व्यचरत्पृथिवीं राजन्निघ्नन्सर्पान्यतस्ततः । एकदा स वने घोरं डुण्डुभं जरसान्वितम्
Having made this vow, Ruru, weapon in hand, roamed the earth, killing snakes wherever he found them.
अपश्यद्दण्डमुद्यम्य हन्तुं तं समुपाययौ । अभ्यहन्रुषितो विप्रस्तमुवाचाथ डुण्डुभः
Once, in the forest, he saw a dreadful, aged Dundubha and approached, raising his staff to kill it.
नापराध्नोमि ते विप्र कस्मान्मामभिहंसि वै । रुरुरुवाच प्राणप्रिया मे दयिता दष्टा सर्पेण सा मृता
Angry, the sage struck at it, but the Dundubha spoke: 'I have done you no wrong, O sage; why do you wish to kill me?'
प्रतिज्ञेयं तदा सर्प दुःखितेन मया कृता । डुण्डुभ उवाच नाहं दशामि तेऽन्ये वै ये दशन्ति भुजङ्गमाः
Ruru said: 'My beloved, dear to my life, was bitten by a snake and died; in my grief, I made this vow, O serpent.'
शरीरसमयोगेन न मां हिंसितुमर्हसि । उत्तङ्क उवाच श्रुत्वा तां मानुषीं वाणीं सर्पेणोक्तां मनोहराम्
The Dundubha said: 'I do not bite you; there are other serpents who bite. Because of the nature of my body, you should not harm me.'
रुरुः पप्रच्छ कोऽसि त्वं कस्माद्डुण्डुभतां गतः । सर्प उवाच ब्राह्मणोऽहं पुरा विप्र सखा मे खगमाभिधः
Uttanka said: Hearing those charming human words spoken by the serpent, Ruru asked: 'Who are you, and how did you become a Dundubha?'
विप्रो धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठः सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः । स मया वञ्जितो मौर्ख्यात्सर्पं कृत्वा च तार्णकम्
The serpent said: 'I was once a Brahmin, O sage; my friend was named Khagama, a Brahmin, best among the righteous, truthful, and self-controlled.'
भयं च प्रापितोऽत्यर्थमग्निहोत्रगृहे स्थितः । तेन भीतेन शप्तोऽहं विह्वलेनातिवेपिना
Out of foolishness, I deceived him and made him cross over as a snake, and caused him great fear while he was in the house of the sacred fire.
भव सर्पो मन्दबुद्धे येनाहं धर्षितस्त्वया । मया प्रसादितोऽत्यर्थं सर्पेणासौ द्विजोत्तमः
Terrified, he cursed me, trembling greatly: 'Become a snake, you dull-witted one, for you have wronged me.'
मामुवाचाथ तत्क्रोधात्किञ्चिच्छान्तिमवाप्य च । रुरुस्ते मोचिता शापस्यास्य सर्प भविष्यति
I earnestly entreated him, and then, calmed a little from his anger, that best of Brahmins said to me: 'You will be freed from this curse by Ruru, O serpent.'
प्रमतेस्तु सुतो नूनमिति मां सोऽब्रवीद्वचः । सोऽहं सर्पो रुरुस्त्वं च शृणु मे परमं वचः
He said to me, 'Surely you are the son of Pramati.' I am Ruru, a serpent; listen to my supreme words.
अहिंसा परमो धर्मो विप्राणां नात्र संशयः । दया सर्वत्र कर्तव्या ब्राह्मणेन विजानता
Nonviolence is the highest duty for Brahmins; there is no doubt about this. Compassion must be shown everywhere by the wise Brahmin.
यज्ञादन्यत्र विप्रेन्द्र न हिंसा याज्ञिको मता । सूत उवाच सर्पयोनेर्विनिर्मुक्तो बाह्मणोऽसौ रुरुस्ततः
Except in sacrifice, O best of Brahmins, violence is not considered proper for a Brahmin. Sūta said: Freed from the serpent birth, that Brahmin became Ruru.
कृत्वा तस्य च शापान्तं परित्यक्तं च हिंसनम् । विवाहिता तेन बाला मृता सज्जीविता पुनः
Having ended his curse and abandoned violence, he married the girl; she, once dead, was restored to life.
कदनं सर्वसर्पाणां कृतं वैरमनुस्मरन् । त्वं तु वैरं समुत्सृज्य वर्तसे पन्नगेष्वथ
Recalling the slaughter of all serpents and the enmity created, you, however, have abandoned enmity and live among the serpents.
