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Library:Utanka instigates Janamejaya to perform snake sacrifice.
Sūta said: Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, along with his brothers, is performing a long sacrificial session in Kurukshetra. His three brothers are Shrutasena, Ugrasena, and Bhimasena.
Among them, seated in that assembly, a dog named Sārameya approached. He, struck by the brothers of Janamejaya, crying, approached near his mother.
His mother, seeing him crying, said, "Why are you crying? By whom were you struck thus?"
He, thus addressed, replied to his mother, "I am struck by the brothers of Janamejaya."
His mother replied, "Clearly, you have committed an offense there by which he was struck."
He said to her again, "I am not guilty of anything. I do not see the oblations, nor do I consume them."
Having heard that, his mother Saramā, afflicted by grief for her son, approached that assembly where Janamejaya, along with his brothers, was engaged in a long assembly.
He was told there by her in anger: "This my son has not offended in any way. Why was he struck?" Because this innocent one was struck, unseen fear will come to you.
He, Janamejaya, thus addressed by Devaśunyā and Saramā, was firmly confused and distressed.
He, having completed that assembly, returned to Hastinapura, seeking a suitable priest who would make a great effort to pacify my sinful act, thus.
Once, Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, went hunting and saw a hermitage in some region of his own territory.
There, a certain sage among them made (a person) named Śrutaśravā. His beloved son was named Somaśravā.
Having approached his son, Janamejaya, Parikshita chose him for priesthood.
He, having saluted that sage, said: "O Lord, may this your son be my priest."
Thus spoken, he replied, "O Janamejaya, this son of mine was born in the serpent sacrifice. He is a great ascetic, endowed with self-study, filled with the strength of my penance. He was grown in the womb of her who drank my semen. He is capable of pacifying all your sinful acts without the task of Mahadeva. But he has one silent vow: if any Brahmin requests him for any purpose, he should give to him. If you are able to do this, then lead him."
Then Utka Janamejaya replied to him, "O Lord, so it will be thus."
He, having taken that priest, returned and spoke to his brother: "This teacher has been chosen by me. Whatever he says, that should be done without questioning."
Thus addressed by him, his brothers did accordingly. Having instructed his brothers, he set out for Taxila and brought that country under control. (Verse 18)
In this interval, there was a sage named Dhaumya, a warrior. His three disciples were Upamanyu, Aruni, and Veda.
He sent one disciple, Āruṇi Pāñcālya, saying, "Go to the field to dam it."
He, instructed by the teacher, Āruṇi Pāñcālya, went there but was not able to bind that field section.
He, being tormented, saw a solution. "Let it be thus, I will do it," he said.
He sat down there in the region of Kedara. As he lay there, that water remained.
Then once, the teacher Aiyoda Dhaumya asked the students, "Where has Aruni of Panchala gone?"
They replied, "Sent by the Lord indeed, go to the Kedara region to bind."
He, having spoken thus, replied to those disciples: "Therefore, we all go there where he is."
He went there and made a sound to call him: "O Aruna, Panchali, where are you? Come, dear."
Having heard the teacher's words, Āruṇi suddenly rose from the field and approached the teacher. He said to him: "Here I am in the field, engaged in stopping the flowing water. Having heard the divine sound, I suddenly split the field and am present before you. I salute you, O Lord. Command me, what shall I do?"
The teacher said to him, "Because you have arisen by cutting the Kedara region, therefore you will indeed be named Uddalaka."
He was favored by the teacher. Because you practiced my words, therefore you will attain betterment. All the Vedas and all the scriptures will appear to you thus.
He, thus addressed by the teacher, went to the desired place.
Then another disciple of the warrior Dhaumya, by name Upamanyu.
The teacher sent him, "Dear Upamanyu, protect the cows thus."
He protected the cows by the teacher's words. And having protected the cows during the day, at the end of the day, having approached the teacher, he stood in front and made obeisance.
