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.'
ब्रह्मोवाच। जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातो भविता ब्रह्मवित्तमः। जरत्कन्या तस्य देया तस्यामुत्पत्स्यते सुतः
Brahma said: One renowned as Jaratkaru, foremost knower of Brahman, will be born. The maiden Jaratkaru should be given to him; from her a son will be born.
रक्षां कर्ता स वो विप्रो भवतां कुलपावनः। तथा करोमि नागानां समयं मनुजैः सह
That Brāhmaṇa, purifier of your lineage, will protect you. Thus I establish an agreement between the Nāgas and humans.
तदेकमनसः सर्वे शृणुध्वं मम शासनम्। सुतलं वितलं चैव तृतीयं च तलातलम्
Therefore, all of you, listen attentively to my command: Sutala, Vitala, and the third, Talātala—
दत्तं च त्रिप्रकारं वो गृहं तत्र गमिष्यथ। तत्र भोगान्बहुविधान्भुंजाना मम शासनात्
These three kinds of abodes have been given to you; there you shall go. There, by my command, you will enjoy many kinds of pleasures.
तिष्ठध्वं सप्तमं यावत्कालं तं तु पुनःपुनः। ततो वैवस्वतस्यादौ काश्यपेयो भविष्यति
Remain there until the seventh period of time; then, again, at the beginning of Vaivasvata’s era, a descendant of Kaśyapa will arise.
दायादः सर्वदेवानां सुपर्णस्सर्पभक्षकः। तदा प्रसूतिः सर्पाणां दग्धा वै चित्रभानुना
He will be the heir of all the gods, Suparṇa, the devourer of serpents. Then, the offspring of the serpents will be consumed by the radiant one.
भवतां चैव सर्वेषां भविष्यति न संशयः। ये ये क्रूरा भोगिनो दुर्विनीतास्तेषामंतो भाविता नान्यथैतत्
For all of you, this will certainly come to pass—there is no doubt. All those serpents who are cruel and unruly will meet their end; it cannot be otherwise.
कालव्याप्तं भक्षयध्वं च सत्वं तथापकारे चकृते मनुष्यम्। मंत्रौषधैर्गारुडैश्चैव तंत्रैर्बंधैर्जुष्टा मानवा ये भवंति
Devour living beings as ordained by time, and likewise when harm is done to you by humans. Those humans who are protected by mantras, medicines, Garuḍa charms, and bindings—
तेभ्यो भीतैर्वर्तितव्यं न चान्यच्चित्ते कार्यं चान्यथा वो विनाशः। इतीरिते ब्रह्मणा वै भुजंगा जग्मुः स्थानं सुतलाख्यं हि सर्वे
You must live in fear of them, and do not let your minds turn elsewhere; otherwise, destruction will come upon you. Thus instructed by Brahmā, all the serpents went to the place called Sutala.
तस्थुर्भोगान्भुंजमानाश्च सर्वे रसातले लीलया संस्थितास्ते। एवं शापं तुते लब्ध्वाप्रसादं च चतुर्मुखात्
There, all of them remained, delighting in various pleasures, playfully established in Rasātala. Thus, having received both the curse and the favor from the Four-Faced One—