ततः सुरैर्विजयमवाप्य मन्दरः स्वमेव देशं गमितः सुपूजितः। विनाद्य खं दिवमपि चैव सर्वश- स्ततो गताः सलिलधरा यथागतम्
After the gods had attained victory, Mandara was respectfully returned to his own place; resounding through the sky and the heavens, all the clouds departed as they had come.
ततोऽमृतं सुनिहितमेव चक्रिरे सुराः पुरां मुदमभिगम्य पुष्कलाम्। ददो च तं निधिममृतस्य रक्षितुं किरीटिने बलभिदथामरैः सह
Then the gods, filled with abundant joy, carefully secured the nectar; and they entrusted that treasure of amrita to the crowned one, the slayer of Bala, to guard it together with the immortals.
एतत्ते कथितं सर्वममृतं मथितं यथा। यत्र सोऽश्वः समुत्पन्नः श्रीमानतुलविक्रमः
Thus I have told you everything about how the nectar was churned, and how that glorious, peerless horse was born there.
तं निशाम्य तदा कद्रूर्विनतामिदमब्रवीत्। उच्चैःश्रवा हि किंवर्णो भद्रे प्रब्रूहि मा चिरम्
Then Kadru, seeing it, said to Vinata: 'Tell me quickly, dear one, what is the color of Uccaiḥśravas?'
श्वेत एवाश्वराजोऽयं किं वा त्वं मन्यसे शुभे। ब्रूहि वर्णं त्वमप्यस्य ततोऽत्र विपणावहे
'This king of horses is surely white—or what do you think, lovely one? Tell me its color too, and then let us make a wager on it.'
कृष्णवालमहं मन्ये हयमेनं शुचिस्मिते। एहि सार्धं मया दीव्य दासीभावाय भामिनि
'I think this horse is black-maned, O fair-smiling one. Come, let us wager together, and the loser shall become the other's servant, O beautiful lady.'
एवं ते समयं कृत्वा दासीभावाय वै मिथः। जग्मतुः स्वगृहानेव श्वो द्रक्ष्याव इति स्म ह
Thus, having made a mutual agreement to become the other's servant, they both went to their own homes, saying, 'Tomorrow we shall see.'
ततः पुत्रसहस्रं तु कद्रूर्जिह्यं चिकीर्षती। आज्ञापयामास तदा वाला भूत्वाऽञ्जनप्रभाः
Then Kadru, wishing to win, ordered her thousand sons, the snakes, to become black hairs.
आविशध्वं हयं क्षिप्रं दासी न स्यामहं यथा। नावपद्यन्त ये वाक्यं ताञ्शशाप भुजंगमान्
'Quickly enter the horse, so that I may not become a servant; those who did not obey her words, she cursed—those serpents.'
सर्पसत्रे वर्तमाने पावको वः प्रधक्ष्यति। जनमेजयस्य राजर्षेः पाण्डवेयस्य धीमतः
'During the snake-sacrifice, fire will consume you all, at the hands of Janamejaya, the wise royal sage descended from the Pandavas.'
शापमेनं तु शुश्राव स्वयमेव पितामहः। अतिक्रूरं समुत्सृष्टं कद्र्वा दैवादतीव हि
But Brahma himself heard this curse, so cruel and uttered by Kadru, and recognized it as divinely ordained.
सार्धं देवगणैः सर्वैर्वाचं तामन्वमोदत। बहुत्वं प्रेक्ष्य सर्पाणां प्रजानां हितकाम्यया
Together with all the hosts of gods, he approved that speech, wishing for the welfare of beings, seeing the multitude of serpents.
तिग्मवीर्यविषा ह्येते दन्दशूका महाबलाः। तेषां तीक्ष्णविषत्वाद्धि प्रजानां च हिताय च
These snakes, fierce in strength and venom, are mighty; because of their sharp poison, and for the welfare of living beings,
युक्तं मात्रा कृतं तेषां परपीडोपसर्पिणाम्। अन्येषामपि सत्त्वानां नित्यं दोषपरास्तु ये
a measure was set for them, who approach to harm others; and for those other creatures who are always intent on wrongdoing.
तेषां प्राणान्तिको दण्डो दैवेन विनिपात्यते। एवं संभाष्य देवस्तु पूज्य कद्रूं च तां तदा
For them, death is ordained by divine law as punishment; thus, having spoken, the god then honored Kadru at that time.
