सौतिरुवाच वासुकिस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं जरत्कारुमृषि तदा। सनाम्नी तव कन्येयं स्वसा मे तपसान्विता॥
Sauti said : Thereupon Vasuki said to the Rishi Jaratkaru, “This maiden has the same name as yours. She is my sister and is an ascetic.
भरिष्यामि च ते भार्यां प्रतीच्छेमां द्विजोत्तम। रक्षणं च करिष्येऽस्याः सर्वशक्त्या तपोधन। त्वदर्थं रक्ष्यते चैषा मया मुनिवरोत्तम॥
I shall support her, O best of Brahmanas and therefore accept her. O Rishi, I shall protect her with all my abilities. O best of Rishis, she has been brought up by me for you.”
ऋषिरुवाच न भरिष्येहमेतां वै एष मे समयः कृतः। अप्रियं च न कर्तव्यं कृते चैनां त्यजाम्यहम्॥
The Rishi said: It is settled between us that I shall not maintain this maiden and she will not do anything that would be displeasing to me. If she does, I shall leave her.
सौतिरुवाच प्रतिश्रुते तु नागेन भरिष्ये भगिनीमिति। जरत्कारुस्तदा वेश्म भुजगस्य जगाम ह॥
Sauti said: When a promise was given by the snake that he would maintain his sister, Jaratkaru went to the house of the snake.
तत्र मन्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठस्तपोवृद्धो महाव्रतः। जग्राह पाणिं धर्मात्मा विधिमन्त्रपुरस्कृतम्॥
Thereupon the virtuous and veteran Rishi, learned in Mantras and observant of rigid vows, accepted her hands, given to him in due rites.
ततो वासगृहं रम्यं पन्नगेन्द्रस्य संमतम्। जगाम भार्यामादाय स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः॥
He then being much adored by the Rishis lived with his wife in the beautiful house set apart for him by the king of the snakes.
शयनं तत्र संक्लृप्तं स्पास्तरणसंवृतम्। तत्र भार्यासहायो वै जरत्कारुरुवास ह॥
In that house was a bedstead covered with valuable coverlets. Jaratkaru slept (in that bedstead) with his wife.
स तत्र समयं चक्रे भार्यया सह सत्तमः। विप्रियं मे न कर्तव्यं न च वाच्यं कदाचन॥
The excellent man (Jaratkaru) made an agreement with his wife, saying "You should not do any thing or say any thing that will be displeasing to me."
त्यजेयं विप्रिये च त्वां कृते वासं च ते गृहे। एतद्गृहाण वचनं मया यत्समुदीरितम्॥
I shall then leave you and no longer live in the house, if you do any such thing. Bear in mind these words that I have spoken.
ततः परमसंविग्ना स्वसा नागपतेस्तदा। अतिदुःखान्विता वाक्यं तमुवाचैवमस्त्विति॥
The sister of the snake, in great anxiety and sorrow said, 'Be it so.'
तथैव सा च भर्तारं दुःखशीलमुपाचरत्। उपायैः श्वेतकाकीयैः प्रियकामा यशस्विनी॥
The illustrious girl, moved by the desire of doing good to her relatives, served her husband of hard life with the means of Shveta Kakiya, (i.e. with the wakefulness of the dog, the timidity of the dear and the sharp instinct of crows to understand signs.)
ऋतुकाले ततः स्नाता कदाचिद्वासुके: स्वसा। भर्तारं वै यथान्यायमुपतस्थे महामुनिम्॥
One day the sister of Vasuki, when her season of impurity came, bathed according to custom and went to the great Rishi, her husband.
तत्र तस्याः समभवद्गर्भो ज्वलनसंनिभः। अतीव तेजसा युक्तो वैश्वानरसमद्युतिः॥
Thereupon she became quick with child and the embryo was like fire. It was greatly effulgent and was as resplendent as the god of fire himself.
शुक्लपक्षे यथा सोमो व्यवर्धत तथैव सः। ततः कतिपयाहस्य जरत्कारुर्महायशाः॥
It began to grow like the moon of the white fort-night. A few days after, the greatly famous Jaratkaru.
