सौतिरुवाच तत आहूय पुत्रं स्वं जरत्कारुर्भुजंगमा। वासुकेर्नागराजस्य वचनादिदमब्रवीत्॥
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॥
(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."
आस्तीक उवाच किं निमित्तं मम पितुर्दत्ता त्वं मातुलेन मे। तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन श्रुत्वा कर्ताऽस्मि तत्तथा॥
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.
सौतिरुवाच तत आचष्ट सा तस्मै बान्धवानां हितैषिणी। भगिनी नागराजस्य जरत्कारुरविक्लवा॥
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,
जरत्कारुरुवाच पन्नगानामशेषाणां माता कदूरिति श्रुता। तया शप्ता रुषितया सुता यस्मान्निबोध तत्॥
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। विनतार्थाय पणिते दासभावाय पुत्रकाः॥ जनमेजयस्य वो यज्ञे धक्ष्यत्यनिलसारथिः। तत्र पञ्चत्वमापन्नाः प्रेतलोकं गमिष्यथ॥
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 शप्तवती देवः साक्षाल्लोकपितामहः। एवमस्त्विति तद्वाक्यं प्रोवाचानुमुमोद च॥
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 देवाञ्छरणमीयिवान्॥
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.
सिद्वार्थाश्च सुराः सर्वे प्राप्यामृतमनुत्तमम्। भ्रातरं मे पुरस्कृत्य पितामहमुपागमन्॥
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 प्रसादयामासुः सुराः सर्वेऽब्जसंभवम्। राज्ञा वासुकिना सार्धं शापोऽसौ न भवेदिति॥
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.
देवा ऊचुः वासुकिर्नागराजोऽयं दुःखितो ज्ञातिकारणत्। अभिशाप: स मातुस्तु भगवन्न भवेत्कथम्॥
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?
ब्रह्मोवाच जरत्कारुर्जरत्कारुं यां भार्यां समवाप्स्यति। तत्र जातो द्विजः शापान्मोक्षयिष्यति पन्नगान्॥
Brahma said : Jaratkaru will marry wife named Jaratkaru. That Brahmana, who will be born of her, will save the snakes.
एतच्छुत्वा तु वचनं वासुकिः पन्नगोत्तमः। प्रादान्माममरप्रख्य तव पित्रे महात्मने।॥
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.
प्रागेवानागते काले तस्मात्त्वं मय्यजायथाः। अयं स काल: संप्राप्तो भयान्नस्त्रातुमर्हसि॥
As the result of that marriage, you were born of me. That time has now come. You should now protect us from this danger.
भ्रातरं चापि मे तस्मात्त्रातुमर्हसि पावकात्। न मोघं तु कृतं तत्स्याद्यदहं तव धीमते। पित्रे दत्ता विमोक्षार्थं कथं वा पुत्र मन्यसे॥
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)?
सौतिरुवाच एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा सास्तीको मातरं तदा। अब्रवीदुःखसंतप्तं वासुकिं जीवयन्निव॥
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॥
"O Vasuki, the best of snakes, I shall protect you, I tell you truly that I shall relieve you from the curse.
भव स्वस्थमना नाम न हि ते विद्यते भयम्। प्रयतिष्ये तथा राजन्यथा श्रेयो भविष्यति॥
O snake, be at your ease. There is no longer any fear. I shall try my utmost to do you good.
न मे वागनृतं प्राह स्वैरेष्वपि कुतोऽन्यथा। तं वै नृपवरं गत्वा दीक्षितं जनमेजयम्॥ वाग्भिर्मङ्गलयुक्ताभिस्तोषयिष्येऽद्य मातुल। यथा स यज्ञो नृपतेनिवर्तिष्यति सत्तम॥
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 भवितुमर्हसि॥
O king of the snakes, O high-minded one, believe all I say. Believe me, my resolve can never remain unfulfilled.
वासुकिरुवाच आस्तीक परिघूर्णामि हृदयं मे विदीर्यते। दिशो न प्रतिजानामि ब्रह्मदण्डनिपीडितः॥
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.
आस्तीक उवाच न संतापस्त्वया कार्यः कथंचित्पन्नगोत्तम। प्रदीप्ताग्नेः समुत्पन्नं नाशयिष्यामि ते भयम्॥
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॥
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.
सौतिरुवाच ततः स वासुके?रमपनीय मनोज्वरम्। आधाय चात्मनोऽङ्गेषु जगाम त्वरितो भृशम्॥ जनमेजयस्य तं यज्ञं सर्वैः समुदितं गुणैः। मोक्षाय भुजगेन्द्राणामास्तीको द्विजसत्तमः॥
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। वृत्तं सदस्यैर्बुहुभिः सूर्यवह्निसमप्रभैः॥
saw Having gone there, Astika the excellent Yajna place, full of numerous Sadasyas, as effulgent as the sun or Agni.
स तत्र वारितो द्वास्थैः प्रविशन्द्विजसत्तमः। अभितुष्टाव तं यज्ञं प्रवेशार्थी परंतपः॥
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).
स प्राप्य यज्ञायतनं वरिष्ठं द्विजोत्तमः पुण्यकृतां वरिष्ठः। मृत्विक्सदस्यांश्च तथैव चाग्निम्॥
Thus having entered the excellent sacrificial place, that best of Brahmanas, the foremost of all virtuous men, began to adore the king of illustrious deeds, the Ritwijas, the Sadasyas and the sacred fire.