Mahabharata, Book 1, Section LIII: Astika Parvaआदिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 1.53.

53Sanskrit adhyāya 1.53 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

शौनक उवाच।
सर्पसत्रे तदा राज्ञः पाण्डवेयस्य धीमतः।
जनमेजयस्य के त्वासन्नृत्विजः परमर्षयः।।
के सदस्या बभूवुश्च सर्पसत्रे सुदारुणे।
विषादजननेऽत्यर्थं पन्नगानां महाभय।।
सर्वं विस्तरशस्तात भवाञ्छंसितुमर्हति।
सर्पसत्रविधानज्ञविज्ञेयाः के च सूतज।।
सौतिरुवाच।
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि नामानीह मनीषिणाम्।
ये ऋत्विजः सदस्याश्च तस्यासन्नृपतेस्तदा।।
तत्र होता बभूवाथ ब्राह्मणश्चण्डभार्गवः।
च्यवनस्यान्वये ख्यातो जातो वेदविदां वरः।।
उद्गाता ब्राह्मणो वृद्धो विद्वान्कौत्सौऽथ जैमिनिः।
ब्र्हमाऽभवच्छार्ङ्गरवोऽथाध्वर्युश्चापि पिङ्गलः।।
सदस्यश्चाभवद्व्यासः पुत्रशिष्यसहायवान्।
उद्दालकः प्रमतकः श्वेतकेतुश्च पिङ्गलः।।
असितो देवलश्चैव नारदः पर्वतस्तथा।
आत्रेयः कुम्डजठरौ द्विजः कालघटस्तथा।।
वात्स्यः श्रुतश्रवा वृद्धो जपस्वाध्यायशीलवान्।
कोहलो देवशर्मा च मौद्गल्यः समसौरभः।।
एते चान्ये च बहवो ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः।
सदस्याश्चाभवंस्तत्र सत्रे पारिक्षितस्य ह।।
जुह्वत्स्वृत्विक्ष्वथ तदा सर्पसत्रे महाक्रतौ।
अहयः प्रापतंस्तत्र घोराः प्राणिभयावहाः।।
वसामेदोवहाः कुल्या नागानां संप्रवर्तिताः।
ववौ गन्धश्च तुमुलो दह्यतामनिशं तदा।।
पततां चैव नागानां धिष्ठितानां तथाम्बरे।
अश्रूयतानिशं शब्दः पच्यतां चाग्निना भृशम्।।
तक्षकस्तु स नागेन्द्रः पुरंदरनिवेशनम्।
गतः श्रुत्वैव राजानं दीक्षितं जनमेजयम्।।
ततः सर्वं यथावृत्तमाख्याय भुजगोत्तमः।
अगच्छच्छरणं भीत आगस्कृत्वा पुरंदरम्।।
तमिन्द्रः प्राह सुप्रीतो न तवास्तीह तक्षक।
भयं नागेन्द्र तस्माद्वै सर्पसत्रात्कदाचन।।
प्रसादितो मया पूर्वं तवार्थाय पितामहः।
तस्मात्तव भयं नास्ति व्येतु तेनसो ज्वरः।।
सौतिरुवाच।
एवमाश्वासितस्तेन ततः स भुजगोत्तमः।
उवास भवने तस्मिञ्शक्रस्य मुदितः सुखी।।
अजस्रं निपतत्स्वग्नौ नागेषु भृशदुःखितः।
अल्पशेषपरीवारो वासुकिः पर्यतप्यत।।
कश्मलं चाविशद्धोरं वासुकिं पन्नगोत्तमम्।
स घूर्णमानहृदयो भगिनीमिदमब्रवीत्।।
दह्यन्तेऽङ्गानि मे भद्रे न दिशः प्रतिभान्ति माम्।
सीदामीव च संमोहाद्धूर्णतीव च मे मनः।।
दृष्टिर्भ्राम्यति मेऽतीव हृदयं दीर्यतीव च।
पतिष्याम्यवशोऽद्याहं तस्मिन्दीप्ते विभावसौ।।
पारिक्षितस्य यज्ञोऽसौ वर्ततेऽस्मज्जिघांसया।
व्यक्तं मयाऽभिगन्तव्यं प्रेतराजनिवेशनम्।।
अयं स कालः संप्राप्तो यदर्थमसि मे स्वसः।
जरत्करौ(पुरा)मयादत्तात्रायस्वास्मान्सबान्धवान्।।
आस्तीकः किल यज्ञं तं वर्तन्तं भुजगोत्तमे।
प्रतिषेत्स्यति मां पूर्वं स्वयमाह पितामहः।।
तद्वत्से ब्रूहि वत्सं स्वं कुमारं वृद्धसंमतम्।
ममाद्य त्वं सभृत्यस्य मोक्षार्थं वेदवित्तमम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि
आस्तीकपर्वणि त्रिपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः।। 53 ।।