The teacher saw Pīvana and said to him, "Dear Upamanyu, by what means do you manage your livelihood? You are stout indeed."
He replied to the teacher, "I arrange my livelihood by alms."
The teacher replied, "Without informing me, the alms are not to be used."
He, having said 'so', again protected the cows. Having protected them and having come, he stood in front of the teacher and did obeisance.
The teacher, still seeing him fat, said, "Dear Upamanyu, I take all your alms completely. By what means do you now arrange your livelihood?"
He, having been thus addressed by the teacher, replied: "Having informed the Lord, I first act and later arrange the livelihood by him."
The teacher replied to him, "This is not just conduct for a teacher. You are obstructing the livelihood of others by acting in this way. You are greedy."
He, having said 'so be it', protected the cows. Having protected them, he again went to the teacher's house, stood in front of the teacher, and made obeisance.
The teacher, still seeing him fat, said again: "I take all your alms, and you do not do anything else. You are fat. By what means do you make a livelihood?"
He replied to the teacher, "O, I arrange the livelihood with the milk of these cows."
The teacher replied to him, "This is not just to use the milk without my permission."
He, having promised thus, protected the cows, and having gone again to the teacher's house, stood in front of the teacher and made obeisance.
The teacher saw him only as fat and said to him: "You do not eat alms, nor do you do anything else. You do not drink milk. You are fat. By what means do you make a living?"
He, having spoken thus, replied to the teacher, "O, I drink the froth which these calves drink from the mothers' breast and vomit."
The teacher replied to him, "These calves, by your compassion, are virtuous and emit abundant foam. Thus, even in this situation, you obstruct the livelihood of the calves. Therefore, you do not deserve to drink the foam."
He, having vowed thus, protected those cows without food. Thus forbidden, he does not eat alms, nor does he move otherwise. He does not drink milk. He does not use froth.
Once, in the forest, he, being hungry, ate Arka leaves.
He, afflicted in the eyes by those arka leaves which were eaten and are salty, pungent, and hot in digestion, became blind. That blind man, while wandering, also fell into a well.
Then, when the teacher did not come, he said to the disciples: 'Upamanyu is prohibited everywhere by me. He is certainly angry. Therefore, he does not come and has been long gone.'
He, having thus spoken, went to the forest and made a call to Upamanyu: "O Upamanyu, where are you? Come, child."
He, having heard that call from the teacher, replied loudly, "Here I am, O teacher, fallen in the well."
The teacher replied to him, "How are you fallen in the well?"
He replied to him, "Having eaten Arka leaves, I am blinded; therefore, I have fallen into the well."
The teacher replied to him, "Praise the Aśvins; they will make you seeing, the divine physicians thus."
Thus spoken by the teacher, he began to praise the two gods Aśvins with words and hymns.
Indeed, I praise the two ancient forefathers, having bright splendor, with speech or the two endless suns. The divine, having beautiful wings, spotless chariots, destroying all worlds.
The golden birds in battle; the two Asvins with beautiful noses, victorious. Brightly weaving with speed, well-knowing; together spreading the darkness, the sun.
The quail, seized by the strength of Suparna, was released by the Ashvins for good fortune. Then, the well-conducted ones bowed by illusion, the best ones brought up the cows with Aruna.
Sixty cows and three hundred milch cows bear one calf; they milk him. Various herds are arranged for single milking; the Aśvins praise the warm milk offering.
One navel, seven hundred spokes rest; on the main axle, twenty spokes are placed. The wheel without a felly revolves ageless; the two Asvins join the people.
A single wheel with twelve spokes revolves, having a hub, six navels, and one axle, supporting immortality. In which all the gods are attached above; praise the Ashvins, release, do not despair.
The Ashvins obtained the nectar for Indra; the Ashvins concealed the servant's wife. Having pierced the mountain, the Ashvins brought forth the cow; that rain was made famous by the day of Vala.
