महाभारतम् — १.५३

सूत उवाच ।

इदमत्यद्भुतं चान्यदास्तीकस्यानुशुश्रुमः ।
तथा वरैश्छन्द्यमाने राज्ञा पारिक्षितेन ह ॥

M N Dutt Sauti said : Now hsar, (I shall mention) another wonderful incident in connection with Astika. When the son of Parikshit, the king (Janamejaya) was about to grant the boon (to Astika).

१.५३.२

इन्द्रहस्ताच्च्युतो नागः ख एव यदतिष्ठत ।
ततश्चिन्तापरो राजा बभूव जनमेजयः ॥

M N Dutt The snake, (Takshaka) though thrown off form Indra's hands, remained in the air without falling. Thereupon, king Janamejaya became thoughtful,

१.५३.३

हूयमाने भृशं दीप्ते विधिवत्पावके तदा ।
न स्म स प्रापतद्वह्नौ तक्षको भयपीडितः ॥

M N Dutt For Takshaka, though benumbed with fear, did not at once fall into the fire, although libations were poured into the blazing sacrificial fire in his name and in the proper form.

शौनक उवाच ।

१.५३.४

किं सूत तेषां विप्राणां मन्त्रग्रामो मनीषिणाम् ।
न प्रत्यभात्तदाग्नौ यन्न पपात स तक्षकः ॥

M N Dutt Shaunaka said : O Suta, were not the Mantras of those wise Brahmanas propitious? Why did not Takshaka fall into the fire?"

सूत उवाच ।

१.५३.५

तमिन्द्रहस्ताद्विस्रस्तं विसंज्ञं पन्नगोत्तमम् ।
आस्तीकस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति वाचस्तिस्रोऽभ्युदैरयत् ॥

M N Dutt Sauti said : Astika had said thrice, "Stay, stay, stay," to the unconscious Takshaka, the best of snakes, when he was cast off from Indra's hands.

१.५३.६

वितस्थे सोऽन्तरिक्षेऽथ हृदयेन विदूयता ।
यथा तिष्ठेत वै कश्चिद्गोचक्रस्यान्तरा नरः ॥

M N Dutt And afflicted with grief he remained in the sky like a person who hang between the heaven and the earth.

१.५३.७

ततो राजाब्रवीद्वाक्यं सदस्यैश्चोदितो भृशम् ।
काममेतद्भवत्वेवं यथास्तीकस्य भाषितम् ॥

M N Dutt Being again and again urged by his Sadasyas, the king said, “Let it be done as asked by Astika.

१.५३.८

समाप्यतामिदं कर्म पन्नगाः सन्त्वनामयाः ।
प्रीयतामयमास्तीकः सत्यं सूतवचोऽस्तु तत् ॥

M N Dutt Let the sacrifice be stopped, let the snakes be saved, let this Astika be gratified and let the words of the Suta be true."

१.५३.९

ततो हलहलाशब्दः प्रीतिजः समवर्तत ।
आस्तीकस्य वरे दत्ते तथैवोपरराम च ॥

M N Dutt When the boon was granted to Astika, loud acclamation of joy rose into the sky and the sacrifice of the son of Parikshit, the king of the Pandavas dynasty, came to an end. And king Janamejaya of the Bharata race was much pleased with himself.

१.५३.१०

स यज्ञः पाण्डवेयस्य राज्ञः पारिक्षितस्य ह ।
प्रीतिमांश्चाभवद्राजा भारतो जनमेजयः ॥

M N Dutt When the boon was granted to Astika, loud acclamation of joy rose into the sky and the sacrifice of the son of Parikshit, the king of the Pandavas dynasty, came to an end. And king Janamejaya of the Bharata race was much pleased with himself.

१.५३.११

ऋत्विग्भ्यः ससदस्येभ्यो ये तत्रासन्समागताः ।
तेभ्यश्च प्रददौ वित्तं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

M N Dutt The king bestowed money by hundreds and thousands on the Ritvijas and Sadasyas and on all that were present there (in that great sacrifice).

१.५३.१२

लोहिताक्षाय सूताय तथा स्थपतये विभुः ।
येनोक्तं तत्र सत्राग्रे यज्ञस्य विनिवर्तनम् ॥

M N Dutt And he bestowed much wealth on Suta Lohitaksha, who was learned in the science of masonry and foundations and who had said at the very commencement of the Snake-sacrifice that a Brahmana would be the cause of its interruption. He gave him wealth and various things, food and wearing apparel.

