तस्मिन्प्रतिगते विप्रे छद्मनोपेत्य तक्षकः। तं नृपं नृपतिश्रेष्ठं पितरं धार्मिकं तव
When the Brahmin had departed, Takshaka, by deception, approached your righteous father, the foremost of kings.
प्रासादस्थं यत्तमपि दग्धवान्विषवह्निना। ततस्त्वं पुरुषव्याघ्र विजयायाभिषेचितः
Though he was guarded in his palace, Takshaka burned that king, your father, with the fire of his poison; then you, tiger among men, were consecrated for victory.
एतद्दृष्टं श्रुतं चापि यथावन्नृपसत्तम। अस्माभिर्निखिलं सर्वं कथितं तेऽतिदारुणम्
O best of kings, all this, as seen and heard, has been fully and terribly recounted to you by us.
श्रुत्वा चैतं नरश्रेष्ठ पार्थिवस्य पराभवम्। अस्य चर्षेरुदङ्कस्य विधत्स्व यदनन्तरम्
Hearing of this defeat of the king, O best of men, do now, for the sage Utanka, what is to be done next.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु स राजा जनमेजयः। उवाच मन्त्रिणः सर्वानिदं वाक्यमरिदमः
At that very time, King Janamejaya, destroyer of foes, spoke these words to all his ministers.
अथ तत्कथितं केन यद्वृत्तं तद्वनस्पतौ। आश्चर्यभूतं लोकस्य भस्मराशीकृतं तदा
Then, who told of that wondrous event that happened to the tree, which became a heap of ashes, astonishing to the world?
यद्वृक्षं जीवयामास काश्यपस्तक्षकेण वै। नूनं मन्त्रैर्हतविषो न प्रणश्येत काश्यपात्
That tree which Kashyapa revived after Takshaka had bitten it—surely, by mantras, the poison destroyed, nothing perishes from Kashyapa.
चिन्तयामास पापात्मा मनसा पन्नगाधमः। दष्टं यदि मया विप्रः पार्थिवं जीवयिष्यति
The wicked-minded, base serpent thought to himself: 'If the Brahmin whom I have bitten revives the king—'
तक्षकः संहतविषो लोके यास्यति हास्यताम्। विचिन्त्यैवं कृता तेन ध्रुवं तुष्टिर्द्विजस्य वै
'Takshaka, whose poison is united, will become an object of ridicule in the world.' Thus reflecting, he was certainly satisfied with the Brahmin.
भविष्यति ह्युपायेन यस्य दास्यामि यातनाम्। एकं तु श्रोतुमिच्छामि तद्वृत्तं निर्जने वने
'By some means, I will inflict suffering upon him; but I wish to hear in detail what happened in the lonely forest.'
संवादं पन्नगेन्द्रस्य काश्यपस्य च कस्तदा। श्रुतवान्दृष्टवांश्चापि भवत्सु कथमागतम्। श्रुत्वा तस्य विधास्येऽहं पन्नगान्तकरीं मतिम्
'Who among those present then heard or saw the conversation between the lord of serpents and Kashyapa on the way? Having heard it, I will devise a plan for the destruction of the serpents.'
शृणु राजन्यथास्माकं येन तत्कथितं पुरा। समागतं द्विजेन्द्रस्य पन्नगेन्द्रस्य चाध्वनि
Hear, O King, how it was formerly told to us, how the meeting of the best of Brahmins and the lord of serpents happened on the road.
तस्मिन्वृक्षे नरः कश्चिदिन्धनार्थाय पार्थिव। विचिन्वन्पूर्वमारूढः शुष्कशाखावनस्पतौ
A certain man, O king, climbed that tree full of dry branches, searching for firewood.
न बुध्येतामुभौ तौ च नगस्थं पन्नगद्विजौ। सह तेनैव वृक्षेण भस्मीभूतोऽभवन्नृप
Neither of those two—the serpent nor the twice-born—noticed the man in the tree, and together with him, the tree was reduced to ashes, O king.
द्विजप्रभावाद्राजेन्द्र व्यजीवत्स वनस्पतिः। तेनागम्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ पुंसाऽस्मासु निवेदितम्
By the power of the twice-born, O king, the tree survived; and thus, O best of Brahmins, it was reported to us by a man who came there.
