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Mahābhārata • Parva 1 (Ādiparva) • Adhyāya 49

Ādiparva Adhyāya 49

आदिपर्व • अध्यायः 49

Ādiparva Adhyāya 49 of the classical Mahābhārata with 29 verses.

Total: 29 Verses • Citations: MBh 1.49.1–29 • 250 Lexicon Terms
तत आहूय पुत्रं स्वं जरत्कारुर्भुजंगमा । वासुकेर्नागराजस्य वचनादिदमब्रवीत् ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : The snake-lady, Jaratkaru, then calling her son, told him what was spoken to her by Vasuki, the king of the Nagas.
अहं तव पितुः पुत्र भ्रात्रा दत्ता निमित्ततः । कालः स चायं संप्राप्तस्तत्कुरुष्व यथातथम् ॥
English Translation
(She said) "O son, the time has come for the accomplishment of that object for which I was bestowed by my brother on your father. Therefore, do what is needful."
किंनिमित्तं मम पितुर्दत्ता त्वं मातुलेन मे । तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन श्रुत्वा कर्तास्मि तत्तथा ॥
English Translation
Astika said: For what object, O mother, were you bestowed by my uncle on my father? Tell me all, so that I may do what is proper.
तत आचष्ट सा तस्मै बान्धवानां हितैषिणी । भगिनी नागराजस्य जरत्कारुरविक्लवा ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : Jaratkaru, the sister of the snake-king, ever desirous to do good to her race and much moved by the general distress said,
भुजगानामशेषाणां माता कद्रूरिति श्रुतिः । तया शप्ता रुषितया सुता यस्मान्निबोध तत् ॥
English Translation
Jaratkaru said: O son, the mother of all the snakes was Kadru. Hear, why she cursed her sons in anger.
उच्चैःश्रवाः सोऽश्वराजो यन्मिथ्या न कृतो मम । विनतानिमित्तं पणिते दासभावाय पुत्रकाः ॥
English Translation
Addressing her sons she said, “As you have refused to to change the colour of Uchchaishrava, the king of horses, thus making me a slave to Vinata according to the wager, the god of fire will consume you all in the sacrifice of Janamejaya. Thus being killed, you will go to the land of the dead.
जनमेजयस्य वो यज्ञे धक्ष्यत्यनिलसारथिः । तत्र पञ्चत्वमापन्नाः प्रेतलोकं गमिष्यथ ॥
English Translation
Addressing her sons she said, “As you have refused to to change the colour of Uchchaishrava, the king of horses, thus making me a slave to Vinata according to the wager, the god of fire will consume you all in the sacrifice of Janamejaya. Thus being killed, you will go to the land of the dead.
तां च शप्तवतीमेवं साक्षाल्लोकपितामहः । एवमस्त्विति तद्वाक्यं प्रोवाचानुमुमोद च ॥
English Translation
The Grandsire of all creatures approved her curse and when she was uttering it, he said, "Be it so."
वासुकिश्चापि तच्छ्रुत्वा पितामहवचस्तदा । अमृते मथिते तात देवाञ्शरणमीयिवान् ॥
English Translation
O child, Vasuki, having heard this curse and the words of the Grandsire, sought the protection of the celestials after the completion of the churning of the ocean.
सिद्धार्थाश्च सुराः सर्वे प्राप्यामृतमनुत्तमम् । भ्रातरं मे पुरस्कृत्य प्रजापतिमुपागमन् ॥
English Translation
The celestials, having their object gained, for they had obtained the excellent Ambrosia, came to the Grandsire, placing my brother (Vasuki) at the head.
ते तं प्रसादयामासुर्देवाः सर्वे पितामहम् । राज्ञा वासुकिना सार्धं स शापो न भवेदिति ॥
English Translation
All the celestials, with the snake-king Vasuki, tried to induce the great Deity, born of the lotus to grace in a way so that the curse might be made futile.
वासुकिर्नागराजोऽयं दुःखितो ज्ञातिकारणात् । अभिशापः स मात्रास्य भगवन्न भवेदिति ॥
English Translation
The celestials said : O lord, the king of the snakes, Vasuki, is sorry for his relatives. How may his mother's curse be made futile?
जरत्कारुर्जरत्कारुं यां भार्यां समवाप्स्यति । तत्र जातो द्विजः शापाद्भुजगान्मोक्षयिष्यति ॥
English Translation
Brahma said : Jaratkaru will marry wife named Jaratkaru. That Brahmana, who will be born of her, will save the snakes.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं वासुकिः पन्नगेश्वरः । प्रादान्माममरप्रख्य तव पित्रे महात्मने । प्रागेवानागते काले तत्र त्वं मय्यजायथाः ॥
English Translation
