देहि मे कुण्डले देवि सौदासस्त्वां समादिशत्
Give me the earrings, lady; Saudasa has instructed you.
अभिज्ञानं त्वमानीय नृपस्य द्विज दर्शय
Bring the token of recognition and show it to the king, O Brahmin.
स गत्वा त्वरितं भूपमभिज्ञानमयाचत
He went quickly to the king and requested the token of recognition.
गत्वैवं ब्रूहि तां साध्वीं मम वाक्यं द्विजोत्तम
Go and speak thus to that virtuous lady, O best of Brahmins, conveying my words.
ततोऽसौ प्रददौ तस्मै गृह्ण मे कुण्डले द्विज
Then he gave him the earrings, saying, 'Take these earrings, O Brahmin.'
एते च वांछते नित्यं तक्षको द्विज कुण्डले कौतुकात्पुनरागत्य राजानं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥7.3.2.
Takshaka always desires these earrings, O Brahmin; out of curiosity, he returned and spoke to the king.
अभिज्ञानान्मया भूप सम्प्राप्ते दीप्तकुण्डले
O king, when the radiant earrings arrived, I recognized them by their signs.
कौतुकाद्वद मे राजन्स्वकार्ये च यथास्थितम्
Out of curiosity, tell me, O king, and also about your own affairs as they stand.
असन्तुष्टा दुर्गतिदाः सद्यो मम यथा पुरा
Those who are dissatisfied and bring misfortune became so for me at once, just as before.
एतावान्मम शापोऽयं वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः
This much is the curse upon me from the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
तदा दोषविनिर्मुक्तो भविष्यसि न संशयः सात्त्विकं धाम चापन्नो गच्छ विप्र नमोऽस्तु ते
Then you will be freed from fault, without doubt; attaining the sattvic realm, go, O brahmin, my respects to you.
गच्छंश्चातिक्षुधाविष्टो ऽपश्यद्बिल्वफलानि सः
As he was going, greatly afflicted by hunger, he saw bilva fruits.
ततः कृष्णाजिने बद्ध्वा कुण्डले न्यस्य भूतले
Then, tying them in a black antelope skin and placing the earrings on the ground—
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु तक्षकः पन्नगोत्तमः
At that very moment, Takṣaka, the foremost of serpents—
अथोत्तंकः फलाहारी अवतीर्य धरातले
Then Uttanka, gathering the fruits, descended to the earth.
स दृष्ट्वा सम्मुखं प्राप्तं समीपं पन्नगोत्तमः 7.3.2.
The foremost of serpents saw him as he approached directly and came near.
उत्तंकोऽपि बिलं प्राप्तः प्रविश्य तमसावृतम्
Uttanka also reached the hole and entered, enveloped in darkness.
तं तथा दुःखितं दृष्ट्वा सक्लेशं गुरुकार्यतः
Seeing him thus distressed, suffering greatly because of his teacher's task—
ततो विदारयामास स शीघ्रं धरणीतलम्
Then he quickly tore open the surface of the earth.
सोऽपश्यद्वाजिनं तत्र सर्वश्वेतं गुणान्वितम्
There he saw a horse, all white and endowed with virtues.
स चकार तथा शीघ्रं ततो धूमो व्यजायत
He did so quickly, and then smoke arose.
ततश्च व्याकुलाः सर्वे पन्नगाः समुपाद्रवन् उत्तंकाय ततो दत्त्वा प्रणिपत्य ययुर्गृहम्
Then all the serpents, agitated, rushed forward; giving them to Uttanka, they bowed and returned home.
यस्त्वयाऽऽराधितः पूर्वमुपाध्यायनिदेशतः
He whom you previously worshipped at the instruction of your teacher—
ज्ञात्वा त्वां दुःखितं प्राप्तमिह प्राप्तः कृपापरः
Knowing you had arrived here distressed, he, full of compassion, came.
नयामि तत्र यत्रास्ते गुरुः सर्वगुणालयः
I will take you there, where the Guru, the abode of all virtues, resides.
तत्क्षणात्समनुप्राप्तो गौतमस्य निवेशनम् 7.3.2.
At that very moment, he arrived at Gautama’s dwelling.
स्नाता चाभ्येत्य भर्तारं साध्वी वाक्यमुवाच ह
Having bathed, the virtuous wife approached her husband and spoke these words.
शिथिलो गुरुकृत्येषु स यदालक्षितो मया
When I observed that he had become negligent in his duties to the Guru,
प्रसन्नवदनो हृष्टः कुण्डलाभ्यां समन्वितः
He appeared cheerful, delighted, and adorned with earrings.
सा दृष्ट्वा तत्क्षणात्साध्वी कर्णाभ्यां संन्यवेशयत्
Seeing this, the virtuous woman immediately placed them on her ears.