शौनक उवाच जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातो यस्त्वया सूतनन्दन। इच्छामि तदहं श्रोतुं ऋषेस्तस्य महात्मनः॥ किं कारणं जरत्कारो मैतत्प्रथितं भुवि। जरत्कारुनिरुक्तिं त्वं यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि॥
Shaunaka said : O son of Suta, I desire to know why the illustrious Rishi whom you call Jaratkaru came to be so called. You should tell us the Etymology of the name of Jaratkaru.
सौतिरुवाच जरेति क्षयमाहुर्वै दारुणं कारुसंज्ञितम्। शरीरं कारु तस्यासीत्तत्स धीमाञ्च्छनैः शनैः॥ क्षपयामास तीव्रण तपसेत्यत उच्यते। जरत्कारुरिति ब्रह्मन्वासुकेर्भगिनी तथा॥
Sauti said: Jara, means “waste" Karu means “huge." The body of this Rishi was huge, but he reduced it by severe penances. O Brahmana, because he thus reduced his body, he was called Jaratkaru. The sister of Vasuki was called Jaratkaru for the same reason.
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा शौनकः प्राहसत्तदा। उग्रश्रवसमामन्त्र्य उपपन्नमिति ब्रुवन्॥
When the pious Shaunaka heard this, he smiled and addressing Ugrashrava (Sauti) said, “It is true."
शौनक उवाच उक्तं नाम यथापूर्वं सर्वं तच्छ्रुतवानहम्। यथा तु जातो ह्यास्तीक एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य सूतः प्रोवाच शास्त्रतः॥
Shaunaka said : I have heard all that you have narrated. Now I wish to hear how Astika was born.
सौतिरुवाच संदिश्य पन्नगान्सर्वान्वासुकिः सुसमाहितः। स्वसारमुद्यम्य तदा जरत्कारुमृषि प्रति॥
Sauti said : Vasuki, wishing to bestow his sister on Rishi Jaratkaru, gave the snakes (all necessary) orders.
अथ कालस्य महत: स मुनिः संशितव्रतः। तपस्यभिरतो धीमान्स दारानाभ्यकांक्षत॥
Many years rolled away, but the Rishi of rigid vows, deeply engaged in ascetic devotions, did not seek for a wife.
स तूर्ध्वरेतास्तपसि प्रसक्तः स्वाध्यायवान्वीतभयः कृतात्मा। चचार सर्वां पृथिवीं महात्मा न चापि दारान्मनसाध्यकांक्षत॥
That high-souled Rishi, his sexual passion completely under control, engaged in deep study and devoted to rigid asceticism, fearlessly roamed over the world, having no desire for a wife.
ततो परस्मिन्संप्राप्ते काले कस्मिंश्चिदेव तु। परिक्षिन्नाम राजासीद्ब्रह्मन्कौरववंशजः॥
O Brahmana, once upon a time there was a king, named Parikshit, born in the race of the Kurus.
यथा पाण्डुर्महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरवरो युधि। वभूब मृगयाशील: पुराऽस्य प्रपितामहः॥
He was like his great grandfather, Pandu, mighty in arms, the best of all bow-men in battle and was very fond of hunting.
मृगान्विध्यन्वराहांश्च तरशून्महिषांस्तथा। अन्यांश्च विविधान्वन्यांश्चचार पृथिवीपतिः॥
That king of the world roamed about, hunting deer, wild boars, hyena and buffaloes and various other wild animals.
स कदाचिन्मृगं विध्वा बाणेनानतपर्वणा। पृष्ठतो धनुरादाय ससार गहने वने॥
One day, having pierced a deer with an arrow, he slang his bow on his back and following it, he entered into a deep forest.
यथैव भगवान्रुद्रो विध्वा यज्ञमृगं दिवि। अन्वगच्छद्धनुष्पाणि: पर्यन्वेष्टुमितस्ततः॥
He searched for it in the forest here and there, as Rudra did in heaven for the sacrificial deer which was pierced with his arrow.
न हि तेन मृगो विद्धो जीवन्गच्छति वै वने। पूर्वरूपं तु तत्तूर्णं सोऽगात्स्वर्गगति प्रति॥
Never had a deer, pierced by Parikshit, escaped in the forest with life. This deer, however, wounded as the others, fled away with speed. It shows the proximity of the king's going to heaven (death).
परिक्षितो नरेन्द्रस्य विद्धो यन्नष्टवान्मृगः। दूरं चापहृतस्तेन मृगेण स महीपतिः॥
The deer, that the king of men, Parikshit wounded, was soon lost out of his sight and the king went in pursuit it far into the forest.
