तत्त्वतस्त्वं हि तत्सर्वं यथाभूतं तथा वद। पापक्षयकरं ह्येतच्छ्रोतव्यं भूतिमिच्छता
You truly know all this as it happened; speak it as it is. This is to be heard by one who desires prosperity, for it destroys sin.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। प्रश्नभारस्त्वया राजन्कौतुकादेव कीर्तितः। कथयामि हि तत्सर्वं यथाभूतं नृपोत्तम
Pulastya said: O king, you have asked these questions out of curiosity; I shall tell you all of it as it truly happened, O best of kings.
विष्णोः पदानुषंगेण बंधनं बाष्कलेरिह। श्रुतं तद्भवता सर्वं मया ते परिकीर्तितं
The binding of Bāṣkala here was due to Viṣṇu's stride; all this you have heard, and I have recounted it to you.
भूयोपि विष्णुना भीष्म प्राप्ते वैवस्वतेंतरे। त्रैलोक्यं बलिनाक्रांतं विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना
Again, O Bhīṣma, when the age of Vaivasvata arrived, the three worlds were conquered by Bali, and Viṣṇu, the mighty lord, subdued him.
गत्वा त्वेकाकिना यज्ञे तथा संयमितो बलि। भूयोपि देवदेवेन भूमेः प्रक्रमणं कृतम्
Going alone to the sacrifice, Bali was restrained in that way; again, the god of gods traversed the earth.
प्रादुर्भावो वामनस्य तथाभूतो नराधिप। पुनस्त्रिविक्रमो भूत्वा वामनो भूदवामनः
The appearance of Vāmana was thus, O king; again, becoming Trivikrama, Vāmana became the dwarf.
उत्पत्तिरेषा ते सर्वा कथिता कुरुनंदन। नागानां तु यथा तीर्थं तच्छृणुष्व महाव्रत
This entire origin I have told you, O descendant of Kuru; now hear about the tīrtha of the Nāgas, O great vow-holder.
अनंतो वासुकिश्चैव तक्षकश्च महाबलः। कर्कोटकश्च नागेंद्रः पद्मश्चान्यः सरीसृपः
Ananta, Vāsuki, and the mighty Takṣaka, Karkoṭa the lord of Nāgas, and another serpent Padma,
महापद्मस्तथा शंखः कुलिकश्चापराजितः। एते कश्यपदायादा एतैरापूरितं जगत्
Mahāpadma, Śaṅkha, Kulika, and Aparājita—these are the descendants of Kaśyapa, and by them the world was filled.
एतेषां तु प्रसूत्या तु इदमापूरितं जगत्। कुटिलाभीमकर्माणस्तीक्ष्णास्याश्च विषोल्बणाः
By the progeny of these, the world was filled; they are crooked, fearsome in deed, sharp-mouthed, and full of poison.
दष्ट्वा मंदांश्चमनुजान्कुर्युर्भस्मक्षणात्तु ते। तद्दर्शनाद्भवेन्नाशो मनुष्याणां नराधिप
When they bite weak humans, they reduce them to ashes in a moment; by merely seeing them, humans perish, O king.
अहन्यहनि जायेत क्षयः परमदारुणः। आत्मनस्तु क्षयं दृष्ट्वा प्रजास्सर्वास्समंततः
Day after day, a most terrible destruction arises; seeing the ruin of themselves, all people everywhere perished.
जग्मुः शरण्यं शरणं ब्रह्माणं परमेश्वरं। इममेवार्थमुद्दिश्य प्रजाः सर्वा महीपते
All the beings, O King, seeking refuge, went to the Supreme Lord, Brahmā, for this very purpose.
ऊचुः कमलजं दृष्ट्वा पुराणं ब्रह्मसंज्ञकम्। प्रजा ऊचुः। देवदेवेश लोकानां प्रसूते परमेश्वर
Seeing the ancient, lotus-born Brahmā, the beings said: 'O Lord of gods, O Supreme Lord, you are the progenitor of the worlds.'
त्राहि नस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राणां भुजगानां महात्मनाम्। दिनेदिने भयं देव पश्यामः कृपणा भृशम्
'Protect us from the great serpents with sharp fangs, O Lord; every day, we, the wretched, experience terrible fear.'