"You two create directions at ten points; equal on the head, they separate by chariot. Of them, the sages go and follow; gods and humans walk the earth."
"You two transform colors into universal forms; they govern all worlds. These suns also follow and move; gods and humans walk the earth."
We invoke you two, Nāsatyas, Aśvins, along with the garland which you carry of the lotus. Those two immortal, chosen, increasing gods in the assembly proclaim that by the step.
"By the mouth, may the two young ones obtain the embryo; lifeless, this gives birth by the foot. Immediately born, the embryo eats the mother; you two Aśvins release the cows for living."
Thus, praised by him, the Ashvins arrived. They struck him, pleased in heaven. This is your cake. He ate it, thus.
He, having been spoken to thus, replied, "You two have not spoken falsehood. But I am not able to consume this cake without offering it to the teacher."
Then the Aśvins said to him: "Before you, a cake was given by us two, praised by the teacher, to the pleased ones. It was enjoyed by him without informing the teacher. You also do in the same way as done by the teacher."
He, having been thus spoken to, again indeed replied to these two: "In persuasion, you both Aśvins, I am not able to use without informing the teacher."
The Ashvins have struck darkness. Pleased with this auspicious act by the conduct of the teacher, your iron teeth will become golden. You will become possessing sight and will attain prosperity thus.
Thus addressed by the Aśvins, he, having obtained sight, approached his teacher, saluted him, and spoke. And he became pleased.
He said to him, "As the Aśvins brought, so you will obtain better." And all your Vedas will appear thus.
This is also his test of Upamanyu.
Then another disciple of Ayoda named Dhaumya was indeed Veda.
The teacher instructed him, "Dear, stay here to study the Veda. You should remain in my house for some time, serving, and it will be for your betterment."
He, having said 'so', stayed in the guru's abode for a long time, engaged in serving the guru. Like a cow, always among the gurus, being engaged in the tasks, enduring cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and pain, not opposing anywhere.
Over a long period, his teacher attained satisfaction. From that satisfaction, he obtained excellence and omniscience. This is also his test of the Veda.
He, permitted by the teacher, returned from the residence at the teacher's house and entered household life. While living in his own house, he also had three disciples.
He did not say anything to the disciples. "Let action be done or service to the teacher," thus. Indeed, being aware of the hardships of living in the teacher's abode, he did not desire to engage the disciples with distress.
Then, at a certain time, Janamejaya and Pausya, two Kshatriyas, having approached, chose a Brahmin as their teacher.
Once, he set out for a sacrificial task and appointed his disciple named Uttanka. "O Uttanka, whatever is lacking in my house, I wish it to be made not lacking by you," thus he said.
Thus, having instructed Uttaṅka, Veda went on a journey.
Then Uttanka, serving the teacher and following the teacher's command, dwells there in the teacher's abode indeed.
He, living there, was told by the teacher's wife accompanied by women: "Your teacher's wife is in her period, and the teacher has gone away. Ensure that her period does not become barren." Thus, she was despondent.
He, having been spoken to thus by those women, replied: "This improper act is not to be done by me by the words of women. Indeed, I have not been instructed by the teacher that even an improper act should be done by you."
His teacher, after some time, returned home from that journey. Having understood that event completely, he became pleased.
He said to him, "Dear Uttanka, what wish of yours shall I fulfill? Indeed, I have been served righteously by you. By that, mutual affection between us has grown. Therefore, I permit you. You will indeed obtain all success. Go thus."
He, having been spoken to thus, replied, "What dear thing shall I do for you?" Thus indeed they say.
Who might speak unrighteously and who asks unrighteously.
One of the two departs and attains enmity.
Thus spoken by him, the teacher replied, "Dear Uttanka, stay for a while."
Once, Uttanka said to his teacher, "Command me, sir. What dear thing shall I bring to you for the sake of the teacher?"
