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.
तमब्रवीत्पन्नगेन्द्रः काश्यपं त्वरितं द्विजम्। क्व भवांस्त्वरितो याति किं च कार्यं चिकीर्षति
The serpent king quickly addressed Kāśyapa, the swift-moving twice-born: 'Where are you hastening, and what do you intend to do?'
यत्र राजा कुरुश्रेष्ठः परिक्षिन्नाम वै द्विज। तक्षकेण भुजंगेन धक्ष्यते किल सोऽद्य वै
'Where the king, best of the Kurus, named Parikṣit, is to be burned today by the serpent Takṣaka—I, O twice-born, am going there.'
गच्छाम्यहं तं त्वरितः सद्यः कर्तुमपज्वरम्। मयाऽभिपन्नं तं चापि न सर्पो धर्षयिष्यति
'I am going quickly to relieve him of his fever at once; and if I am present, the serpent will not be able to harm him.'
किमर्थं तं मया दष्टं संजीवयितुमिच्छसि। अहं त तक्षको ब्रह्मन्पश्य मे वीर्यमद्भुतम्
'Why do you wish to revive him after I have bitten him? I am Takṣaka, O brahmin—behold my wondrous power!'
इत्युक्त्वा तक्षकस्तत्र सोऽदशद्वै वनस्पतिम्
Having spoken thus, Takshaka there bit the tree.
स दष्टमात्रो नागेन भस्मीभूतोऽभवन्नगः। काश्यपश्च ततो राजन्नजीवयत तं नगम्
As soon as it was bitten by the serpent, the tree was reduced to ashes; then, O King, Kashyapa revived that tree.
ततस्तं लोभयामास कामं ब्रूहीति तक्षकः। स एवमुक्तस्तं प्राह काश्यपस्तक्षकं पुनः
Then Takshaka tempted him, saying, 'Tell me your desire'; thus addressed, Kashyapa spoke again to Takshaka.
धनलिप्सुरहं तत्र यामीत्युक्तश्च तेन सः। तमुवाच महात्मानं तक्षकः श्लक्ष्णया गिरा
He said, 'I am going there desiring wealth'; thus addressed, Takshaka spoke gently to that great-souled one.
यावद्धनं प्रार्थयसे राज्ञस्तस्मात्ततोऽधिकम्। गृहाण मत्त एव त्वं सन्निवर्तस्व चानघ
Whatever wealth you seek from the king, take even more than that from me, O sinless one, and turn back.
स एवमुक्तो नागेन काश्यपो द्विपदां वरः। लब्ध्वा वित्तं निववृते तक्षकाद्यावदीप्सितम्
Thus addressed by the serpent, Kashyapa, best of men, having received the desired wealth from Takshaka, turned back.