Mahabharata, Book 1, Section XXXVIII: Astika Parvaआदिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 1.38.

38Sanskrit adhyāya 1.38 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

सौतिरुवाच।
सर्पाणां तु वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषामिति चेति च।
वासुकेश्च वचः श्रुत्वा एलापत्रोऽब्रवीदिदम्।।
`प्रागेव दर्शिता बुद्धिर्मयैषा भुजगोत्तमाः।
हेयेति यदि वो बुद्धिस्तवापि च तथा प्रभो।।
अस्तु कामं मभाद्यापि बुद्धिः स्मरणमागता।
तां शृणुध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि याथातथ्येन पन्नगाः।।'
न स यज्ञो न भविता न स राजा तथाविधः।
जनमेजयः पाण्डवेयो यतोऽस्माकं महद्भयम्।।
दैवेनोपहतो राजन्यो भवेदिह पूरुषः।
स दैवमेवाश्रयेत नान्यत्तत्र परायणम्।।
तदिदं चैवमस्माकं भयं पन्नगसत्तमाः।
दैवमेवाश्रयामोऽत्र शृणुध्वं च वचो मम।।
अहं शापे समुत्सृष्टे समश्रौषं वचस्तदा।
मातुरुत्सङ्गमारूढो भयात्पन्नगसत्तमाः।
देवानां पन्नगश्रेष्ठास्तीक्ष्णास्तीक्ष्ण इति प्रभो।।
`शापदुःखाग्नितप्तानां पन्नगानामनामयम्।
कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टाः प्रार्थयन्तो दिवौकसः।।'
देवा ऊचुः।
का हि लब्ध्वा प्रियान्पुत्राञ्शपेदेवं पितामह।
ऋते कद्रूं तीक्ष्णरूपां देवदेव तवाग्रतः।।
तथेति च वचस्तस्यास्त्वयाप्युक्तं पितामह।
इच्छाम एतद्विज्ञातुं कारणं यन्न वारिता।।
ब्रह्मोवाच।
बहवः पन्नगास्तीक्ष्णा घोररूपा विषोल्बणाः।
प्रजानां हितकामोऽहं न च वारितवांस्तदा।।
ये दन्दशूकाः क्षुद्राश्च पापाचारा विषोल्बणाः।
तेषां विनाशो भविता न तु ये धर्मचारिणः।।
यन्निमित्तं च भविता मोक्षस्तेषां महाभयात्।
पन्नगानां निबोधध्वं तस्मिन्काले समागते।।
यायावरकुले धीमान्भविष्यति महानृषिः।
जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातस्तपस्वी नियतेन्द्रियः।।
तस्य पुत्रो जरत्कारोर्भविष्यति तपोधनः।
आस्तीको नाम यज्ञं स प्रतिषेत्स्यति तं तदा।
तत्र मोक्ष्यन्ति भुजगा ये भविष्यन्ति धार्मिकाः।।
देवा ऊचुः।
स मुनिप्रवरो ब्रह्मञ्जरत्कारुर्महातपाः।
कस्यां पुत्रं महात्मानं जनयिष्यति वीर्यवान्।।
ब्रह्मोवाच।
`वासुकेर्भगिनी कन्या समुत्पन्ना सुशोभना।
तस्मै दास्यति तां कन्यां वासुकिर्भुजगोत्तमः।।
तस्यां जनयिता पुत्रं वेदवेदाङ्गपारगम्।'
सनामायां सनामा स कन्यायां द्विजसत्तमः।।
एलापत्र उवाच।
एवमस्त्विति तं देवाः पितामहमथाब्रुवन्।
उत्क्वैवं वचनं देवान्विरिञ्चिस्त्रिदिवं ययौ।।
सोऽहमेवं प्रपश्यामि वासुके भगिनी तव।
जरत्कारुरिति ख्याता तां तस्मै प्रतिपादय।।
भैक्षवद्भिक्षमाणाय नागानां भयशान्तये।
ऋषये सुव्रतायैनामेष मोक्षः श्रुतो मया।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि
आस्तीकपर्वणि अष्टत्रिंशोऽध्यायः।। 38 ।।

English Ganguli

“Sauti said, ‘Hearing the respective speeches of all the snakes, and hearing also the words of Vasuki, Elapatra began to address them, saying, ‘That sacrifice is not one that can be prevented. Nor is king Janamejaya of the Pandava race from whom this fear proceedeth, such that he can be hindered. The person, O king, who is afflicted by fate hath recourse to fate alone; nothing else can be his refuge. Ye best of snakes, this fear of ours hath fate for its root. Fate alone must be our refuge in this. Listen to what I say. When that curse was uttered, ye best of snakes, in fear I lay crouching on the lap of our mother. Ye best of snakes, and O lord (Vasuki) of great splendour, from that place I heard the words the sorrowing gods spake unto the Grandsire. The gods said, ‘O Grandsire, thou god of gods who else than the cruel Kadru could thus, after getting such dear children, curse them so, even in thy presence? And, O Grandsire, by thee also hath been spoken, with reference to those words of hers, ‘Be it so.’ We wish to know the reason why thou didst not prevent her.’ Brahman replied, ‘The snakes have multiplied. They are cruel, terrible in form and highly poisonous. From desire of the good of my creatures, I did not prevent Kadru then. Those poisonous serpents and others who are sinful, biting others for no faults, shall, indeed, be destroyed, but not they who are harmless and virtuous. And hear also, how, when the hour comes, the snakes may escape this dreadful calamity. There shall be born in the race of the Yayavaras a great Rishi known by the name of Jaratkaru, intelligent, with passions under complete control. That Jaratkaru shall have a son of the name of Astika. He shall put a stop to that sacrifice. And those snakes who shall be virtuous shall escape therefrom. The gods said, ‘O thou truth-knowing one, on whom will Jaratkaru, that foremost Muni, gifted with great energy and asceticism, beget that illustrious son?’ Brahma answered, ‘Gifted with great energy, that best Brahmana shall beget a son possessed of great energy on a wife of the same name as his. Vasuki, the king of the snakes, hath a sister of the name of Jaratkaru; the son, of whom I speak, shall be born of her, and he shall liberate the snakes.’

“Elapatra continued, ‘The gods then said unto the Grandsire, ‘Be it so.’ And the lord Brahman, having said so unto the gods, went to heaven. O Vasuki, I see before me that sister of thine known by the name of Jaratkaru. For relieving us from fear, give her as alms unto him (i.e., the Rishi), Jaratkaru, of excellent vows, who shall roam abegging for a bride. This means of release hath been heard of by me!’”