उत्थिताग्निशिखा घोरा विषजा तक्षकाननात् । प्रजज्वाल नृपं त्वाशु गतप्राणं चकार ह
From Takṣaka's mouth, a fierce, fiery flame arose, burning, and at once consumed the king, taking his life.
हत्वाशु जीवितं राज्ञस्तक्षको गगने गतः । जगद्दग्धं तु कुर्वाणं ददृशुस्तं जना इह
Having swiftly taken the king's life, Takṣaka ascended into the sky; people saw him as if burning up the world.
स पपात गतप्राणो राजा दग्ध इव द्रुमः । चुकुशुश्च जनाः सर्वे मृतं दृष्ट्वा नराधिपम्
The king fell lifeless, like a tree consumed by fire; all the people wailed, seeing the lord of men dead.
सर्पसत्रवर्णनम् सूत उवाच गतप्राणं तु राजानं बालं पुत्रं समीक्ष्य च । चक्रुश्च मन्त्रिणः सर्वे परलोकस्य सत्क्रियाः
Sūta said: Seeing the king lifeless and his young son, all the ministers performed the proper rites for his journey to the next world.
गङ्गातीरे दग्धदेहं भस्मप्रायं महीपतिम् । अगुरुभिश्चाभियुक्तायां चितायामध्यरोपयन्
On the banks of the Ganges, the king's body, reduced to ashes, was placed upon the pyre prepared with aloeswood.
दुर्मरणे मृतस्यास्य चकुश्चैवौर्ध्वदैहिकीम् । क्रियां पुरोहितास्तस्य वेदमन्त्रैर्विधानतः
For the one who had died a difficult death, the priests performed the funeral rites according to the prescribed Vedic mantras.
ददुर्दानानि विप्रेभ्यो गाः सुवर्णं यथोचितम् । अन्नं बहुविधं तत्र वस्त्राणि विविधानि च
They gave gifts to the Brahmins—cows, gold as appropriate, abundant varieties of food, and many kinds of garments.
सुमुहूर्ते सुतं बालं प्रजानां प्रीतिवर्धनम् । सिंहासने शुभे तत्र मन्त्रिणः संन्यवेशयन्
At an auspicious hour, the ministers seated the young son, who increased the joy of the people, upon the splendid throne.
पौरा जानपदा लोकाश्चक्रुस्तं नृपतिं शिशुम् । जनमेजयनामानं राजलक्षणसंयुतम्
The townspeople, villagers, and all the people proclaimed the child Janamejaya, endowed with royal marks, as king.
धात्रेयी शिक्षयामास राजचिह्नानि सर्वशः । दिने दिने वर्धमानः स बभूव महामतिः
The nurse taught him all the royal insignia; day by day, he grew and became a person of great intelligence.
प्राप्ते चैकादशे वर्षे तस्मै कुलपुरोहितः । यथोचितां ददौ विद्यां जग्राह स यथोचिताम्
When he reached his eleventh year, the family priest gave him the proper education, and he received it as was fitting.
धनुर्वेदं कृपः पूर्णं ददावस्मै सुसंस्कृतम् । अर्जुनाय यथा द्रोणः कर्णाय भार्गवो यथा
Kripa gave him the complete and well-prepared science of archery, just as Drona did for Arjuna and Bhargava for Karna.
सम्प्राप्तविद्यो बलवान्वभूव दुरतिक्रमः । धनुर्वेदे तथा वेदे पारगः परमार्थवित्
Having acquired knowledge, he became strong and unconquerable; in archery and the Vedas, he became accomplished and a knower of the highest truth.
धर्मशास्त्रार्थकुशलः सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः । चकार राज्यं धर्मात्मा पुरा धर्मसुतो यथा
Skilled in the meaning of the scriptures of dharma, truthful, self-controlled, he ruled the kingdom righteously, as the son of Dharma once did.
ततः सुवर्णवर्माख्यो राजा काशिपतिः किल । वपुष्टमां शुभा कन्यां ददौ पारीक्षिताय च
Then, the king of Kashi named Suvarnavarma gave his beautiful daughter, radiant in form, to Parikshit's son.