English Ganguli

“Saunaka asked, ‘What great Rishis became the Ritwiks at the snake-sacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the Pandava line? Who also became the Sadasyas in that terrible snake-sacrifice, so frightful to the snakes, and begetting such sorrow in them? It behoveth thee to describe all these in detail, so that, O son of Suta, we may know who were acquainted with the rituals of the snake-sacrifice.’

“Sauti replied, ‘I will recite the names of those wise ones who became the monarch’s Ritwiks and Sadasyas. The Brahmana Chandabhargava became the Hotri in that sacrifice. He was of great reputation, and was born in the race of Chyavana and was the foremost of those acquainted with the Vedas. The learned old Brahmana, Kautsa, became the Udgatri, the chanter of the Vedic hymns. Jaimini became the Brahmana, and Sarngarva and Pingala the Adhvaryus, Vyasa with his son and disciples, and Uddalaka, Pramataka, Swetaketu, Pingala, Asita, Devala, Narada, Parvata, Atreya, Kundajathara, the Brahmana Kalaghata, Vatsya, old Srutasravas ever engaged in japa and the study of the Vedas. Kohala Devasarman, Maudgalya, Samasaurava, and many other Brahmanas who had got through the Vedas became the Sadasyas at that sacrifice of the son of Parikshit.

“When the Ritwiks in that snake-sacrifice began to pour clarified butter into the fire, terrible snakes, striking fear into every creature, began to fall into it. And the fat and the marrow of the snakes thus falling into the fire began to flow in rivers. And the atmosphere was filled with an insufferable stench owing to the incessant burning of the snakes. And incessant also were the cries of the snakes fallen into the fire and those in the air about to fall into it.

‘Meanwhile, Takshaka, that prince of snakes, as soon as he heard that king Janamejaya was engaged in the sacrifice, went to the palace of Purandara (Indra). And that best of snakes, having represented all that had taken place, sought in terror the protection of Indra after having acknowledged his fault. And Indra, gratified, told him, ‘O prince of snakes, O Takshaka, here thou hast no fear from that snake-sacrifice. The Grandsire was pacified by me for thy sake. Therefore, thou hast no fear. Let this fear of thy heart be allayed.’

Sauti continued, ‘Thus encouraged by him, that best of snakes began to dwell in Indra’s abode in joy and happiness. But Vasuki, seeing that the snakes were incessantly falling into the fire and that his family was reduced to only a few, became exceedingly sorry. And the king of the snakes was afflicted with great grief, and his heart was about to break. And summoning his sister, he spake unto her, saying, ‘O amiable one, my limbs are burning and I no longer see the points of the heavens. I am about to fall down from loss of consciousness. My mind is turning, my sight is falling and my heart is breaking. Benumbed, I may fall today into that blazing fire! This sacrifice of the son of Parikshit is for the extermination of our race. It is evident I also shall have to go to the abode of the king of the dead. The time is come, O my sister, on account of which thou wert bestowed by me on Jaratkaru to protect us with our relatives. O best of the women of the snake race, Astika will put an end to the sacrifice that is going on. The Grandsire told me this of old. Therefore, O child, solicit thy dear son who is fully conversant with the Vedas and regarded even by the old, for the protection of myself and also of those dependent on me.”’