विज्ञातविषविद्योऽहं ब्राह्मणो लोकपूजितः। अस्मद्गुरुकटाक्षेण कल्योऽहं विषनाशने
'I am a Brahmin, honored by the world, knowledgeable in the science of poisons; by the glance of my teacher, I am skilled in destroying poison.'
अहं स तक्षको ब्रह्मंस्तं धक्ष्यामि महीपतिम्। निवर्तस्व न शक्तस्त्वं मया दष्टं चिकित्सितुम्
'I am Takshaka, O Brahmin; I will burn that king. Turn back, for you are not able to treat one bitten by me.'
अहं तं नृपतिं गत्वा त्वया दष्टमपज्वरम्। करिष्यामीति मे बुद्धिर्विद्याबलसमन्विता
'My resolve, endowed with the power of knowledge, is to go to that king bitten by you and make him free from fever.'
यदि दष्टं मयेह त्वं शक्तः किंचिच्चिकित्सितुम्। ततो वृक्षं मया दष्टमिमं जीवय काश्यप
'If you are able to treat something bitten by me here, then revive this tree that I have bitten, Kashyapa.'
परं मन्त्रबलं यत्ते तद्दर्शय यतस्व च। न्यग्रोधमेनं धक्ष्यामि पश्यतस्ते द्विजोत्तम
'Show your supreme mantra power and strive; I will bite this banyan tree, O best of Brahmins, as you watch.'
दश नागेन्द्र वृक्षं त्वं यद्येतदभिमन्यसे। अहमेनं त्वया दष्टं जीवयिष्ये भुजंगम। `पश्य मन्त्रबलं मेऽद्य न्यग्रोधं दश पन्नग
'If you think so, serpent king, bite the tree; I will revive this banyan bitten by you. See my mantra power today, bite the banyan, O serpent.'
एवमुक्तः स नागेन्द्रः काश्यपेन महात्मना। अदशद्वृक्षमभ्येत्य न्यग्रोधं पन्नगोत्तमः
Thus addressed by Kashyapa, the great-souled serpent king approached and bit the banyan tree.
स वृक्षस्तेन दष्टस्तु पन्नगेन महात्मना। आशीविषविषोपेतः प्रजज्वाल समन्ततः
Bitten by the great-souled serpent, the tree, infused with snake venom, blazed all around.
तं दग्ध्वा स नगं नागः काश्यपं पुनरब्रवीत्। कुरु यत्नं द्विजश्रेष्ठ जीवयैव वनस्पतिम्
After burning that tree, the serpent spoke again to Kāśyapa: 'Make an effort, best of twice-born, revive this tree.'
भस्मीभूतं ततो वृक्षं पन्नगेन्द्रस्य तेजसा। भस्म सर्वं समाहृत्य काश्यपो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Then, the tree, reduced to ashes by the serpent king's energy, Kāśyapa gathered all the ashes and spoke these words.
विद्याबलं पन्नगेन्द्र पश्य मेऽद्य वनस्पतौ। अहं संजीवयाम्येनं पश्यतस्ते भुजंगम
See, O serpent king, the power of my knowledge today upon this tree; I will restore it to life—witness this, O serpent.
ततः स भगवान्विद्वान्काश्यपो द्विजसत्तमः। भस्मराशीकृतं वृक्षं विद्यया समजीवयत्
Then that venerable and learned Kāśyapa, best of the twice-born, revived the tree, which had become a heap of ashes, by his knowledge.
अङ्कुरं कृतवांस्तत्र ततः पर्णद्वयान्वितम्। पलाशिनं शाखिनं च तथा विटपिनं पुनः
There he produced a sprout, then one with two leaves, then a branch, a leafy bough, and again a tree with spreading limbs.
तं दृष्ट्वा जीवितं वृक्षं काश्यपेन महात्मना। उवाच तक्षको ब्रह्मन्नैतदत्यद्भुतं त्वयि
Seeing the tree restored to life by the great-souled Kāśyapa, Takṣaka said, 'O brāhmaṇa, this is truly wondrous in you.'