उत्सङ्गेऽस्याः शिरः कृत्वा सुष्वाप परिखिन्नवत्। तस्मिंश्च सुप्ते विप्रेन्द्रे सविताऽस्तमियागिरिम्॥
Placing his head on the lap of his wife, slept, looking like one fatigued. When the Brahmana was thus sleeping, the sun entered the summit of the western mountain.
अह्नः परिक्षये ब्रह्मस्ततः साऽचिन्तयत्तदा। वासुकेर्भगिनी भीता धर्मलोपान्मनस्विनी॥
O Brahmana, as the day was fading away, fearing the loss of (Jaratkaru's virtue, the excellent sister of Vasuki grew very anxious.
किं नु मे सुकृतं भूयाद्भर्तुरुत्थापनं न वा। दुःखशीलो हि धर्मात्मा कथं नास्यपराध्नुयाम्॥
(She thought) “What shall I do now? Shall I wake my husband or shall I not? He leads a hard life and he is virtuous. How can I act so that I may not offend him.
कोपो वा धर्मशीलस्य धर्मलोपोऽथवा पुनः। धर्मलोपो गरीयान्वै स्यादित्यत्राकरोन्मतिम्॥
On the one hand is his anger and on the other is his loss of virtue. The loss of virtue is the greater evil of the two, this is my belief.
उत्थापयिष्ये यद्येनं ध्रुवं कोपं करिष्यति। धर्मलोपो भवेदस्य संध्यातिक्रमणे ध्रुवम्॥
But if I wake him, he will surely be angry. If the time for prayer passes away (without his doing it,) he will certainly sustain the loss of virtue.
इति निश्चित्य मनसा जरत्कारुर्भुजंगमा। तमृषि दीप्ततपसं शयानमनलोपमम्॥ उवाचेदं वचः श्लक्ष्णं ततो मधुरभाषिणी। उत्तिष्ठ त्वं महाभाग सूर्योऽस्तमुपगच्छति॥
Having thus thought over the matter, the sweet-voiced snake Jaraikaru, thus spoke to the Rishi, resplendent with asceticism and lying like a mass of flame, "O great Lord, arise, the sun is setting."
संध्यामुपास्व भगवन्नपः स्पृष्ट्वा यतव्रतः। प्रादुष्कृताग्निहोत्रोऽयं मुहूर्तो रम्यदारुणः॥
O Illustrious man, O Rishi of rigid vows, perform your Sandhya (prayer) after touching water. The time for Agnihotra has come. These moments are beautiful and fearful also.
संध्या प्रवर्तते चेयं पश्चिमायां दिशि प्रभो। एवमुक्तः स भगवान् जरत्कारुर्महातपाः॥
O Lord, the evening is now gently covering the western sky. Having been thus addressed, the illustrious great ascetic Jaratkaru,
भार्यां प्रस्फुरमाणौष्ठ इदं वचनमब्रवीत्। अवमानं प्रयुक्तोऽयं त्वया मम भुजंगमे॥
His lips quivering in anger, spoke these words to his wife, "O snake, you have insulted me.
समीपे ते न वत्स्यामि गमिष्यामि यथागतम्। शक्तिरस्ति न वामोरु मयि सुप्ते विभावसोः॥ अस्तं गन्तुं यथाकालमिति मे हृदि वर्तते। न चाप्यवमतस्येह वासो रोचेत कस्यचित्॥
I shall no longer live with you, I shall go away whence I came. O lady of the snake-race, I know it for certain, the Sun has no power to set (at the usual time) if I remain asleep. A man cannot remain in the place where he is insulted,
किं पुनर्धर्मशीलस्य मम वा मद्विधस्य वा। एवमुक्ता जरत्कारुर्भ; हृदयकम्पनम्॥
Far less can remain a man like me, who am religious and those who are like me. Being thus addressed by her husband, the heart of the sister of Vasuki began to tremble (in fear).
अब्रवीद्भगिनी तत्र वासुकेः संनिवेशने। नावमानात्कृतवती तवाहं विप्रबोधनम्॥
She spoke to him, “O Brahmana, I have not waken you from any desire of insult.