१.५३.१३

निमित्तं ब्राह्मण इति तस्मै वित्तं ददौ बहु ।
ततश्चकारावभृथं विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥

M N Dutt The king of immeasurable kindness was thus much pleased and he concluded the sacrifice according to the rites of the ordinance.

१.५३.१४

आस्तीकं प्रेषयामास गृहानेव सुसत्कृतम् ।
राजा प्रीतमनाः प्रीतं कृतकृत्यं मनीषिणम् ॥

M N Dutt He sent back home in much joy the wise Astika, whom he treated with every respect. He too was exceedingly pleased, because his object was attained.

१.५३.१५

पुनरागमनं कार्यमिति चैनं वचोऽब्रवीत् ।
भविष्यसि सदस्यो मे वाजिमेधे महाक्रतौ ॥

M N Dutt The king said to him, “You must come again to become a Sadasya in my great Horsesacrifice.”

१.५३.१६

तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रदुद्राव स चास्तीको मुदा युतः ।
कृत्वा स्वकार्यमतुलं तोषयित्वा च पार्थिवम् ॥

M N Dutt And Astika replied, Yes." He then returned home in great joy, having achieved his great object, by pleasing the king.

१.५३.१७

स गत्वा परमप्रीतो मातरं मातुलं च तम् ।
अभिगम्योपसंगृह्य यथावृत्तं न्यवेदयत् ॥

M N Dutt Having returned in great joy to his uncle and mother, he touched their feet and told them all that had happened.

१.५३.१८

एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रीयमाणाः समेता
ये तत्रासन्पन्नगा वीतमोहाः ।
तेऽऽस्तीके वै प्रीतिमन्तो बभूवु
रूचुश्चैनं वरमिष्टं वृणीष्व ॥

M N Dutt Having heard all he said, those snakes, that assembled there, were much delighted and their fear was dispelled. They were greatly pleased with Astika and insisted him to ask a boon.

१.५३.१९

भूयो भूयः सर्वशस्तेऽब्रुवंस्तं
किं ते प्रियं करवामोऽद्य विद्वन् ।
प्रीता वयं मोक्षिताश्चैव सर्वे
कामं किं ते करवामोऽद्य वत्स ॥

M N Dutt They all again and again asked him, "O learned one, what good can we do to you? We are exceedingly pleased with you, for we have been all saved by you. O child, (tell us) what can we do for you?

आस्तीक उवाच ।

१.५३.२०

सायं प्रातः सुप्रसन्नात्मरूपा
लोके विप्रा मानवाश्चेतरेऽपि ।
धर्माख्यानं ये वदेयुर्ममेदं
तेषां युष्मद्भ्यो नैव किंचिद्भयं स्यात् ॥

M N Dutt Astika said : Let those Brahmans and other men, who will cheerfully and with attention read morning and evening this sacred account of my this act have no fear from you.'

सूत उवाच ।

१.५३.२१

तैश्चाप्युक्तो भागिनेयः प्रसन्नै
रेतत्सत्यं काममेवं चरन्तः ।
प्रीत्या युक्ता ईप्सितं सर्वशस्ते
कर्तारः स्म प्रवणा भागिनेय ॥

M N Dutt They said in joy, "O nephew, as regards the boon asked by you, let it be exactly as you say. O nephew, we shall all cheerfully do what you ask us to do.

१.५३.२२

जरत्कारोर्जरत्कार्वां समुत्पन्नो महायशाः ।
आस्तीकः सत्यसंधो मां पन्नगेभ्योऽभिरक्षतु ॥

M N Dutt He will have no fear from snakes, who will say, Astika, the son of Jaratkaru, born of Jaratkaru, Astika who saved the snakes from the Snakes-sacrifice. I recall him to my mind. Therefore, O illustrious snakes, you should not bite me.

१.५३.२३

असितं चार्तिमन्तं च सुनीथं चापि यः स्मरेत् ।
दिवा वा यदि वा रात्रौ नास्य सर्पभयं भवेत् ॥

M N Dutt Those that will recall to their minds, Asita, Artiman and Sunitha, in the day or in the night, will have no fear from snakes.

सूत उवाच ।

१.५३.२४

मोक्षयित्वा स भुजगान्सर्पसत्राद्द्विजोत्तमः ।
जगाम काले धर्मात्मा दिष्टान्तं पुत्रपौत्रवान् ॥

M N Dutt That virtuous and the best of the twice born, having thus saved the snakes from the Snake-sacrifice, died at the proper time, leaving sons and grandsons behind him.

