नास्मिन्कुले जातु बभूव राजा यो न प्रजानां प्रियकृत्प्रियश्च। विशेषतः प्रेक्ष्य पितामहानां वृत्तं महद्वृत्तपरायणानाम्
Never in this lineage has there been a king who was not beloved and pleasing to his people, especially when considering the great conduct of our forefathers, devoted to noble deeds.
कथं निधनमापन्नः पिता मम तथाविधः। आचक्षध्वं यथावन्मे श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः
How did my father, such a man, meet his end? Tell me truly and in detail; I wish to hear the facts.
एवं संचोदिता राज्ञा मन्त्रिणस्ते नराधिपम्। ऊचुः सर्वे यथावृत्तं राज्ञः प्रियहितैषिणः
Thus urged by the king, your ministers, wishing for the king’s good and favor, all spoke to him as it had happened.
स राजा पृथिवीपालः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः। बभूव मृगयाशीलस्तव राजन्पिता सदा
That king, protector of the earth and foremost among warriors, your father, O King, was always devoted to hunting.
यथा पाण्डुर्महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरवरो युधि। अस्मास्वासज्य सर्वाणि राजकार्याण्यशेषतः
Just as mighty-armed Pandu, the best of archers in battle, entrusted all royal duties to us without exception—
स कदाचिद्वनगतो मृगं विव्याध पत्रिणा। विद्ध्वा चान्वसरत्तूर्णं तं मृगं गहने वने
Once, having gone to the forest, he struck a deer with a feathered arrow; after wounding it, he quickly pursued that deer into the dense woods.
पदातिर्बद्धनिस्त्रिंशस्ततायुधकलापवान्। न चाससाद गहने मृगं नष्टं पिता तव
On foot, sword at his side, carrying his bow and quiver, your father did not find the lost deer in the thicket.
परिश्रान्तो वयस्थश्च षष्टिवर्षो जरान्वितः। क्षुधितः स महारण्ये ददर्श मुनिसत्तमम्
Exhausted by age, sixty years old, worn by old age and hungry, he saw a most excellent sage in the great forest.
स तं पप्रच्छ राजेन्द्रो मुनिं मौनव्रते स्थितम्। न च किंचिदुवाचेदं पृष्टोऽपि समुनिस्तदा
The king, lord of men, questioned that sage who was observing a vow of silence, but though asked, the sage said nothing.
ततो राजा क्षुच्छ्रमार्तस्तं मुनिं स्थाणुवत्स्थितम्। मौनव्रतधरं शान्तं सद्यो मन्युवशं गतः
Then the king, tormented by hunger and fatigue, seeing the sage standing motionless, calm and silent, was suddenly overcome by anger.
न बुबोध च तं राजा मौनव्रतधरं मुनिम्। स तं क्रोधसमाविष्टो धर्षयामास ते पिता
The king did not understand that the sage was observing a vow of silence; filled with rage, your father insulted him.
मृतं सर्पं धनुष्कोट्या समुत्क्षिप्य धरातलात्। तस्य शुद्धात्मनः प्रादात्स्कन्धे भरतसत्तम
Lifting a dead snake from the ground with the tip of his bow, he placed it on the shoulder of that pure-hearted sage, O best of Bharatas.
न चोवाच स मेधावी तमथो साध्वसाधु वा। तस्थौ तथैव चाक्रुद्धः सर्पं स्कन्धेन धारयन्
The wise sage neither spoke to him nor said whether it was right or wrong; he remained just as he was, unangered, bearing the snake on his shoulder.
ततः स राजा राजेन्द्र स्कन्धे तस्य भुजंगमम्। मुनेः क्षुत्क्षाम आसज्य स्वपुरं प्रययौ पुनः
Then that king, O lord of kings, having placed the serpent on the sage’s shoulder, returned again to his own city.
ऋषेस्तस्य तु पुत्रोऽभूद्गति जातो महायशाः। शृङ्गी नाम महातेजास्तिग्मवीर्योऽतिकोपनः
That sage had a son named Śṛṅgī, of great fame, immense energy, sharp power, and prone to anger.
ब्रह्माणं समुपागम्य मुनिः पूजां चकार ह। सोऽनुज्ञातस्ततस्तत्र शृङ्गी शुश्राव तं तदा
The sage, having approached Brahman, performed worship; then, with his permission, Śṛṅgī heard of what had happened.