स तां प्राप्यासितापाङ्गीं मुमुदे जनमेजयः । काशिराजसुतां कान्तां प्राप्य राजा यथा पुरा
Janamejaya rejoiced upon receiving her, the dark-eyed daughter of the king of Kashi, just as kings of old rejoiced upon gaining their beloved.
विचित्रवीर्यो मुमुदे सुभद्रां च यथार्जुनः । विजहार महीपालो वनेषूपवनेषु च
Like Vichitravirya rejoiced in Subhadra and Arjuna in her, the king wandered in forests and groves.
तया कमलपत्राक्ष्या शच्या शतक्रतुर्यथा । प्रजास्तस्य सुसन्तुष्टा बभूवुः सुखलालिताः
With her, whose eyes were like lotus petals, just as Shachi was with Indra, his subjects became very content and were cherished in happiness.
मन्त्रिणः कर्मकुशलाश्चक्रुः कार्याणि सर्वशः । एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु मुनिरुत्तङ्कनामकः
The ministers, skilled in their duties, accomplished all tasks; at that very time, a sage named Uttanka arrived.
तक्षकेण परिक्लिष्टो हस्तिनापुरमभ्यगात् । वैरस्यापचितिं कोऽस्य प्रकुर्यादिति चिन्तयन्
Afflicted by Takshaka, he came to Hastinapura, pondering who might avenge his enmity.
परीक्षितसुतं मत्वा तं नृपं समुपागतः । कार्याकार्यं न जानासि समये नृपसत्तम
Thinking of the king as Parikshit's son, he approached him, saying, 'O best of kings, you do not know what should or should not be done at the proper time.'
अकर्तव्यं करोष्यद्य कर्तव्यं न करोषि वै । किं त्वां सम्प्रार्थयाम्यद्य गतामर्षं निरुद्यमम्
'Today you do what should not be done, and you do not do what should be done; why should I entreat you now, who are devoid of anger and effort?'
अवैरज्ञमतन्त्रज्ञं बालचेष्टासमन्वितम् । जनमेजय उवाच किं वैरं न मया ज्ञातं न किं प्रतिकृतं मया
Janamejaya said: I do not know of any enmity, nor have I done anything in return; tell me, O most fortunate one, what enmity or cause there is.
तद्वद त्वं महाभाग करोमि यदनन्तरम् । उत्तङ्क उवाच पिता ते निहतो भूप तक्षकेण दुरात्मना
Uttanka said: Your father, O king, was killed by the wicked Takshaka.
मन्त्रिणस्त्वं समाहूय पृच्छ स्वपितृनाशनम् । सूत उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राजा पप्रच्छ मन्त्रिसत्तमान्
Call your ministers together and ask them about the destruction of your father.
ऊचुस्ते द्विजशापेन दष्टः सर्पेण वै मृतः । जनमेजय उवाच शापोऽत्र कारणं राज्ञः शप्तस्य मुनिना किल
The ministers said: He was bitten by a snake and died due to the curse of a Brahmin.
तक्षकस्य तु को दोषो ब्रूहि मे मुनिसत्तम । उत्तङ्क उवाच तक्षकेण धनं दत्त्वा कश्यपः सन्निवारितः
Janamejaya said: The curse of the sage is said to be the cause for the king; but tell me, O best of sages, what fault lies with Takshaka?
न स किं तक्षको वैरी पितृहा तव भूपते । भार्या रुरोः पुरा भूप दष्टा सर्पेण सा मृता
Uttanka said: Takshaka bribed Kasyapa and turned him back; so is Takshaka truly your enemy or your father's killer, O king?
अविवाहिता तु मुनिना जीविता च पुनः प्रिया । रुरुणापि कृता तत्र प्रतिज्ञा चातिदारुणा
O king, long ago Ruru's wife was bitten by a snake and died; but the sage did not marry her, and his beloved was brought back to life.
यं यं सर्पं प्रपश्यामि तं तं हन्म्यायुधेन वै । एवं कृत्वा प्रतिज्ञां स शस्त्रपाणी रुरुस्तदा
There Ruru made a terrible vow: 'Whichever snake I see, I will kill with a weapon.'