मात्रा शप्ताश्च ये नागा वासुकिप्रमुखाः शुचा । ब्रह्माणं शरणं गत्वा ते होचुः शापजं भयम्
And the serpents, led by Vasuki, cursed by their mother and distressed, went to Brahma for refuge and spoke of the fear caused by the curse.
तानाह भगवान्ब्रह्मा जरत्कारुर्महामुनिः । वासुकेर्भगिनीं तस्मै अर्पयध्वं सनामिकाम्
The blessed Brahma said to them, 'Give your sister, with a name, to the great sage Jaratkaru as his wife.'
तस्यां यो जायते पुत्रः स वस्त्राता भविष्यति । आस्तीक इति नामासौ भविता नात्र संशयः
A son born from her will be the savior of your race; he will be named Astika, without doubt.
वासुकिस्तु तदाकर्ण्य वचनं ब्रह्मणः शिवम् । वनं गत्वा सुतां तस्मै ददौ विनयपूर्वकम्
Hearing these auspicious words of Brahma, Vasuki went to the forest and respectfully gave his daughter to him.
सनामां तां मुनिर्ज्ञात्वा जरत्कारुरुवाच तम् । अप्रियं मे यदा कुर्यात्तदा तां सन्त्यजाम्यहम्
Knowing her to be named, the sage Jaratkaru said to him, 'If ever she does anything displeasing to me, then I will abandon her.'
वाग्बन्धं तादृशं कृत्वा मुनिर्जग्राह तां स्वयम् । दत्त्वा च वासुकिः कामं भवनं स्वं जगाम ह
Making such an agreement, the sage took her himself; and Vasuki, having fulfilled his wish, returned to his own abode.
कृत्वा पर्णकुटीं शुभ्रां जरत्कारुर्महावने । तया सह सुखं प्राप रममाणः परन्तप
Building a pure leaf-hut in the great forest, Jaratkaru, scorcher of foes, lived happily there with her.
एकदा भोजनं कृत्वा सुप्तोऽसौ मुनिसत्तमः । भगिनी वासुकेस्तत्र संस्थिता वरवर्णिनी
Once, after eating, that best of sages fell asleep; there, Vasuki's beautiful sister was present.
न सम्बोधयितव्योऽहं त्वया कान्ते कथञ्चन । इत्युक्त्वा तु गतो निद्रां मुनिस्तां सुदतीं तदा
'Beloved, you must not wake me under any circumstance,' saying this, the sage then went to sleep, addressing her with lovely teeth.
रविरस्तगिरिं प्राप्तः सन्ध्याकाल उपस्थिते । किं करोमि न मे शान्तिस्त्यजेन्मां बोधितः पुनः
When the sun had reached the western mountain and evening approached, she thought, 'What should I do? I have no peace; if I wake him, he will abandon me again.'
धर्मलोपभयाद्भीता जरत्कारुरचिन्तयत् । नोचेत्प्रबोथयाम्येनं सन्ध्याकालो वृथा व्रजेत्
Fearing the loss of righteousness, Jaratkaru thought, 'If I do not wake him, the time for evening rites will pass in vain.'
धर्मनाशाद्वरं त्यागस्तथापि मरणं ध्रुवम् । धर्महानिर्नराणां हि नरकाय भवेत्पुनः
It is better to be abandoned than to destroy righteousness; even so, death is certain, for the destruction of righteousness leads men to hell again.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य सा बाला तं मुनिं प्रत्यबोधयत् । सन्ध्याकालोऽपि सञ्जात उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठसुव्रत
Thinking thus, that young girl awakened the sage, saying: 'The time of twilight has come, rise, rise, O virtuous one!'
उत्थितोऽसौ मुनिः कोपात्तामुवाच व्रजाम्यहम् । त्वं तु भ्रातृगृहं याहि निद्राविच्छेदकारिणी
Rising, the sage, angered, said to her: 'I am leaving; you, who have disturbed my sleep, go to your brother's house.'
वेपमानाब्रवीद्वाक्यमित्युक्ता मुनिना तदा । भ्रात्रा दत्ता यदर्थं तत्कथं स्यादमितप्रभ
Trembling, she spoke these words, having been addressed so by the sage: 'O one of immeasurable radiance, how can the purpose for which my brother gave me be fulfilled?'
