पाण्डवस्य च दायादो जानन्मृत्युं गतं नृपः । जीवने मतिमास्थाय स्थितः स्थाने निराकुलः
The king, heir of the Pāṇḍavas, knowing that death had come, remained composed in his place, fixing his mind on life.
दानपुण्यादिकं राजा कर्तुमर्हति सर्वथा । धर्मेण हन्यते व्याधिर्येनायुः शाश्वतं भवेत्
The king should always perform acts of charity and merit; by righteousness, disease is destroyed, and thus life becomes enduring.
नोचेन्मृत्युविधिं कृत्वा स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः । मरणं स्वर्गलोकाय नरकायान्यथा भवेतू
Otherwise, if the decree of death is not fulfilled, then acts like bathing and giving gifts at death would lead to heaven; otherwise, to hell.
द्विजपीडाकृतं पापं पृथग्वास्य च भूपतेः । विप्रशापस्तथा घोर आसन्ने मरणे किल
The sin committed by harming twice-borns, and the terrible curse of a brāhmaṇa, indeed approach at the time of death for the king.
न कोऽपि ब्राह्मणः पार्श्वे य एनं प्रतिबोधयेत् । वेधसा विहितो मृत्युरनिवार्यस्तु सर्वथा
There was no brāhmaṇa at his side to warn him; death ordained by the Creator is, in every way, unavoidable.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य सर्पोऽसौ स्वान्नागान्निकटे स्थितान् । कृत्वा तापसवेषांस्तान्प्राहिणोत्सुभुजङ्गमान्
Thinking thus, that serpent made those snakes nearby assume the guise of ascetics and sent them forth.
फलमूलादिकं गृह्य राज्ञे नागोऽथ तक्षकः । स्वयं च कीटरूपेण फलमध्ये ससार ह
Takṣaka, the serpent, taking fruits and roots, entered into the fruit himself in the form of a worm.
निर्गतास्ते तदा नागाः फलान्यादाय सत्वराः । ते राजभवनं प्राप्य स्थिताः प्रासादसन्निधौ
Then those serpents quickly departed, taking the fruits, and, reaching the royal palace, stood near the mansion.
रक्षकास्तापसान्दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुस्तच्चिकीर्षितम् । ऊचुस्ते भूपतिं द्रष्टुं प्राप्ताः स्मोऽद्य तपोवनात्
The guards, seeing the ascetics, questioned their purpose; they replied, 'We have come today from the forest hermitage to see the king.'
अभिमन्युसुतं वीरं कुलार्कं चारुदर्शनम् । परिवर्धयितुं प्राप्ता मन्त्रैराथर्वणैस्तथा
'We have come to bless the heroic son of Abhimanyu, the radiant scion of his line, and to nurture him with Atharvan mantras.'
निवेदयध्वं राजानं दर्शनार्थागतान्मुनीन् । कृत्वाभिषेकान्यास्यामो दत्त्वा मिष्टफलानिच
'Inform the king that sages have come desiring an audience; after performing blessings, we will depart, giving him sweet fruits.'
भारतानां कुले वापि न दृष्टा द्वाररक्षकाः । न श्रुतं तापसानां तु राज्ञोऽसन्दर्शनं किल
'In the lineage of the Bhāratas, there have never been doorkeepers seen, nor is it heard that ascetics are denied the king’s audience.'
आरोहामो वयं तत्र यत्र राजा परीक्षितः । आशीर्भिर्वर्धयित्वैनं दत्ताज्ञाः प्रव्रजामहे
'We will ascend to where King Parīkṣit is, bless him with our benedictions, and, having received permission, we will depart.'
सूत उवाच इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां तापसानां तु रक्षकाः । प्रत्यूचुस्तान् द्विजान्मत्वा निदेशं भूपतेर्यथा
Sūta said: Hearing these words of the ascetics, the guards, taking them for brāhmaṇas, replied according to the king’s instructions.
नाद्य वो दर्शनं विप्रा राज्ञः स्यादिति नो मतिः । श्वः सर्वतापसैरत्र त्वागन्तव्यं नृपालये
'Today, O brāhmaṇas, you cannot see the king—such is our decision; tomorrow, all the ascetics may come here to the royal palace.'