द्विजेन्द्र यद्विषं हन्या मम वा मद्विधस्य वा। कं त्वमर्थमभिप्रेप्सुर्यासि तत्र तपोधन
O foremost of twice-born, if you can neutralize my poison or that of one like me, for what purpose, O possessor of austerity, are you going there?
यत्तेऽभिलषितं प्राप्तं फलं तस्मान्नृपोत्तमात्। अहमेव प्रदास्यामि तत्ते यद्यपि दुर्लभम्
Whatever fruit you desire to obtain from that best of kings, I myself will give it to you, even if it is difficult to attain.
विप्रशापाभिभूते च क्षीणायुषि नराधिपे। घटमानस्य ते विप्र सिद्धिः संशयिता भवेत्
The king, overpowered by a brāhmaṇa's curse and with his life nearly spent, O brāhmaṇa, your success in striving may be doubtful.
ततो यशः प्रदीप्तं ते त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्। निरंशुरिव घर्मांशुरन्तर्धानमितो व्रजेत्
Then your blazing fame, renowned in the three worlds, would vanish from here like the sun's rays at sunset.
धनार्थी याम्यहं तत्र तन्मे देहि भुजंगम। ततोऽहं विनिवर्तिष्ये स्वापतेयं प्रगृह्य वै
I am going there for the sake of wealth; grant me that, O serpent. Then I will return, taking my due payment.
यावद्धनं प्रार्थयसे तस्माद्राज्ञस्ततोऽधिकम्। अहमेव प्रदास्यामि निवर्तस्व द्विजोत्तम
Whatever amount of wealth you seek from that king, I will give you even more than that; turn back, O best of twice-born.
तक्षकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा काश्यपो द्विजसत्तमः। प्रदध्यौ सुमहातेजाराजानं प्रति बुद्धिमान्
Hearing Takṣaka's words, Kāśyapa, best of the twice-born, of great energy, thoughtfully considered the king.
दिव्यज्ञानः स तेजस्वी ज्ञात्वा तं नृपतिं तदा। क्षीणायुषं पाण्डवेयमपावर्तत काश्यपः
That radiant sage, endowed with divine knowledge, then perceived that the king of the Pāṇḍavas had little life left, and Kāśyapa turned back.
लब्ध्वा वित्तं मुनिवरस्तक्षकाद्यावदीप्सितम्। निवृत्ते काश्यपे तस्मिन्समयेन महात्मनि
Having received the wealth he desired from Takṣaka, the great sage Kāśyapa turned back at that very moment.
जगाम तक्षकस्तूर्णं नगरं नागसाह्वयम्। अथ शुश्राव गच्छन्स तक्षको जगतीपतिम्
Takṣaka swiftly went to the city called Nāgasāhvaya, and as he went, Takṣaka heard of the lord of the earth.
मन्त्रैर्विषहरैर्दिव्यै रक्ष्यमाणं प्रयत्नतः
He was being carefully protected by divine spells that neutralize poison.
मया वञ्चयितव्योऽसौ क उपायो भवेदिति। ततस्तापसरूपेण प्राहिणोत्स भुजंगमान्
'I must deceive him—what means can there be?' Then, taking the form of an ascetic, he sent forth the serpents.
गच्छध्वं यूयमव्यग्रा राजानं कार्यवत्तया
Go forth, all of you, without hesitation, to the king, with diligence in your task.
ते तक्षकसमादिष्टास्तथा चक्रुर्भुजङ्गमाः
Those serpents, instructed by Takshaka, acted accordingly.
उपनिन्युस्तथा राज्ञे दर्भानम्भः फलानि च। तच्च सर्वं स राजेन्द्रः प्रतिजग्राह वीर्यवान्
They brought to the king darbha grass, water, and fruits; and the mighty king accepted all of it.
कृत्वा तेषां च कार्याणि गम्यतामित्युवाच तान्। गतेषु तेषु नागेषु तापसच्छद्मरूपिषु
Having accomplished their tasks, he said to them, 'You may depart'; and when those serpents, disguised as ascetics, had left,