauti said: When king of snakes, Takṣaka, was at the point of falling into sacrificial fire, within that very short moment, Āstīka spoke thus:

āstīka uvāca

varaṁ dadāsi cenmahyaṁ vṛṇomi janamejaya

satraṁ te viramatvetanna pateyurihoragāḥ

Āstīka said: O Janamejaya! If you will at all to grant me a boon, let your this sacrifice be stopped and let no more snakes fall into the fire!

sautiruvāca

evamuktastadā tena brahmanpārikṣitastu saḥ

nātihṛṣṭamanaṭcedamāstīkaṁ vākyamabravīt

Sauti said: O Brāhmaṇa, son of Parīkṣit, having been thus addressed, became exceedingly sorry and spoke to Āstīka thus:

janamejaya uvāca

suvarṇaṁ rajataṁ gāśca yaccānyanmanyase vibho

tatte dadyāṁ varaṁ vipra na nivartetkraturmama

Janamaejaya said: O illustrious man, I shall give you gold, silver, kine or whwtewer else you desire to possess, but let not my this sacrifice be stopped!

āstīka uvāca

suvarṇaṁ rajataṁ gāśca na tvāṁ rājanvṛṇomyaham

satraṁ te viramatvetatsvasti mātṛkulasya naḥ

Āstīka said: O king! I do not ask from you gold, silver or kine. Let your this sacrifice be stopped, so that my maternal relatives are saved!

sautiruvāca

āstīkenaivamuktastu rājā pārikṣitastadā

punaḥ punaruvācedamāstīkaṁ vadatāṁvaraḥ

Sauti said: Thus addressed by Āstīka, son of Parīkṣit - Janamejaya, again and again said to that best of speakers, Āstīka,

anyaṁ varaya bhadraṁ te varaṁ dvijavarottama

ayācata na cāpyanyaṁ varaṁ sa bhṛgunandana

O best of Brāhmaṇas! O blessed one! O illustrious man! Ask some other boon!

But, O descendant of Bhṛgu race, he did not ask any other boon!

tato vedavidastāta sadasyāḥ sarva eva tam

rājānamūcuḥ sahitā labhatāṁ brāhmaṇo varam

Thereupon, all Sadasyas, learned in Vedas, told king in one voice, in the Vedas, told king in one voice: Let Brāhmaṇa receive boon asked by him!