१.५३.२५

इत्याख्यानं मयास्तीकं यथावत्कीर्तितं तव ।
यत्कीर्तयित्वा सर्पेभ्यो न भयं विद्यते क्वचित् ॥

M N Dutt Thus have I narrated to you the history of Astika exactly as it happened, a history, which if narrated, dispels all fear of snakes.

१.५३.२६

श्रुत्वा धर्मिष्ठमाख्यानमास्तीकं पुण्यवर्धनम् ।
आस्तीकस्य कवेर्विप्र श्रीमच्चरितमादितः ॥

M N Dutt And as I heard it (from my father), I have narrated this blessed history of the learned Astika from the beginning (to the end).

शौनक उवाच ।

१.५३.२७

भृगुवंशात्प्रभृत्येव त्वया मे कथितं महत् ।
आख्यानमखिलं तात सौते प्रीतोऽस्मि तेन ते ॥

M N Dutt Shaunaka said: O child, O Sauti, you have narrated to me this great and extensive history of the Bhrigu race from the birth of Bhrigu. I am much pleased with you.

१.५३.२८

प्रक्ष्यामि चैव भूयस्त्वां यथावत्सूतनन्दन ।
यां कथां व्याससंपन्नां तां च भूयः प्रचक्ष्व मे ॥

M N Dutt O son of Suta, I ask you now to recite to me that wonderful and varied narrations composed by Vyasa, which were recited by the illustrious Sadasyas in the intervals of the longextending ceremony (Snake-sacrifice).

१.५३.२९

तस्मिन्परमदुष्प्रापे सर्पसत्रे महात्मनाम् ।
कर्मान्तरेषु विधिवत्सदस्यानां महाकवे ॥

M N Dutt O son of Suta, I ask you now to recite to me that wonderful and varied narrations composed by Vyasa, which were recited by the illustrious Sadasyas in the intervals of the longextending ceremony (Snake-sacrifice).

१.५३.३०

या बभूवुः कथाश्चित्रा येष्वर्थेषु यथातथम् ।
त्वत्त इच्छामहे श्रोतुं सौते त्वं वै विचक्षणः ॥

M N Dutt O son of Suta, I wish to learn from you the object of those narrations. Therefore, recite them to me in full.

सूत उवाच ।

१.५३.३१

कर्मान्तरेष्वकथयन्द्विजा वेदाश्रयाः कथाः ।
व्यासस्त्वकथयन्नित्यमाख्यानं भारतं महत् ॥

M N Dutt Sauti said : The Brahmanas spoke of many things, founded on the Vedas, in the intervals of their duties, but Vyasa recited the wonderful and great history, called the Bharata.

शौनक उवाच ।

१.५३.३२

महाभारतमाख्यानं पाण्डवानां यशस्करम् ।
जनमेजयेन यत्पृष्टः कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा ॥

M N Dutt Shaunaka said : I desire to hear that sacred history, called Mahabharata, that spreader of the fame of the Pandavas, which Krishna Dvaipayana, asked by Janamejaya, caused to be duly recited in the intervals of the sacrifice.

१.५३.३३

श्रावयामास विधिवत्तदा कर्मान्तरेषु सः ।
तामहं विधिवत्पुण्यां श्रोतुमिच्छामि वै कथाम् ॥

M N Dutt Shaunaka said : I desire to hear that sacred history, called Mahabharata, that spreader of the fame of the Pandavas, which Krishna Dvaipayana, asked by Janamejaya, caused to be duly recited in the intervals of the sacrifice.

१.५३.३४

मनःसागरसंभूतां महर्षेः पुण्यकर्मणः ।
कथयस्व सतां श्रेष्ठ न हि तृप्यामि सूतज ॥

M N Dutt It was born in the ocean-like mind of the great Rishi of purified soul. O best of men, recite it to me, for, O son of Suta, my thirst has not been appeased by all that you have narrated.

सूत उवाच ।

१.५३.३५

हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि महदाख्यानमुत्तमम् ।
कृष्णद्वैपायनमतं महाभारतमादितः ॥

M N Dutt Sauti said : I shall recite from the beginning the great and excellent history, called Mahabharata, composed by Krishna Dvaipayana.

१.५३.३६

तज्जुषस्वोत्तममते कथ्यमानं मया द्विज ।
शंसितुं तन्मनोहर्षो ममापीह प्रवर्तते ॥

M N Dutt Listen to it in full, O Brahmana, as I recite it. I myself feel a great pleasure in reciting it.