Jaratkaru said : The best of snakes, Vasuki, having heard this, O illustrious son, bestowed me on your noble father, long before the commencement of this sacrifice.
अयं स कालः संप्राप्तो भयान्नस्त्रातुमर्हसि । भ्रातरं चैव मे तस्मात्त्रातुमर्हसि पावकात् ॥
अमोघं नः कृतं तत्स्याद्यदहं तव धीमते । पित्रे दत्ता विमोक्षार्थं कथं वा पुत्र मन्यसे ॥
English Translation
You should protect my brother and myself from the fire, so that the object (our protection) for which I was bestowed on your wise father, may not remain unfulfilled. O my son, what do you think (proper now)?
एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा सोऽस्तीको मातरं तदा । अब्रवीद्दुःखसंतप्तं वासुकिं जीवयन्निव ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : Thus addressed, Astika said to his mother, “Yes, I will (save the snakes).” He then addressed Vasuki, thereby infusing life unto him and said,
अहं त्वां मोक्षयिष्यामि वासुके पन्नगोत्तम । तस्माच्छापान्महासत्त्व सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥
English Translation
"O Vasuki, the best of snakes, I shall protect you, I tell you truly that I shall relieve you from the curse.
भव स्वस्थमना नाग न हि ते विद्यते भयम् । प्रयतिष्ये तथा सौम्य यथा श्रेयो भविष्यति । न मे वागनृतं प्राह स्वैरेष्वपि कुतोऽन्यथा ॥
English Translation
O snake, be at your ease. There is no longer any fear. I shall try my utmost to do you good.
तं वै नृपवरं गत्वा दीक्षितं जनमेजयम् । वाग्भिर्मङ्गलयुक्ताभिस्तोषयिष्येऽद्य मातुल । यथा स यज्ञो नृपतेर्निर्वर्तिष्यति सत्तम ॥
English Translation
None can say that my words even in jest have ever been false, not to speak of my words on serious occasions. O uncle, going to that best of kings, Janamejaya, now installed in the sacrifice, I shall please him with words mixed with blessings, so that, O excellent one, that king will refrain from the sacrifice.
स संभावय नागेन्द्र मयि सर्वं महामते । न ते मयि मनो जातु मिथ्या भवितुमर्हति ॥
English Translation
O king of the snakes, O high-minded one, believe all I say. Believe me, my resolve can never remain unfulfilled.
आस्तीक परिघूर्णामि हृदयं मे विदीर्यते । दिशश्च न प्रजानामि ब्रह्मदण्डनिपीडितः ॥
English Translation
Vasuki said: O Astika, being afflicted with my mother's curse my head is whirling, my heart is breaking. I cannot see the points of the heavens.
न संतापस्त्वया कार्यः कथंचित्पन्नगोत्तम । दीप्तादग्नेः समुत्पन्नं नाशयिष्यामि ते भयम् ॥
English Translation
Astika said: O best of snakes, you should not grieve any longer. I shall dispel your fear of the blazing fire.
ब्रह्मदण्डं महाघोरं कालाग्निसमतेजसम् । नाशयिष्यामि मात्र त्वं भयं कार्षीः कथंचन ॥
English Translation
I shall extinguish this (fire), this terrible punishment, blazing as the fire of the end of the Yuga. You should not entertain any fear any longer.
ततः स वासुकेर्घोरमपनीय मनोज्वरम् । आधाय चात्मनोऽङ्गेषु जगाम त्वरितो भृशम् ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : In order to save the king of the snakes, the best of Brahmanas, Astika dispelling the terrible fever of Vasuki's heart and taking it as it were upon himself, went with speed to the sacrifice of Janamejaya which was adorned with all merits.
जनमेजयस्य तं यज्ञं सर्वैः समुदितं गुणैः । मोक्षाय भुजगेन्द्राणामास्तीको द्विजसत्तमः ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : In order to save the king of the snakes, the best of Brahmanas, Astika dispelling the terrible fever of Vasuki's heart and taking it as it were upon himself, went with speed to the sacrifice of Janamejaya which was adorned with all merits.
स गत्वापश्यदास्तीको यज्ञायतनमुत्तमम् । वृतं सदस्यैर्बहुभिः सूर्यवह्निसमप्रभैः ॥
English Translation
saw Having gone there, Astika the excellent Yajna place, full of numerous Sadasyas, as effulgent as the sun or Agni.
स तत्र वारितो द्वाःस्थैः प्रविशन्द्विजसत्तमः । अभितुष्टाव तं यज्ञं प्रवेशार्थी द्विजोत्तमः ॥
English Translation
But the best of Brahmanas, (Astika) was denied admittance by the door-keepers, and the mighty ascetic, wishing to enter into the (enclosed sacrificial place), pleased them (by praising the sacrifice).
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