अनारोहस्तु प्रासादो विप्राणां मुनिसत्तमाः । विप्रशापभयाद्राज्ञा विहितोऽस्ति न संशयः
'The palace is not to be ascended by brāhmaṇas, O best of sages; this was ordered by the king out of fear of a brāhmaṇa’s curse—there is no doubt.'
तदोचुस्तानथो विप्राः फलमूलजलानि च । विप्राशिषश्च राज्ञेऽथ ग्राहयन्तु सुरक्षकाः
Then the Brahmins spoke thus: 'Let the fruits, roots, and water be brought.' And the Brahmins instructed the royal guards to deliver them to the king.
ते गत्वा नृपतिं प्रोचुस्तापसानागताञ्जनाः । राजोवाचानयध्वं वै फलमूलादिकं च यत्
Those who had gone returned to the king and informed him that the ascetics had arrived. The king said, 'Bring here whatever fruits, roots, and such there are.'
पृच्छध्वं तापसान्कार्यं प्रातरागमनं पुनः । प्रणामं कथयध्वं मे नाद्य सन्दर्शनं मम
'Ask the ascetics what their purpose is, and about their coming in the morning again. Convey my respects to them, for today I will not grant an audience.'
ते गत्वाथ समादाय फलमूलादिकं च यत् । राज्ञे समर्पयामासुर्बहुमानपुरःसरम्
Then, having gone and collected the fruits, roots, and whatever else there was, they presented them to the king with great honor.
गतेषु तेषु नागेषु विप्रवेषावृतेषु च । फलान्यादाय राजासौ सचिवानिदमब्रवीत्
When those disguised as Brahmins and the guards had departed, the king took the fruits and said this to his ministers:
सुहृदो भक्षयन्त्वद्य फलान्येतानि सर्वशः । अद्म्यहं चैकमेतद्वै फलं विप्रार्पितं महत्
'Let my friends eat all these fruits today; I myself will eat this one great fruit offered by the Brahmins.'
इत्युक्त्वा तत्फलं दत्त्वा सुहृद्भ्यश्चोत्तरासुतः । करे कृत्वा फलं पक्वं ददार नृपतिः स्वयम्
Having said this, the son of Uttarā gave the fruits to his friends, and taking the ripe fruit in his hand, the king himself split it open.
विदारितं फलं राज्ञा तत्र कृमिरभूदणुः । स कृष्णनयनस्ताम्रो दृष्टो भूपतिना स्वयम्
When the king split open the fruit, there appeared a tiny worm inside, black-eyed and reddish, which the king himself saw.
तं दृष्ट्वा नृपतिः प्राह सचिवान्विस्मितानथ । अस्तमभ्येति सविता विषादद्य न मे भयम्
Seeing that, the king spoke to his astonished ministers: 'The sun is setting; today I have no fear from poison.'
अङ्गीकरोमि तं शापं कृमिको मां दशत्वयम् । एवमुक्त्वा स राजेन्द्रो ग्रीवायां संन्यवेशयत्
'I accept that curse—let this worm bite me.' Having said this, the king placed it upon his neck.
अस्तं याते दिवानाथे धृतः कण्ठेऽथ कीटकः । तक्षकस्तु तदा जातः कालरूपी भयानकः
When the lord of day had set, the worm held fast to his throat; then it became Takṣaka, terrifying and in the form of death.
राजा संवेष्टितस्तेन दष्टश्चापि महीपतिः । मन्त्रिणो विस्मयं प्राप्ता रुरुदुर्भृशदुःखिताः
The king was entwined by it and bitten; the ministers were struck with wonder and wept, overwhelmed by grief.
घोररूपमहिं वीक्ष्य दुद्रुवुस्ते भयार्दिताः । चुक्रुशू रक्षकाः सर्वे हाहाकारो महानभूत्
Seeing the dreadful serpent, they fled in terror; all the guards cried out, and a great clamor arose.
वेष्टितो भोगिभोगेन विनष्टबहुपौरुषः । नोवाच नृपतिः किञ्चिन्न चचालोत्तरासुतः
Enwrapped by the coils of the serpent, his great strength destroyed, the king, son of Uttarā, spoke nothing and did not move.