मुनिः प्राह जरत्कारुं तदस्तीति निराकुलः । गता सा मुनिना त्यक्ता वासुकेः सदनं तदा
The sage calmly replied to Jaratkaru, 'So be it.' Then, abandoned by the sage, she went to Vasuki's abode.
पृष्टा भ्रात्राब्रवीद्वाक्यं यथोक्तं पतिना तदा । अस्तीत्युक्त्वा च हित्वा मां गतोऽसौ मुनिसत्तमः
Questioned by her brother, she spoke the words as told by her husband: 'He said, “So be it,” and then, leaving me, that best of sages departed.'
वासुकिस्तु तदाकर्ण्य सत्यावाङ्मुनिरित्युत । विश्वासं च परं कृत्वा भगिनीं तां समाश्रयत्
Hearing this, Vasuki thought, 'The sage is indeed truthful,' and, placing great trust in her, sheltered his sister.
ततः कालेन कियता जातोऽसौ मुनिबालकः । आस्तीक इति नामासौ विख्यातः कुरुसत्तम
After some time, O best of the Kurus, a son was born to the sage and the maiden, who became renowned as Āstīka.
तेनायं रक्षितो यज्ञस्तव पार्थिवसत्तम । मातृपक्षस्य रक्षार्थं मुनिना भावितात्मना
By him, O best of kings, your sacrifice was protected, for the sake of safeguarding his mother's lineage, by the sage of purified soul.
भव्यं कृतं महाराज मानितोऽयं त्वया मुनिः । यायावरकुलोत्पनो वासुकेर्भगिनीसुतः
A blessed act has been done, O king; you have honored this sage, born in a family of wanderers, the son of Vasuki's sister.
स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाबाहो भारतं सकलं श्रुतम् । दानानि बहु दत्तानि पूजिता मुनयस्तथा
May there be well-being for you, O mighty-armed one; you have heard the entire story of the Bhāratas, given many gifts, and honored the sages as well.
कृतेन सुकृतेनापि न पिता स्वर्गतिं गतः । पावितं न कुलं कृत्स्नं त्वया भूपतिसत्तम
Even with many virtuous deeds performed, the father did not attain heaven, nor was the entire lineage purified by you, O best of kings.
देव्याश्चायतनं भूप विस्तीर्णं कुरु भक्तितः । येन वै सकला सिद्धिस्तव स्याज्जनमेजय
O king, establish a grand temple for the Goddess with devotion, by which, O Janamejaya, all success will surely be yours.
पूजिता परया भक्त्या शिवा सकलदा सदा । कुलवृद्धिं करोत्येव राज्यं च सुस्थिरं सदा
When Śivā is worshipped with supreme devotion, she always bestows all perfections, ever brings growth to the lineage, and keeps the kingdom stable.
देवीमखं विधानेन कृत्वा पार्थिवसत्तम । श्रीमद्भागवतं नाम पुराणं परमं शृणु
O best of kings, having performed the Goddess-sacrifice according to rule, now listen to the supreme Purāṇa called the Śrīmad Bhāgavata.
त्वामहं श्रावयिष्यामि कथां परमपावनीम् । संसारतारिणीं दिव्यां नानारससमाहृताम्
I shall cause you to hear the most sacred story, which delivers from worldly existence, is divine, and filled with many flavors.
न श्रोतव्यं परं चास्मात्पुराणाद्विद्यते भुवि । नाराध्यं विद्यते राजन्देवीपादाम्बुजादृते
There is no other Purāṇa on earth more worthy of hearing than this, O king, nor is there any worship apart from the lotus feet of the Goddess.
ते सभाग्याः कृतप्रज्ञा धन्यास्ते नृपसत्तम । येषां चित्ते सदा देवी वसति प्रेमसंकुले
Blessed, wise, and fortunate are those, O best of kings, in whose hearts the Goddess always dwells, overflowing with love.
सुदुःखितास्ते दृश्यन्ते भुवि भारत भारते । नाराधिता महामाया यैर्जनैश्च सदाम्बिका
Those people, O Bhārata, are seen to be greatly afflicted in this world, who have not always worshipped the great Māyā, the ever-compassionate Mother.