यथा वृत्तं तु तत्सर्वं तक्षकस्य द्विजस्य च। एतत्ते कथितं राजन्यथादृष्टं श्रुतं च यत्। श्रुत्वा च नृपशार्दूल विधत्स्व यदनन्तरम्
All that happened concerning Takshaka and the Brahmin has been told to you as it was seen and heard; having heard this, O tiger among kings, act as is fitting next.
मन्त्रिणां तु वचः श्रुत्वा स राजा जनमेजयः। पर्यतप्यत दुःखार्तः प्रत्यपिंषत्करं करे
Hearing the words of his counselors, King Janamejaya was tormented by grief, and pressed his hand to his mouth.
निःश्वासमुष्णमसकृद्दीर्घं राजीवलोचनः। मुमोचाश्रूणि च तदा नेत्राभ्यां प्ररुदन्नृपः
The lotus-eyed king let out many long, hot sighs, and then, weeping, shed tears from his eyes.
उवाच च महीपालो दुःखशोकसमन्वितः। दुर्धरं बाष्पमुत्सृज्य स्पृष्ट्वा चापो यथाविधि
The ruler of the earth, overcome with pain and sorrow, released his tears with difficulty, and after touching water as prescribed, spoke.
मुहूर्तमिव च ध्यात्वा निश्चित्य मनसा नृपः। अमर्षी मन्त्रिणः सर्वानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
After reflecting for a moment and making up his mind, the king, filled with indignation, addressed all his counselors with these words:
श्रुत्वैतद्भवतां वाक्यं पितुर्मे स्वर्गतिं प्रति। निश्चितेयं मम मतिर्या च तां मे निबोधत। अनन्तरं च मन्येऽहं तक्षकाय दुरात्मने
Having heard your words about my father's fate, my decision is now firm—listen to what I intend; I think that Takshaka, that wicked one, must be dealt with next.
प्रतिकर्तव्यमित्येवं येन मे हिंसितः पिता। शृङ्गिणं हेतुमात्रं यः कृत्वा दग्ध्वा च पार्थिवम्
He must be repaid, for he caused my father's death—he who, making Shringin only the instrument, burned the king.
इयं दुरात्मता तस्य काश्यपं यो न्यवर्तयत्। यद्यागच्छेत्स वै विप्रो ननु जीवेत्पिता मम
It was his wickedness that turned Kashyapa away; had that Brahmin arrived, surely my father would have lived.
परिहीयेत किं तस्य यदि जीवेत्स पार्थिवः। काश्यपस्य प्रसादेन मन्त्रिणां विनयेन च
What loss would there have been for Takshaka if the king had survived, thanks to Kashyapa's favor and the counselors' guidance?
स तु वारितवान्मोहात्काश्यपं द्विजसत्तमम्। संजिजीवयिषुं प्राप्तं राजानमपराजितम्
But out of delusion, he turned away the excellent Brahmin Kashyapa, who had come to revive the undefeated king.
महानतिक्रमो ह्येष तक्षकस्य दुरात्मनः। द्विजस्य योऽददद्द्रव्यं मा नृपं जीवयेदिति
This is a great transgression of that wicked Takshaka—he gave wealth to the Brahmin so that the king would not be revived.
उत्तङ्कस्य प्रियं कर्तुमात्मनश्च महत्प्रियम्। भवतां चैव सर्वेषां गच्छाम्यपचितिं पितुः
To please Uttanka, to do a great service for myself, and for all of you, I will perform the funeral rites for my father.
एवमुक्त्वा ततः श्रीमान्मन्त्रिभिश्चानुमीदितः। आरुरोह प्रतिज्ञां स सर्पसत्राय पार्थिवः
Having spoken thus, the illustrious king, supported by his counselors, took up the vow to perform the snake-sacrifice.
ब्रह्मन्भरतशार्दूलो राजा पारिक्षितस्तदा। पुरोहितमथाहूय ऋत्विजो वसुधाधिपः
Then, O Brahmin, O tiger among the Bharatas, King Parikshit's son summoned his priest and the officiating priests.
अब्रवीद्वाक्यसंपन्नः कार्यसंपत्करं वचः। यो मे हिंसितवांस्तातं तक्षकः स दुरात्मवान्
He, skilled in speech, spoke words that would accomplish his purpose: 'That wicked Takshaka, who killed my father...'