बहवः पन्नगास्तीक्ष्णा घोररूपा विषोल्बणाः। प्रजानां हितकामोऽहं न च वारितवांस्तदा
Many serpents are fierce, terrifying in form, and abundant in poison; desiring the welfare of creatures, I did not restrain her then.
ये दन्दशूकाः क्षुद्राश्च पापाचारा विषोल्बणाः। तेषां विनाशो भविता न तु ये धर्मचारिणः
Those who are small, wicked in conduct, and abundant in poison among the snakes will perish, but not those who follow righteousness.
यन्निमित्तं च भविता मोक्षस्तेषां महाभयात्। पन्नगानां निबोधध्वं तस्मिन्काले समागते
Hear now, when the time comes, the cause by which liberation from great fear will occur for the serpents.
यायावरकुले धीमान्भविष्यति महानृषिः। जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातस्तपस्वी नियतेन्द्रियः
In the lineage of wandering ascetics, a great sage will be born, renowned as Jaratkaru, devoted to austerity and self-restraint.
तस्य पुत्रो जरत्कारोर्भविष्यति तपोधनः। आस्तीको नाम यज्ञं स प्रतिषेत्स्यति तं तदा। तत्र मोक्ष्यन्ति भुजगा ये भविष्यन्ति धार्मिकाः
His son, Jaratkaru, rich in austerity, will be named Astika; he will halt the sacrifice at that time, and the righteous serpents will be freed there.
स मुनिप्रवरो ब्रह्मञ्जरत्कारुर्महातपाः। कस्यां पुत्रं महात्मानं जनयिष्यति वीर्यवान्
O Brahman, that foremost sage, Jaratkaru, of great austerity, will beget a mighty son—whose daughter will he marry?
वासुकेर्भगिनी कन्या समुत्पन्ना सुशोभना। तस्मै दास्यति तां कन्यां वासुकिर्भुजगोत्तमः
A beautiful maiden, the sister of Vasuki, has been born; Vasuki, the chief of serpents, will give her to him.
तस्यां जनयिता पुत्रं वेदवेदाङ्गपारगम्।' सनामायां सनामा स कन्यायां द्विजसत्तमः
In her, he will beget a son who is accomplished in the Vedas and their branches; that maiden, named Sanama, will bear the illustrious twice-born.
एवमस्त्विति तं देवाः पितामहमथाब्रुवन्। उत्क्वैवं वचनं देवान्विरिञ्चिस्त्रिदिवं ययौ
Let it be so—thus the gods spoke to the grandsire; then, having said this to the gods, Virinchi went to heaven.
सोऽहमेवं प्रपश्यामि वासुके भगिनी तव। जरत्कारुरिति ख्याता तां तस्मै प्रतिपादय
Thus I see it, O Vasuki, your sister, renowned as Jaratkaru; give her to him.
भैक्षवद्भिक्षमाणाय नागानां भयशान्तये। ऋषये सुव्रतायैनामेष मोक्षः श्रुतो मया
For the appeasement of the serpents' fear, to the sage who lives by alms and is of good vows, I have heard that this liberation will occur.
एलापत्रवचः श्रुत्वा ते नागा द्विजसत्तम। सर्वे प्रहृष्टमनसः साधुसाध्वित्यपूजयन्
Hearing the words of Elapatra, all the serpents, O best of twice-born, rejoiced and praised him, saying 'well done, well done.'
ततःप्रभृति तां कन्यां वासुकिः पर्यरक्षत। जरत्कारुं स्वसारं वै परं हर्षमवाप च
From that time onward, Vāsuki protected that maiden, his sister Jaratkāru, and he experienced great joy.
ततो नातिमहान्कालः समतीत इवाभवत्। अथ देवासुराः `सर्वे ममन्थुर्वरुणालयम्
Then, after not much time had passed, it was as if a short period elapsed; at that time, all the gods and asuras churned the abode of Varuṇa.
तत्र नेत्रमभून्नागो वासुकिर्बलिनां वरः। समाप्यैव च तत्कर्म पितामहमुपागमन्
There, Vāsuki, the best among the strong serpents, became the rope; and having completed that task, he approached the Grandsire.