The teacher replied to him, "Dear Uttanka, you have asked me many times what you should bring for the teacher's sake. Then go, enter her (the teacher's wife) and ask what I should bring. Whatever she says, that you should bring."
He, thus addressed by the teacher, asked the teacher's wife: 'O lady, I have been permitted by the teacher to go home. I wish to go, having offered what is desired by you for the teacher's sake, and be free from debt. May you command, O lady, what shall I offer for the teacher's sake?' 099.
Thus, having spoken, the teacher replied to Uttanka: "Go to King Pausya. Beg for the earrings bound by the Kshatriya. Bring them. On the fourth day from here, it will be auspicious. I wish to serve the Brahmins with those bound earrings. Accomplish this on that day, shining as with those earrings. Indeed, it may be better for you doing thus for a moment."
Thus addressed by the teacher, Uttanka set out. On the path, he saw a very large bull, and mounted on it was a man, also very large.
The man addressed Uttanka: "Uttanka, eat this dung of the bull yourself."
He, thus addressed, did not desire.
The man said to him again, "Eat, Uttaṅka, do not worry. It was also eaten by your teacher before."
He, having been thus spoken to, said 'certainly', and then Uttanka, having eaten the dung and urine of that bull, departed to where that Kshatriya Paushya was.
Approaching him, Uttanka saw him sitting. He approached him, greeted with blessings, and said, "I have come to you as a supplicant."
He, having saluted him, said: "O venerable one, I am indeed Pauṣya. What shall I do?"
Uttanka said to him, "I have come seeking the earrings for the sake of the teacher. Those earrings which are bound by the Kshatriya woman, you ought to give."
Pausya replied to him, "Entering the inner quarters, the Kshatriya should be asked thus."
He, having been thus addressed by him, entered the inner chambers and did not see the Kshatriya woman.
He again said to Pausya, "It is not proper for you to treat us with falsehood. Indeed, your Kshatriya women are not present in the inner chambers. Thus, I do not see her."
Thus spoken, Pausya replied to him, "Now you are impure. Remember then, a Kshatriya woman indeed cannot be seen by the impure or unclean. Due to her chastity, she does not approach the sight of the impure."
Then, having been spoken to, Uttanka, remembering, said: "Indeed, there is something touched by me with remnants; quickly go," thus.
Pausya replied to him, "This is indeed thus. It does not become touched by the one going, nor by the one staying."
Then Uttanka, having said thus, facing east, sat down with his hands, feet, and face well-washed, sipped the heart-touching waters silently, drank thrice, wiped twice, touched his senses with waters, entered the inner chambers, and saw that Kshatriya woman.
And she, having seen Uttanka, rose and greeted him, saying: "Welcome to you, O venerable one. Command what shall I do."
He said to her, "You should give these earrings, which I have requested for the sake of my teacher."
She, pleased by him and his sincerity, thinking that it was worthy and not to be transgressed, removed those earrings and gave them to him.
He said to him, "These earrings, Takshaka, the king of serpents, requests. You should take them vigilantly."
He, having thus spoken, replied to the Kshatriya woman: "Lady, be well-contented. Takshaka, the king of serpents, is not able to harm me."
He, having thus spoken, addressed the Kshatriya woman and came to Paushya's presence.
He, having seen him, said, "O Pausya, I am pleased."
Pausya replied to him, "O venerable one, after a long time, a worthy guest like you is obtained. You are a virtuous guest. Therefore, I will perform the Śrāddha ceremony. Let it be done in a moment." 123.
Uttanka replied to him, "I am indeed ready. I want the appropriate food to be brought quickly by you."
He, having said thus, fed him with suitable food.
Then Uttanka, having seen the cold food with hair, thought it impure and said to Paushya, "Because you give me impure food, therefore you will become blind."
Pausya replied to him, "Because you also spoil untainted food, therefore you will become childless."
Then Pausya caused the impurity of the food to be removed.
