01.012
Library:Shatapata disappears
rururuvāca॥
Ruru spoke.
kathaṁ hiṁsitavānsarpānkṣatriyo janamejayaḥ । sarpā vā hiṁsitāstāta kimarthaṁ dvijasattama ॥1-12-1॥
How did the warrior Janamejaya kill the serpents? Or, father, why were the serpents killed, O best of the twice-born?
kimarthaṃ mokṣitāścaiva pannagāstena śaṃsa me । āstīkena tadācakṣva śrotumicchāmyaśeṣataḥ ॥1-12-2॥
Please tell me why the serpents were released by Āstīka. I wish to hear the complete explanation.
ṛṣiruvāca॥
The sage spoke.
śroṣyasi tvaṃ ruro sarvamāstīkacaritaṃ mahat । brāhmaṇānāṃ kathayatāmityuktvāntaradhīyata ॥1-12-3॥
O Ruru, you will hear the entire great story of Āstīka as narrated by the Brāhmaṇas. Having said this, he disappeared.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said.
ruruś cāpi vanaṃ sarvaṃ paryadhāvatsamantataḥ । tam ṛṣiṃ draṣṭum anvicchan saṃśrānto nyapatad bhuvi ॥1-12-4॥
Ruru, in his quest to find the sage, ran tirelessly through the entire forest and eventually, exhausted, collapsed on the ground.
labdhasañjño ruruścāyāttaccācakhyau pitustadā । pitā cāsya tadākhyānaṃ pṛṣṭaḥ sarvaṃ nyavedayat ॥1-12-5॥
Ruru, having regained his senses, approached his father and recounted the events. His father, upon being asked, narrated the whole story.