आहूय कश्यपं देव इदं वचनमब्रवीत्। यदेते दन्दशूकाश्च सर्पा जातास्त्वयानघ
The god, having summoned Kasyapa, spoke these words: 'These snakes and serpents have been born from you, O sinless one.
विषोल्बणा महाभोगा मात्रा शप्ताः परंतप। तत्र मन्युस्त्वया तात न कर्तव्यः कथंचन
Endowed with poison, possessing great power, and cursed by their mother, O scorcher of foes, you should not, dear one, harbor anger in this matter in any way.
दृष्टं पुरातनं ह्येतद्यज्ञे सर्पविनाशनम्। इत्युक्त्वा सृष्टिकृद्देवस्तं प्रसाद्य प्रजापतिम्। प्रादाद्विषहरीं विद्यां कश्यपाय महात्मने
This ancient destruction of snakes in the sacrifice has been seen; having thus spoken, the creator god, having pleased the lord of creatures, gave to the great-souled Kasyapa the knowledge that removes poison.
एवं शप्तेषु नागेषु कद्र्वातु द्विजसत्तम। अद्विग्नः शापतस्तस्याः कद्रूं कर्कोटकोऽब्रवीत्
When the serpents were thus cursed, O best of twice-born, Karkotaka, undisturbed by that curse, spoke to Kadru.
मातरं परमप्रीतस्तथा भुजगसत्तमः। आविश्य वाजिनं मुख्यं बालो भूत्वाञ्जनप्रभः
The best of serpents, greatly pleased, addressed his mother; entering the chief horse, he became a child with a body shining like collyrium.
दर्शयिष्यामि तत्राहमात्मानं काममाश्वस। एवमस्त्विति सा पुत्रं प्रत्युवाच यशस्विनी
'I will show myself there as I wish, so be at ease;' thus the illustrious one replied to her son.
ततो रजन्यां व्युष्टायां प्रभातेऽभ्युदिते रवौ। कद्रूश्च विनता चैव भगिन्यौ ते तपोधन
Then, when the night had passed and the sun had risen in the morning, Kadru and Vinata, those two sisters, O possessor of austerities,
अमर्षिते सुसंरब्धे दास्ये कृतपणे तदा। `स्मगरस्य परं पारं वेलावनविभूषितम्।' जग्मतुस्तुरगं द्रष्टुमुच्चैःश्रवसमन्तिकात्
resentful and greatly enraged, having made their wager of servitude, went to see the horse Ucchaihshravas near the farthest shore adorned with sandbanks.
ददृशातेऽथ ते तत्र समुद्रं निधिमम्भसाम्। महान्तमुदकागाधं क्षोभ्यमाणं महास्वनम्
There they saw the ocean, the treasury of waters, vast, deep, agitated, and resounding greatly.
तिमिंगिलझषाकीर्णं मकरैरावृतं तथा। सत्वैश्च बहुसाहस्रैर्नानारूपैः समावृतम्
It was filled with timi, makara, and giant fish, and also crowded with thousands of creatures of various forms.
भीषणैर्विकृतैरन्यैर्घोरैर्जलचरैस्तथा। उग्रैर्नित्यमनाधृष्यं कूर्मग्राहसमाकुलम्
With other terrifying, deformed, and dreadful aquatic beings, fierce and always unassailable, teeming with turtles and crocodiles.
आकरं सर्वरत्नानामालयं वरुणस्य च। नागानामालयं रम्यमुत्तमं सरितां पतिम्
A mine of all jewels, the abode of Varuna, the delightful home of serpents, the supreme lord of rivers.
पातालज्वलनावासमसुराणां च बान्धवम्। भयंकरं च सत्त्वानां पयसां निधिमर्णवम्
The dwelling of the fire of the netherworld, the kin of the asuras, a terror to creatures, the ocean, the treasury of waters.
शुभं दिव्यममर्त्यानाममृतस्याकरं परम्। अप्रमेयमचिन्त्यं च सुपुण्यजलमद्भुतम्
A splendid, divine place for immortals, the supreme source of nectar, immeasurable, inconceivable, with supremely pure waters, wondrous.
घोरं जलचरारावरौद्रं भैरवनिःस्वनम्। गम्भीरावर्तकलिलं सर्वभूतभयंकरम्
Terrible with the cries of aquatic beings, dreadful, with fearsome sounds, filled with deep whirlpools, frightening to all creatures.