धर्मलोपो न ते विप्र स्यादित्येतन्मया कृतम्। उवाच भार्यामित्युक्तो जरत्कारुर्महातपाः॥ कृतः। ऋषिः कोपसमाविष्टस्त्यक्तुकामो भुजंगमाम्। न मे वागनृतं प्राह गमिष्येऽहं भुजङ्गमे॥
I have done it lest your virtue suffer any loss." Thus being addressed by his wife the great Rishi Jaratkaru, possessed with anger and desirous of forsaking his wife, said to the snake, "O lady of the Naga race, I have never spoken a falsehood, therefore I shall go.
समयो ह्येष मे पूर्वं त्वया सह मिथ: सुखमभ्युषितो भद्रे ब्रूयास्त्वं भ्रातरं शुभे॥
This was my agreement made with you and your brother, O amiable lady, I have passed happily with you. O fair lady, tell your brother,
इतो मयि गते भीरु गतः स भगवानिति। त्वं चापि मयि निष्क्रान्ते न शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि॥
When I am gone, and on my going away, you should also not grieve for me, that I have left you
इत्युक्ता साऽनवद्याङ्गी प्रत्युवाच मुनि तदा। जरत्कारुं जरत्कारुश्चिन्ताशोकपरायणा॥ बाष्पगद्गदया वाचा मुखेन परिशुष्यता। कृताञ्जलिर्वरारोहा पर्यश्रुनयना ततः॥ धैर्यमालम्ब्य वामोरूहृदयेन प्रवेपता। न मामर्हसि धर्मज्ञ परित्यक्तुमनागसम्॥
Having been thus addressed, the beautiful Jaratkaru, was filled with anxiety and sorrow. Her eyes were full of tears, her face was colourless with fear and her voice choked with sobs. She mustered courage, but her voice was trembling. She joined her hands and thus addressed the Rishi Jaratkaru, "O virtuous man, it is not proper for you to leave me.
धर्मे स्थितां स्थितो धर्मे सदा प्रियहिते रताम्। प्रदाने कारणं यच्च मम तुभ्यं द्विजोत्तम॥
You are always in virtue, so, I am always engaged in doing good, O best of Brahmanas, the object for which I was bestowed on you.
तदलब्धवतीं मन्दां किं मां वक्ष्यति वासुकिः। मातृशापाभिभूतानां ज्ञातीनां मम सत्तम॥ अपत्यमीप्सितं त्वत्तस्तच्च तावन्न दृश्यते। त्वत्तो ह्यपत्यलाभेन ज्ञातीनां मे शिवं भवेत्॥
as Has not been yet accomplished. Unfortunate am I! What shall I speak to Vasuki? O excellent Rishi, the son, desired by my relatives afflicted by their mother's curse, to be begotten by you on me, is not as yet born. The welfare of my relatives depends on the son begotten by you.
संप्रयोगो भवेन्नायं मम मोघस्त्वया द्विज। ज्ञातीनां हितमिच्छन्ती भगवंस्त्वां प्रसादये॥
Moved by the desire of doing good to my race, so that my connection with you be fruitful, O Brahmana, I entreat you not to go away.
इममव्यक्तरूपं मे गर्भमाधाय सत्तम। कथं त्यक्त्वा महात्मा सन्गन्तुमिच्छस्यनागसम्॥
O excellent one, high-souled as you are, why should you leave me who have committed no fault? My conception is not yet apparent."
एवमुक्तस्तु स मुनिर्भार्यां वचनमब्रवीत्। यद्युक्तमनुरूपं च जरत्कारुं तपोधनः॥
Thus addressed, the great ascetic Rishi spoke to his wife Jaratkaru, these words, proper and suitable to the occasion.
अस्त्ययं सुभगे गर्भस्तव वैश्वानरोपमः। ऋषिः परमधर्मात्मा वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः॥
O fortunate lady, the being that is now in your womb, is like the god of fire himself. He is a Rishi, greatly virtuous and a master of the Veda and the Vedangas.
एवमुक्त्वा स धर्मात्मा जरत्कारुर्महानृषिः। उग्राय तपसे भूयो जगाम कृतनिश्चयः॥
Having said this, the virtuous and great Rishi Jaratkaru went away, his heart firmly fixed on practising severest asceticism again.