आख्याता भुजगास्तात वीर्यवन्तो दुरासदाः। शापं तं तेऽभिविज्ञाय कृतवन्तः किमुत्तरम्
The valorous and formidable serpents have been named, O father; having recognized that curse, what reply did they make?
तेषां तु भगवाञ्छेषः कद्रूं त्यक्त्वा महायशाः। उग्रं तपः समातस्थे वायुभक्षो यतव्रतः
Among them, the illustrious Shesha, abandoning Kadru, undertook severe austerities, subsisting on air, firm in his vows.
गन्धमादनमासाद्य बदर्यां च तपोरतः। गोकर्णे पुष्करारण्ये तथा हिमवतस्तटे
Engaged in austerity at Gandhamadana, at Badari, at Gokarna, in the Pushkara forest, and on the slopes of the Himalaya;
तेषु तेषु च पुण्येषु तीर्थेष्वायतनेषु च। एकान्तशीलो नियतः सततं विजितेन्द्रियः
In those various sacred places and shrines, always solitary, disciplined, ever self-controlled;
तप्यमानं तपो घोरं तं ददर्श पितामहः। संशुष्कमांसत्वक्स्नायुं जटाचीरधरं मुनिम्
As he was performing fierce austerity, the Grandsire beheld that sage, emaciated in flesh, skin, sinew, wearing matted hair and bark garments.
तमब्रवीत्सत्यधृतिं तप्यमानं पितामहः। किमिदं कुरुषे शेष प्रजानां स्वस्ति वै कुरु
The Grandsire spoke to that steadfast ascetic, engaged in austerity: 'What is this you are doing, Shesha? Bring welfare to beings.'
त्वं हि तीव्रेण तपसा प्रजास्तापयसेऽनघ। ब्रूहि कामं च मे शेष यस्ते हृदि व्यवस्थितः
'By your intense austerity, O sinless one, you are afflicting the beings; tell me, Shesha, what desire is established in your heart.'
सोदर्या मम सर्वे हि भ्रातरो मन्दचेतसः। सह तैर्नोत्सहे वस्तुं तद्भवाननुमन्यताम्
'All my brothers, born of the same mother, are of dull minds; I cannot bear to dwell with them—let your honor permit this.'
अभ्यसूयन्ति सततं परस्परममित्रवत्। ततोऽहं तप आतिष्ठे नैतन्पश्येयमित्युत
'They constantly envy one another like enemies; therefore I undertake austerity, so that I may not witness this.'
न मर्षयन्ति ससुतां सततं विनतां च ते। अस्माकं चापरो भ्राता वैनतेयोऽन्तरिक्षगः
'They never tolerate Vinata and her son; and our other brother, Vainateya, moves in the sky.'
तं च द्विषन्ति सततं स चापि बलवत्तरः। वरप्रदानात्स पितुः कश्यपस्य महात्मनः
They always hate him, yet he is the strongest of all, having received a boon from his father, the great-souled Kashyapa.
सोऽहं तपः समास्थाय मोक्ष्यामीदं कलेवरम्। कथं मे प्रेत्यभावेऽपि न तैः स्यात्सह सङ्गमः
Therefore, I shall undertake austerities and cast off this body; how can I ensure that, even after death, I will not have to associate with them?
तमेवं वादिनं शेषं पितामह उवाच ह। जानामि शेष सर्वेषां भ्रातॄणां ते विचेष्टितम्
As Shesha spoke thus, the Grandsire addressed him: 'I know, Shesha, all that your brothers have done.'
मातुश्चाप्यपराधाद्वै भ्रातॄणां ते महद्भयम्। कृतोऽत्र परिहारश्च पूर्वमेव भुजङ्गम
'Because of your mother's offense, your brothers are in great danger; but, O serpent, a remedy has already been arranged here beforehand.'
भ्रातॄणां तव सर्वेषां न शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि। वृणीष्व च वरं मत्तः शेष यत्तेऽभिकाङ्क्षितम्
'You should not grieve for any of your brothers; and now, Shesha, ask a boon of me—whatever you desire.'
दास्यामि हि वरं तेऽद्य प्रीतिर्मे परमा त्वयि। दिष्ट्या बुद्धिश्च ते धर्मे निविष्टा पन्नगोत्तम। भूयो भूयश्च ते बुद्धिर्धर्मे भवतु सुस्थिरा
'I shall grant you a boon today, for my affection for you is supreme; by fortune, your mind is established in righteousness, O best of serpents. May your mind remain ever steadfast in righteousness.'
