Mahabharata, Book 1, Section XV: Astika Parvaआदिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 1.15.

15Sanskrit adhyāya 1.15 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

सौतिरुवाच।
मात्रा हि भुजगाः शप्ताः पूर्वं ब्रह्मविदां वर।
जनमेजयस्य वो यज्ञे धक्ष्यत्यनिलसारथिः।।
तस्य शापस्य शान्त्यर्थं प्रददौ पन्नगोत्तमः।
स्वसारमृषये तस्मै सुव्रताय महात्मने।।
स च तां प्रतिजग्राह विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा।
आस्तीको नाम पुत्रश्च तस्यां जज्ञे महामनाः।।
तपस्वी च महात्मा च वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः।
समः सर्वस्य लोकस्य पितृमातृभयापहः।।
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य पाण्डवेयो नराधिपः।
आजहार महायज्ञं सर्पसत्रमिति श्रुतिः।।
तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते सत्रे तु सर्पाणामन्तकाय वै।
मोचयामास ताञ्शापादास्तीकः सुमहातपाः।।
भ्रातॄंश्च मातुलांश्चैव तथैवान्यान्स पन्नगान्।
पितॄंश्च तारयामास संतत्या तपसा तथा।।
व्रतैश्च विविधैर्ब्रह्मन्स्वाध्यायैश्चानृणोऽभवत्।
देवांश्च तर्पयामास यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः।।
ऋषींश्च ब्रह्मचर्येम सन्तत्या च पितामहान्।
अपहृत्य गुरं भारं पितॄणां संशितव्रतः।।
जरत्कारुर्गतः स्वर्गं सहितः स्वैः पितामहैः।
आस्तीकं च सुतं प्राप्य धर्मं चानुत्तमं मुनिः।।
जरत्कारुः सुमहता कालेन स्वर्गमेयिवान्।
एतदाख्यानमास्तीकं यथावत्कथितं मया।
प्रब्रूहि भृगुशार्दूल किमन्यत्कथयामि ते।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि
आस्तीकपर्वणि पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः।। 15 ।।

English Ganguli

“Sauti said, ‘O foremost of persons acquainted with Brahma, the mother of the snakes had cursed them of old, saying, ‘He that hath the Wind for his charioteer (viz., Agni) shall burn you all in Janamejaya’s sacrifice!’ It was to neutralise that curse that the chief of the snakes married his sister to that high-souled Rishi of excellent vows. The Rishi wedded her according to the rites ordained (in the scriptures), and from them was born a high-souled son called Astika. An illustrious ascetic; versed in the Vedas and their branches, he regarded all with an even eye, and removed the fears of both his parents.

“Then, after a long space of time, a king descending from the Pandava line celebrated a great sacrifice known as the Snake-sacrifice, After that sacrifice had commenced for the destruction of the snakes, Astika delivered the Nagas, viz., his brothers and maternal uncles and other snakes (from a fiery death). And he delivered his fathers also by begetting offspring. And by his austerities, O Brahmana, and various vows and study of the Vedas, he freed himself from all his debts. By sacrifices, at which various kinds of offerings were made, he propitiated the gods. By practising the Brahmacharya mode of life he conciliated the Rishis; and by begetting offspring he gratified his ancestors.

“Thus Jaratkaru of rigid vows discharged the heavy debt he owed to his sires who being thus relieved from bondage ascended to heaven. Thus having acquired great religious merit, Jaratkaru, after a long course of years, went to heaven, leaving Astika behind. There is the story of Astika that I have related duly Now, tell me, O tiger of Bhrigu’s race, what else I shall narrate.”

So ends the fifteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.