मम पूर्वे भवन्तो वै पितरः सपितामहाः। ब्रूत किं करवाण्यद्य जरत्कारुरहं स्वयम्
My ancestors, fathers and grandfathers, you are present here; tell me, what should I do today, for I am Jaratkaru myself.
यतस्व यत्नवांस्तात संतानाय कुलस्य नः। आत्मनोऽर्थेऽस्मदर्थे च धर्म इत्येव वा विभो
Exert yourself with effort, dear one, for the continuation of our lineage—whether for your own sake, for ours, or simply for the sake of righteousness, O noble one.
न हि धर्मफलैस्तात न तपोऽभिः सुसंचितैः। तां गतिं प्राप्नुवन्तीह पुत्रिणो यां व्रजन्ति वै
Indeed, O dear one, neither by the fruits of righteousness nor by well-performed austerities do those without sons attain that state which fathers of sons reach.
तद्दारग्रहणे यत्नं संतत्यां च मनः कुरु। पुत्रकास्मन्नियोगात्त्वमेतन्नः परमं हितम्
Therefore, make effort in taking a wife and set your mind on progeny; by our instruction, my son, this is the highest good for us.
न दारान्वै करिष्येऽहं न धनं जीवितार्थतः। भवतां तु हितार्थाय करिष्ये दारसंग्रहम्
I will not take a wife for my own sake, nor for wealth or the sake of life; but for your benefit, I will undertake marriage.
समयेन च कर्ताऽहमनेन विधिपूर्वकम्। तथा यद्युपलप्स्यामि करिष्ये नान्यथा ह्यहम्
And I will do so in accordance with this condition and proper rule; if I obtain such a wife, I will marry—otherwise, I will not.
सनाम्नी या भवित्री मे दित्सिता चैव बन्धुभिः। भैक्ष्यवत्तामहं कन्यामुपयंस्ये विधानतः
A maiden bearing my name, offered willingly by her relatives, and living as an ascetic—I will marry such a girl, as prescribed.
दरिद्राय हि मे भार्यां को दास्यति विशेषतः। प्रतिग्रहीष्ये भिक्षां तु यदि कश्चित्प्रदास्यति
For who would give a wife especially to one as poor as I? But if someone offers her as alms, I will accept.
एवं दारक्रियाहेतोः प्रयतिष्ये पितामहाः। अनेन विधिना शश्वन्न करिष्येऽहमन्यथा
Thus, for the sake of marriage, I will strive, O ancestors, and by this rule alone—never otherwise—will I act.
तत्र चोत्पत्स्यते जन्तुर्भवतां तारणाय वै। शाश्वतं स्थानमासाद्य मोदन्तां पितरो मम
From that union, a being will be born for your deliverance; having attained an eternal place, may my ancestors rejoice.
मात्रा हि भुजगाः शप्ताः पूर्वं ब्रह्मविदां वर। जनमेजयस्य वो यज्ञे धक्ष्यत्यनिलसारथिः
Once, the serpents were cursed by their mother, O best of those who know Brahman, that in Janamejaya's sacrifice, the Wind-charioteer would burn you.
तस्य शापस्य शान्त्यर्थं प्रददौ पन्नगोत्तमः। स्वसारमृषये तस्मै सुव्रताय महात्मने
To appease that curse, the best of serpents gave his sister to the sage, that great-souled, virtuous one.
स च तां प्रतिजग्राह विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा। आस्तीको नाम पुत्रश्च तस्यां जज्ञे महामनाः
And he accepted her in accordance with the prescribed rite; from her was born a son named Astika, of great mind.
तपस्वी च महात्मा च वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः। समः सर्वस्य लोकस्य पितृमातृभयापहः
He was an ascetic, great-souled, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, impartial to all beings, and a remover of fear from both father and mother.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य पाण्डवेयो नराधिपः। आजहार महायज्ञं सर्पसत्रमिति श्रुतिः
Then, after a long time, the Pandava king performed a great sacrifice, known as the snake-sacrifice, as is heard.
तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते सत्रे तु सर्पाणामन्तकाय वै। मोचयामास ताञ्शापादास्तीकः सुमहातपाः
When that sacrifice commenced, intended for the destruction of the serpents, Astika, of great austerity, released them from the curse.