एष एव वरो देव काङ्क्षितो मे पितामह। धर्मे मे रमतां बुद्धिः शमे तपसि चेश्वर
'This is the very boon I desire, O Lord, O Grandsire: may my mind delight in righteousness, in tranquility, and in austerity.'
प्रीतोऽस्म्यनेन ते शेष दमेन च शमेन च। त्वया त्विदं वचः कार्यं मन्नियोगात्प्रजाहितम्
'I am pleased by your self-restraint and tranquility, Shesha. Now, by my command, you must perform an act for the welfare of the world.'
इमां महीं शैलवनोपपन्नां ससागरग्रामविहारपत्तनाम् त्वं शेष सम्यक् चलितां यथाव- त्संगृह्य तिष्ठस्व यथाऽचला स्यात्
'This earth, adorned with mountains and forests, with seas, villages, pleasure-grounds, and cities—O Shesha, support it well, holding it firmly so that it may remain unmoving.'
यथाऽऽह देवो वरदः प्रजापति- र्महीपतिर्भूतपतिर्जगत्पतिः। तथा महीं धारयिताऽस्मि निश्चलां प्रयच्छतां मे विवरं प्रजापते
'Just as the boon-giving Lord, the Prajapati, the king of the earth, the lord of beings, the lord of the world, has said, so shall I uphold the earth immovably, if the Prajapati grants me a dwelling place.'
अधो महीं गच्छ भुजङ्गमोत्तम स्वयं तवैषा विवरं प्रदास्यति। इमां धरां धारयता त्वया हि मे महत्प्रियं शेष कृतं भविष्यति
'Descend beneath the earth, O best of serpents; she herself will give you a place. By supporting this earth, Shesha, you will do me a great favor.'
तथैव कृत्वा विवरं प्रविश्य स प्रभुर्भुवो भुजगवराग्रजः स्थितः। बिभर्ति देवीं शिरसा महीमिमां समुद्रनेमिं परिगृह्य सर्वतः
Thus, having made an opening, he entered and, as lord of the earth and eldest of the noble serpents, remained there, supporting this goddess earth upon his head, encircling her completely with his coils.
शेषोऽसि नागोत्तम धर्मदेवो महीमिमां धारयसे यदेकः। अनन्तभोगैः परिगृह्य सर्वां यथाहमेवं बलभिद्यथा वा
'You are Shesha, best of serpents, god of righteousness, for you alone uphold this earth, encircling her entirely with your endless coils, just as I do, or even with greater strength.'
अधो भूमौ वसत्येवं नागोऽनन्तः प्रतापवान्। धास्यन्वसुधामेकः शासनाद्ब्रह्मणो विभोः
Thus, the mighty Ananta dwells beneath the earth, supporting the world alone, by the command of the glorious Brahma.
सुपर्णं च सहायं वै भगवानमरोत्तमः। प्रादादनन्ताय तदा वैनतेयं पितामहः
Then the blessed Grandsire gave Ananta the divine Suparna, the best of immortals, Garuda, as his companion.
अनन्तेऽभिप्रयाते तु वासुकिः स महाबलः। अभ्यषिच्यत नागैस्तु दैवतैरिव वासवः
When Ananta had departed, Vasuki, of great strength, was anointed king by the serpents, just as the gods anointed Indra.
मातुः सकाशात्तं शापं श्रुत्वा वै पन्नगोत्तमः। वासुकिश्चिन्तयामास शापोऽयं न भवेत्कथम्
Hearing the curse from his mother, Vasuki, the best of serpents, began to ponder how that curse might not take effect.
ततः स मन्त्रयामास भ्रातृभिः सह सर्वशः। ऐरावतप्रभृतिभिः सर्वैर्धर्मपरायणैः
Then he consulted with all his brothers, including Airavata and the rest, who were all devoted to righteousness.
अयं शापो यथोद्दिष्टो विदितं वस्तथाऽनघाः। तस्य शापस्य मोक्षार्थं मन्त्रयित्वा यतामहे
This curse has been pronounced as described, and you know it, O blameless ones. We strive, consulting together, for the release from this curse.
सर्वेषामेव शापानां प्रतिघातो हि विद्यते। न तु मात्राऽभिशप्तानां मोक्षः क्वचन विद्यते
There is indeed a counteraction for all curses; but for those cursed by their mother, release is nowhere to be found.