Then, thinking that the food brought by a woman with loose hair was impure, Uttanka was pleased. O Lord, out of ignorance, this food was brought with hair and is cold. I beg your pardon for that. May I not become blind thus.
Uttanka replied to him, "I do not speak falsehood. Having become blind, you will soon become not blind. Thus, my curse given by you will not be."
Pausya replied to him, "I am not capable of counteracting the curse. Indeed, my anger has not yet calmed even today. And is this not known to you as well?"
The heart of a Brahmin is like butter; a sharp-edged razor is placed in speech. This is the opposite for a Kshatriya; the speech is not butter-like, the heart is sharp-edged.
Thus, when it had come to this, I was not able to change that curse due to harsh-heartedness. Let it be gone thus.
Uttanka replied to him, "By you, I was persuaded having understood the impurity of food. Before, it was said to you, 'Because you defile untainted food, therefore you will become childless.' In tainted food, this will not be my curse." 134.
"We shall accomplish then," having said thus, Uttanka departed, having taken your earrings.
He saw a naked ascetic coming on the path, appearing and disappearing again and again. Then Uttanka placed those earrings on the ground and proceeded for water.
In the meantime, the ascetic hastily approached, took the earrings, and ran away. Uttanka pursued him and caught him. Abandoning that form, he assumed the form of a serpent and suddenly entered a great hole opened on the ground.
Having entered the world of serpents, he went to his own abode. Uttanka followed him through the same hole. Having entered, he praised the serpents with these verses.
The serpents, kings of Airavata, splendid in assembly, are like clouds raining, driven by wind with lightning.
Beautiful ones and ugly ones, as well as those with spotted earrings, shone in the sky like the sun, born from Airavata.
Who would wish to move in the army of the sun's rays on the northern bank of the Ganga without Airavata?
Hundreds, eighty, eight, and thousands and twenty bindings of serpents go when Dhritarashtra trembles.
Those who approach this and those who have gone far beyond, I offer my salutations to the eldest brothers of Airavata.
Whose residence was always in Kurukshetra and Khandava, I praised the son of Kadru, Takshaka, for the sake of earrings.
Takshaka and Ashvasena, both always companions, residing in Kurukshetra along the river Ikshumati.
The youngest son of Takshaka, known as Śrutasena, Avasadya, aspiring for chiefship among serpents, in great splendor.
I always do, and I offer salutations to him, the great soul.
Thus, while praising the serpents, when your earrings were not obtained, then you saw two women on the loom, having mounted, weaving cloth.
In that loom, there were black and white threads. He saw a wheel being turned by six boys and a handsome man.
He praised all of them with these mantra-chanting verses.
Three hundreds are offered here in the middle; sixty always moves in this fixed (place). In the wheel with twenty-four parts, six boys rotate.
This system, the universal form, is woven by two young women; continuously turning threads, revolving black and white, eternally the beings and the worlds indeed.
The bearer of the thunderbolt, protector of the world; slayer of Vṛtra, destroyer of Namuci. Wearing a black garment, the great soul who distinguishes truth and untruth in the world.
Who approached the ancient womb of waters, the universal fire as a vehicle; Salutation always to him, to the lord of the world, to the lord of the three worlds, to the destroyer of cities.
Then he, the man, said, "I am pleased with you by this hymn. What dear thing shall I do for you?"
He said to him, "The serpents come under my control thus."
He, the man, said again: "Blow this horse in the water."
He blew into the anus of that horse. Then, from the horse being blown, flames of fire with smoke emerged from all the openings.
"The world of serpents was perfumed by them."
Then, with agitation, Takshaka, distressed by both fire and brilliance, having taken those earrings, suddenly came out from his own house and said to Uttanka, "Please accept these earrings."
He, Uttanka, accepted your earrings and thought, 'Today, I have come far for that auspicious act of the teacher's wife. How indeed shall I fulfill this?'