भ्रातॄंश्च मातुलांश्चैव तथैवान्यान्स पन्नगान्। पितॄंश्च तारयामास संतत्या तपसा तथा
He saved his brothers, maternal uncles, and other serpents as well, and also his ancestors, by means of progeny and austerity.
व्रतैश्च विविधैर्ब्रह्मन्स्वाध्यायैश्चानृणोऽभवत्। देवांश्च तर्पयामास यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः
By various vows and self-study, O Brahman, he became free of debt, and he satisfied the gods with sacrifices and diverse gifts.
ऋषींश्च ब्रह्मचर्येम सन्तत्या च पितामहान्। अपहृत्य गुरं भारं पितॄणां संशितव्रतः
Having fulfilled the duties of celibacy and perpetuated his lineage, and having relieved the heavy burden of his ancestors, steadfast in his vows—
जरत्कारुर्गतः स्वर्गं सहितः स्वैः पितामहैः। आस्तीकं च सुतं प्राप्य धर्मं चानुत्तमं मुनिः
Jaratkaru attained heaven together with his forefathers, having obtained Āstīka as a son and accomplished supreme righteousness, O sage.
जरत्कारुः सुमहता कालेन स्वर्गमेयिवान्। एतदाख्यानमास्तीकं यथावत्कथितं मया। प्रब्रूहि भृगुशार्दूल किमन्यत्कथयामि ते
Jaratkaru, after a very long time, went to heaven; thus I have told you the story of Āstīka as it truly happened. Tell me, O tiger among the Bhṛgus, what else shall I narrate to you?
सौते त्वं कथयस्वेमां विस्तरेण कथां पुनः। आस्तीकस्य कवेःसाधोः शुश्रूषा परमा हिनः
O Sauti, please recount this story of Āstīka the sage and poet once again in detail, for our desire to listen is very great.
मधुरं कथ्यते सौम्य श्लक्ष्णाक्षरपदं त्वया। प्रीयामहे भृशं तात पितेवेदं प्रभाषसे
Gentle one, you narrate sweetly, with words and syllables that are smooth; we are greatly delighted, dear one, for you speak as a father would.
अस्मच्छुश्रूषणे नित्यं पिता हि निरतस्तव। आचष्टैतद्यथाऽऽक्यानं पिता तेत्वं तथा वद
Your father was always devoted to serving us with attentive listening; tell this story just as your father recounted it.
आयुष्मन्निदमाख्यानमास्तीकं कथयामि ते। यथाश्रुतं कथयतः सकाशाद्वै पितुर्मया
O long-lived one, I shall tell you this story of Āstīka as I heard it from my father, relating it exactly as it was narrated.
पुरा देवयुगे ब्रह्मन्प्रजापतिसुते शुभे। आस्तां भगिन्यौ रूपेण समुपेतेऽद्भुतेऽनघ
Long ago, in the age of the gods, O Brāhmaṇa, there were two sisters, daughters of Prajāpati, both wondrous and beautiful, O sinless one.
ते भार्ये कश्यपस्यास्तां कद्रूश्च विनता च ह। प्रादात्ताभ्यां वरं प्रीतः प्रजापतिसमः पतिः
Those two, Kadrū and Vinatā, became wives of Kaśyapa; pleased with them, their husband, equal to Prajāpati, granted them a boon.
कश्यपो धर्मपत्नीभ्यां मुदा परमया युतः। वरातिसर्गं श्रुत्वैवं कश्यपादुत्तमं च ते
Kaśyapa, filled with the highest joy together with his virtuous wives, heard their supreme requests for boons and—
हर्षादप्रतिमां प्रीतिं प्रापतुः स्म वरस्त्रियौ। वव्रे कद्रूः सुतान्नागान्सहस्रं तुल्यवर्चसः
The two women, filled with incomparable delight, received their boons; Kadrū chose a thousand sons, all equal in splendor.
द्वौ पुत्रौ विनता वव्रे कद्रूपुत्राधिकौ बले। तेजसा वपुषा चैव विक्रमेणाधिकौ च तौ
Vinatā chose two sons, superior in strength to the sons of Kadrū, and greater than them in energy, beauty, and prowess.