देवा वासुकिना सार्धं पितामहमथाव्रुवन्। भगवञ्शापभीतोऽयं वासुकिस्तप्यते भृशम्
The gods, together with Vāsuki, then addressed the Grandsire: 'Lord, Vāsuki is greatly afflicted, being fearful of a curse.'
अस्यैतन्मानसं शल्यं समुद्धर्तुं त्वमर्हसि। जनन्याः शापजं देव ज्ञातीनां हितमिच्छतः
'You ought to remove this mental thorn of his, O god, which arose from his mother's curse, for he desires the welfare of his kin.'
हितो ह्ययं सदास्मकं प्रियकारी च नागराट्। प्रसादं कुरु देवेश शमयास्य मनोज्वरम्
'He is always beneficial to us and acts kindly, O king of the gods; be gracious, O lord of gods, and relieve the anguish of his mind.'
मयैव तद्वितीर्णं वै वचनं मनसाऽमराः। एलापत्रेण नागेन यदस्याभिहितं पुरा
'That statement was indeed uttered by me in thought, O immortals, which was formerly spoken to him by the serpent Elāpatra.'
तत्करोत्वेष नागेन्द्रः प्राप्तकालं वचः स्वयम्। विनशिष्यन्ति ये पापा न तु ये धर्मचारिणः
'Let this lord of serpents now carry out that timely word himself; those who are wicked will perish, but not those who follow righteousness.'
उत्पन्नः स जरत्कारुस्तपस्युग्रे रतो द्विजः। तस्यैष भगिनीं काले जरत्कारुं प्रयच्छतु
Jaratkāru, that twice-born sage, was born and devoted himself to severe austerities; at the proper time, let him be given Jaratkāru, the sister, as wife.
एलापत्रेण यत्प्रोक्तं वचनं भुजगेन ह। पन्नगानां हितं देवास्तत्तथा न तदन्यथा
'What was spoken by the serpent Elāpatra is for the welfare of the serpents, O gods; let it be so, and not otherwise.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु नागेन्द्रः पितामहवचस्तदा। संदिश्य पन्नगान्सर्वान्वासुकिः शापमोहितः
Hearing this command of the Grandsire, the lord of serpents Vāsuki, bewildered by the curse, then instructed all the serpents.
स्वसारमुद्यम्य तदा जरत्कारुमृषिं प्रति। सर्पान्बहूञ्जरत्कारौ नित्ययुक्तान्समादधत्
Then, raising his sister for the sage Jaratkāru, Vāsuki assigned many serpents to always attend upon Jaratkāru.
जरत्कारुर्यदा भार्यामिच्छेद्वरयितुं प्रभुः। शीघ्रमेत्य तदाऽऽख्येयं तन्नः श्रेयो भविष्यति
'When Jaratkāru, the sage, wishes to choose a wife, let us quickly inform him; that will be for our welfare.'
जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातो यस्त्वया सूतनन्दन। इच्छामि तदहं श्रोतुं ऋषेस्तस्य महात्मनः
'O Sūtanandana, he who is known as Jaratkāru— I wish to hear about that great sage.'
किं कारणं जरत्कारोर्नामैतत्प्रथितं भुवि। जरत्कारुनिरुक्तिं त्वं यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि
'What is the reason that the name Jaratkāru became renowned on earth? You ought to explain the derivation of Jaratkāru as it truly is.'
जरेति क्षयमाहुर्वै दारुणं कारुसंज्ञितम्। शरीरं कारु तस्यासीत्तत्स धीमाञ्शनैःशनैः
'Decay (jara) is said to be destruction, and kāru means body; his body was kāru, and that wise one gradually diminished it.'
क्षपयामास तीव्रेण तपसेत्यत उच्यते। जरत्कारुरिति ब्रह्मन्वासुकेर्भगिनी तथा
'He reduced it through intense austerity; therefore he is called Jaratkāru, O brāhmaṇa, and so also is Vāsuki’s sister.'
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा शौनकः प्राहसत्तदा। उग्रश्रवसमामन्त्र्य उपपन्नमिति ब्रुवन्
Thus addressed, the righteous Śaunaka then smiled and, addressing Ugraśravas, said, 'It is fitting.'