सख्युः सकाशात्पितरं पित्रा ते धर्षितं पुरा। मृतं सर्पं समासक्तं स्थाणुभूतस्य तस्य तम्
Long ago, your father was insulted by your friend’s father, O tiger among kings, while he stood motionless, with a dead serpent draped upon him.
वहन्तं राजशार्दूल स्कन्धेनानपकारिणम्। तपस्विनमतीवाथ तं मुनिप्रवरं नृप
He, though blameless, was carrying the dead snake on his shoulder, O king, that great ascetic, foremost among sages.
जितेन्द्रियं विशुद्धं च स्थितं कर्मण्यथाद्भुतम्। तपसा द्योतितात्मानं स्वेष्वङ्गेषु यतं तदा
He was self-controlled, pure, steadfast in wondrous deeds, his soul radiant with austerity, and at that time, he was disciplined in all his limbs.
शुभाचारं शुभकथं सुस्थितं तमलोलुपम्। अक्षुद्रमनसूयं च वृद्धं मौनव्रते स्थितम्। शरण्यं सर्वभूतानां पित्रा विनिकृतं तव
He was of virtuous conduct, spoke auspicious words, firmly established, free from greed, not petty-minded nor envious, elderly, observing the vow of silence, a refuge for all beings—yet your father wronged him.
शशापाथ महातेजाः पितरं ते रुषान्वितः। ऋषेः पुत्रो महातेजा बालोऽपि स्थविरद्युतिः
Then, filled with anger, the great and radiant son of the sage, though a boy with the brilliance of an elder, cursed your father.
स क्षिप्रमुदकं स्पृष्ट्वा रोषादिदमुवाच ह। पितरं तेऽभिसन्धाय तेजसा प्रज्वलन्निव
Quickly touching water, blazing with energy, he spoke these words in wrath, directing them at your father.
अनागसि गुरौ यो मे मृतं सर्पवासृजत्। तं नागस्तक्षकः क्रुद्धस्तेजसा प्रदहिष्यति
He who placed a dead serpent on my innocent and venerable father—him shall the serpent Takṣaka, enraged, burn up with his fiery power.
आशीविषस्तिग्मतेजा मद्वाक्यबलचोदितः। सप्तरात्रादितः पापं पश्य मे तपसो बलम्
The venomous serpent, fierce in might, impelled by the force of my words, will, after seven nights, display the power of my austerity—behold!
इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ तत्र पिता यत्राऽस्य सोऽभवत्। दृष्ट्वा च पितरं तस्मै तं शापं प्रत्यवेदयत्
Having said this, he went to where his father was, and upon seeing him, reported the curse he had pronounced.
स चापि मुनिशार्दूलः प्रेरयामास ते पितुः। शिष्यं गौरमुखं नाम शीलवन्तं गुणान्वितम्
And that tiger among sages sent your father’s disciple, named Gauramukha, a man of virtue and good qualities.
आचख्यौं सत्त्व विश्रान्तो राज्ञः सर्वमशेषतः। शप्तोऽसि मम पुत्रेण यत्तो भव महीपते
He, composed in spirit, told the king everything in detail: 'You have been cursed by my son—be vigilant, O king!'
तक्षकस्त्वां महाराज तेजसाऽसौ दहिष्यति। श्रुत्वा च तद्वचो घोरं पिता ते जनमेजय
'Takṣaka, O great king, will burn you with his fiery power.' Hearing those dreadful words, your father, Janamejaya—
यत्तोऽभवत्परित्रस्तस्तक्षकात्पन्नगोत्तमात्। ततस्तस्मिंस्तु दिवसे सप्तमे समुपस्थिते
—became vigilant and fearful of Takṣaka, the foremost of serpents. Then, when the seventh day had arrived—
राज्ञः समीपं ब्रह्मर्षिः काश्यपो गन्तुमैच्छत। तं ददर्शाथ नागेन्द्रस्तक्षकः [https://vedastudy.wixsite.com/puranastudy/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%95 तक्षकोपरि टिप्पणी] काश्यपं तदा
A brahmarṣi named Kāśyapa wished to go to the king. At that time, the serpent lord Takṣaka saw Kāśyapa.