विमन्युर्भरतश्रेष्ठ पितृघातकरेषु वै । अन्तरिक्षे मृतस्तातः स्नानदानविवर्जितः
Without anger towards those who killed his father, O best of Bharatas, his father died in the sky, deprived of ritual bathing and gifts.
तस्योद्धारं च राजेन्द्र कुरु हत्वाथ पन्नगान् । पितुर्वैरं न जानाति जीवन्नेव मृतो हि सः
O king, perform the rescue for him by killing the serpents. He does not know his father's enmity, for he died while still alive.
दुर्गतिस्ते पितुस्तावद्यावत्तान्न हनिष्यसि । अम्बामखमिषं कृत्वा कुरु यज्ञं नृपोत्तम
Your father's misfortune will remain until you kill them. Perform the sacrifice to Ambā, the supreme goddess, O best of kings.
सर्पसत्रं महाराज पितुर्वैरमनुस्मरन् । सूत उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा जन्मेजयस्तदा
O great king, remembering your father's enmity, conduct the serpent sacrifice. Sūta said: Hearing these words, King Janamejaya then—
नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपातं च चकारातीव दुःखितः । धिङ्मामस्तु सुदुर्बुद्धेर्वृथा मानकरस्य वै
Tears fell from his eyes, and he was deeply distressed. 'Shame on me, with such poor judgment, who acted vainly.'
पिता यस्य गतिं घोरां प्राप्तः पन्नगपीडितः । अद्याहं मखमारभ्य करोम्यपचितिं पितुः
Whose father has met a terrible fate, afflicted by serpents, today I will begin the sacrifice and make amends to my father.
हत्वा सर्पानसन्दिग्धो दीप्यमाने विभावसौ । आहूय मन्त्रिणः सर्वान् राजा वचनमब्रवीत्
Having killed the serpents without doubt, as the fire blazes, the king summoned all his ministers and spoke these words.
कुर्वन्तु यज्ञसम्भारं यथार्हं मन्त्रिसत्तमाः । गङ्गातीरे शुभां भूमिं मापयित्वा द्विजोत्तमैः
Let the best ministers prepare the sacrificial materials as appropriate. Let them mark out a pure land on the bank of the Ganges with the foremost Brahmins.
कुर्वन्तु मण्डपं स्वस्थाः शतस्तम्भं मनोहरम् । वेदी यज्ञस्य कर्तव्या ममाद्य सचिवाः खलु
Let them build a splendid pavilion with a hundred pillars, in good order. My ministers must prepare the altar for the sacrifice today.
तदङ्गत्वे विधेयो वै सर्पसत्रः सुविस्तरः । तक्षकस्तु पशुस्तत्र होतोत्तङ्को महामुनिः
For that purpose, a vast serpent sacrifice must be arranged. Takṣaka will be the sacrificial animal there, and the great sage Uttanka will be the chief priest.
शीघ्रमाहूयतां विप्राः सर्वज्ञा वेदपारगाः । सूत उवाच मन्त्रिणस्तु तदा चक्रुर्भूपवाक्यैर्विचक्षणाः
Quickly summon the Brahmins, all-knowing and versed in the Vedas. Sūta said: Then the wise ministers acted according to the king's words.
यज्ञस्य सर्वसम्भारं वेदीं यज्ञस्य विस्तृताम् । हवने वर्तमाने तु सर्पाणां तक्षको गतः
They prepared all the sacrificial materials and the extensive altar for the sacrifice. While the offering was underway, Takṣaka among the serpents fled.
इन्द्रं प्रति भयार्तोऽहं त्राहि मामिति चाब्रवीत् । भयभीतं समाश्वास्य स्वासने सन्निवेश्य च
Frightened, he said to Indra, 'Save me!' Comforting the terrified one, Indra seated him on his own throne.
ददावभयमत्यर्थं निर्भयो भव पन्नग । तमिन्द्रशरणं ज्ञात्वा मुनिर्दत्ताभयं तथा
He granted him complete freedom from fear, saying, 'Be fearless, serpent.' Knowing that he had taken refuge with Indra, the sage thus gave him assurance of safety.
उत्तङ्कोऽह्वयदुद्विग्नः सेन्द्रं कृत्वा निमन्त्रणम् । स्मृतस्तदा तक्षकेण यायावरकुलोद्भवः
Uttaṅka, disturbed, summoned Indra and invited him; at that time, Takṣaka remembered the wandering sage who had arisen from the line of Yāyāvara.