परिश्रान्तः पिपासात आससाद मुनि वने। गवां प्रचारेष्वासीनं वत्सानां मुखनिःसृतम्॥ भूयिष्ठमुपयुञ्जानं फेनमापिबतां पयः। तमभिद्रुत्य वेगेन स राजा संशितव्रतम्॥ अपृच्छद्धनुरुद्यम्य तं मुनि क्षुच्छ्रमान्वितः। भो भो ब्रह्मन्नहं राजा परीक्षिदभिमन्युजः॥
Fatigued and thirsty he came upon a Rishi, in the forest, seated in a cow-shed, drinking the froth oozing out of the mouths of the calves sucking the milk of their mothers. Coming to him with all haste, the king asked that Rishi of great austerity, O Brahmana, I am king Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu.
मया विद्धो मृगो नष्टः कच्चित्तं दृष्टवानसि। स मुनिस्तं तु नोवाच किंचिन्मौनव्रते स्थितः॥
Have you seen where the deer pierced by me has gone? But the Rishi, observing the vow of silence, did not reply to him.
तस्य स्कन्धे मृतं सर्प क्रुद्धो राजा समासजत्। समुत्क्षिप्य धनुष्कोट्या स चैनं समुपेक्षत॥
The king being angry took up a dead snake with the end of his bow and placed it round the neck of the Rishi, but the Rishi did not prevent him from doing it.
न स किंचिदुवाचैनं शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम्। स राजा क्रोधमुत्सृज्य व्यथितस्तं तथागतम्। दृष्ट्वा जगाम नगरमृषिस्त्वासीत्तथैव सः॥ नहि तं राजशार्दूलं क्षमाशीलो महामुनिः। स्वधर्मनिरतं भूपं समाक्षिप्तोऽप्यधर्षयत्॥
He did not even say a word, either good or bad. Seeing him in that state, the king cast off his anger and became very sorry. He went away to his capital and the Rishi remained as he was. The forgiving great Rishi knowing him, that best of kings,
न हि तं राजशार्दूलस्तथा धर्मपरायणम्। जानाति भरतश्रेष्ठस्तत एनमधर्षयत्॥ तरुणस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभूत्तिग्मतेजा महातपाः।
To be true to the duties of his order, did not curse him. That best of kings, the best of the Bharata race, also did not know that the Rishi was a virtuous man. It is for this that he thus insulted him. This Rishi had a young, greatly powerful and exceedingly ascetic son,
शृंगी नाम महाक्रोधो दुष्प्रसादो महाव्रतः। स देवं परमासीनं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्॥ ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थे वै काले काले सुसंयतः। स तेन समनुज्ञातो ब्रह्मणा गृहमेयिवान्॥
Who was named Shringi. He was full of wrath, severe in his vows and difficult to be appeased. He sometimes worshipped with great attention his (preceptor) Brahma, seated on his seat and ever engaged in doing good to all creatures. Commanded by him, he was coming home one day.
सख्योक्तः क्रीडमानेन स तत्र हसता किल। संरंभात्कोपनोऽतीव विषकल्पो मुनेः सुतः॥ उद्दिश्य पितरं तस्य यच्छ्रुत्वा रोषमाहरत्। ऋषिपुत्रेण धर्मार्थे कृशेन द्विजसत्तम॥
When his friend (Krisha) in a playful mood, laughingly spoke to him about his father, the Rishi's son, ever wrathful and like poison itself, hearing what had happened to his father, blazed up in a rage.
कृश उवाच तेजस्विनस्तव पिता तथैव च तपस्विनः। शवं स्कन्धेन वहति मा शृङ्गिगवितो भव॥
Krisha said: O Shringi, do not be proud. Ascetic as you are and possessed of great powers, (go and see) your father who is carrying a dead body (on his shoulder),
व्याहरत्स्वृषिपुत्रेषु मा स्म किंचिद्वचो वद। अस्मद्विधेषु सिद्धेषु ब्रह्मवित्सु तपस्विषु॥
Don't speak with the sons of the Rishis like ourselves, who are deep in asceticism, who have knowledge of truth and who have attained Success.
क्व ते पुरुषमानित्वं क्व ते वाचस्तथाविधाः। दर्पजाः पितरं द्रष्ट्वा यस्त्वं शवधरं तथा॥
Where is your that manliness and where are your those proud words, when you see your father carrying a dead snake?
पित्रा च तव तत्कर्म नानुरूपमिवात्मनः। कृतं मुनिजनश्रेष्ठ येनाहं भृशदुःखितः॥
O best of Rishis, your father did nothing to meet with this treatment. I am pained as if it has been done to me.