Then, while he was thinking, that man said, "Uttanka, mount this horse. It will take you to the teacher's family in a moment."
He, having said so, mounted that horse and returned to the teacher's house. The teacher's wife, having bathed and drying her hair, was sitting and thought, 'Uttanka does not come,' thus resolved in her mind for a curse.
Then Uttanka, having entered, saluted the teacher's wife. They gave her the earrings.
She replied to him: "Uttaṅka, you have arrived at the right place and time. Welcome, dear. You are not cursed by me. Good fortune has come to you. Attain success."
Then Uttanka saluted his teacher. The teacher replied, "Dear Uttanka, welcome to you. Why have you taken so long?"
Uttanka replied to the teacher, "O, an obstacle was made in this task by Takshaka, the serpent king. By him, I was taken to the serpent world."
There, I saw two women weaving cloth on a loom. On that loom, there were black and white threads. What is that?
There I saw a twelve-spoked wheel. Six boys are turning it. What is that?
"The man was also seen by me. Who is he again?"
The horse is excessively endowed with measure. And who is he also?
While going on the path, I saw a bull. A man was mounted on it. He politely addressed me, "Uttanka, eat the dung of this bull. Your teacher also ate it." Then, by those words, I consumed the dung of that bull. I wish to know what was instructed by you.
Thus spoken by him, the teacher replied: "Those two women are the creator and the ordainer. And those black and white threads are night and day."
Although that wheel is twelve-spoked, six youths turn it; they are the six seasons and the year is the wheel. He who is the man is the rain. He who is the horse is the fire.
The bull you saw on the path is Airavata, the king of elephants. And the one who mounted him is Indra. Even the dung you ate of that bull is nectar.
By him, indeed, you are not affected in that serpent abode. And he is also my friend, Indra.
By his grace, having taken the earrings, you have returned again. Therefore, gentle one, may you go. I permit you. Thus, you will obtain prosperity.
Permitted by the teacher, Uttanka, angry and intending to retaliate against Takshaka, set out to Hastinapura.
He, the best of the twice-born, having reached Hastinapura soon, met King Janamejaya, Uttanka.
"Formerly, having returned unconquered from Takshashila, and having seen him completely victorious, he was surrounded all around by ministers."
To him, having first rightly offered victory blessings, he said these words at the right time with eloquent speech.
In another task, you, O best of kings, act as if from childhood you do something else, O best of kings.
Thus spoken by the sage, the king indeed replied. Janamejaya, with a clear mind, having properly worshipped that sage.
By protecting these subjects, I uphold my own warrior's duty. Tell me, O best of the twice-born, what should be done; I am eager to hear your words today.
Thus spoken by the best of kings, the best of the twice-born, the most excellent of the virtuous, said to the king of undepressed spirit, indeed his own duty and that of the king.
By Takshaka, O king of kings, by whom your father was harmed, retaliate to him, to the serpent of wicked soul.
I think the time of action is ordained by fate. O king, go to honor his father, the great soul.
Thus, the innocent king, bitten by the wicked-minded, met his death like a tree struck by a thunderbolt.
Takshaka, the lowest of serpents, intoxicated with the pride of strength, committed an improper act by sinfully biting your father.
He killed Kashyapa, the protector of the royal sage lineage, a king like the immortal, and indeed turned back the evil-doer.
You ought to burn that sin in the blazing fire. O great king, that indeed is being performed by you in the snake sacrifice.
Thus, having honored your father, you will be, and my dear and very great deed, O king, will be.
O protector of the earth, O great king, an obstacle was made by the wicked one in my act while performing for the sake of the guru, O sinless one.
Hearing this, the king indeed became angry with Takshaka. Like fire blazing with an offering, Uttanka's words were like an offering.
Then the king, very sorrowful, asked his own ministers in the presence of Uttanka about the heavenly abode of the father.
Then indeed, that king became overwhelmed by sorrow and grief when he heard about the death of his father from Uttanka.