मनुष्यपशुपक्ष्यादि तत्सर्वं भस्मसाद्भवेत्। त्वया सृष्टिः कृता देव क्षीयते तु भुजंगमैः
'Humans, animals, birds, and all such beings are reduced to ashes; O Lord, your creation is being destroyed by the serpents.'
एतज्ज्ञात्वा यदुचितं तत्कुरुष्व पितामह। ब्रह्मोवाच। अहं रक्षां विधास्यामि भवतीनां न संशयः
'Knowing this, do what is appropriate, O Grandfather.' Brahmā said: 'I will provide protection for you all, without doubt.'
व्रजध्वं स्वनिकेतानि नीरुजो गतसाध्वसाः। एवमुक्ते प्रजाः सर्वा ब्रह्मणाऽव्यक्तमूर्तिना
'Return to your own dwellings, free from illness and fear.' Thus addressed by Brahmā, the one of unmanifest form, all the beings—
आजग्मुः परमप्रीताः स्तुत्वा चैव स्वयंभुवम्। प्रयातासु प्रजास्वेवं तानाहूय भुजंगमान्
—came back, greatly delighted, after praising the self-born one. When the beings had departed, he summoned the serpents.
शशाप परमक्रुद्धो वासुकिप्रमुखांस्तदा। ब्रह्मोवाच। अहन्यहनि भूतानि भक्ष्यंते वै दुरात्मभिः
Then, exceedingly enraged, he cursed the serpents, led by Vāsuki. Brahmā said: 'Day after day, creatures are devoured by the wicked.'
नश्यंति तूरगैर्दष्टा मनुष्याः पशवस्तथा। यस्मान्मत्प्रभवान्नित्यं क्षयं नयथ मानुषान्
'Humans and cattle bitten by you perish swiftly; since, by my power, you constantly bring destruction to mankind—'
अतोन्यस्मिन्भवे भूयान्ममकोपात्सुदारुणात्। भवतां हि क्षयो घोरो भावि वैवस्वतेंतरे
'Therefore, in this very age, due to my terrible wrath, a dreadful destruction will befall your race in the era of Vaivasvata.'
तथान्यः सोमवंशीयो राजा वै जनमेजयः। धक्ष्यते सर्पसत्रेण प्रदीप्ते हव्यवाहने
'Likewise, another king of the lunar dynasty, Janamejaya, will burn you in the serpent-sacrifice, in the blazing fire.'
मातृष्वसुश्च तनयांस्तार्क्ष्यो वो भक्षयिष्यति। एवं वो भविता नाशः सर्वेषां दुष्टचेतसाम्
'And Garuḍa will devour your sons and maternal uncles; thus, destruction will come to all of you with evil minds.'
शप्त्वा कुलसहस्रं तु यावदेकं कुलं स्थितम्। एवमुक्ते तु वेपंतो ब्रह्मणा भुजगोत्तमाः
Having cursed a thousand serpent clans until only one remained, when Brahmā had spoken thus, the foremost serpents trembled.
निपत्य पादयोस्तस्य इदमूचुर्वचस्तदा। भगवन्कुटिला जातिरस्माकं भूतभावन
Falling at his feet, they then spoke these words: 'Lord, you who bring forth beings, our nature is crooked—'
विषोल्बणत्वं क्रूरत्वं दंदशूकत्वमेव च। संपादितं त्वया देव इदानीं शपसे कथं
'You yourself, O Lord, have made us full of poison, cruel, and with biting fangs; why do you now curse us?'
ब्रह्मोवाच। यदि नाम मया सृष्टा भवंतः कुटिलाशयाः। ततः किं बहुना नित्यं भक्षयध्वं गतव्यथाः
Brahmā said: 'Even if I created you with crooked intent, then what? Continue to devour freely, without fear.'
नागा ऊचुः। मर्यादां कुरु देवेश स्थानं चैव पृथक्पृथक्। मनुष्याणां तथास्माकं समयं देव कारय
The serpents said: 'O Lord of gods, establish boundaries and separate places for humans and for us; make an agreement, O Lord.'
शापो यो भवता दत्तो मनुष्यो जनमेजयः। नाशं नः सर्पसत्रेण उल्बणं च करिष्यति
'The curse you have given, that the human Janamejaya will destroy us in the serpent-sacrifice, will bring about our utter ruin.'