01.018
Library:Kadru and Vinita bet on the colour of Ucchaihshrava tail. Kadru makes a plan to deceive Vinita.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
etatte sarvamākhyātamamṛtaṃ mathitaṃ yathā। yatra so'śvaḥ samutpannaḥ śrīmānatulavikramaḥ ॥1-18-1॥
This has all been explained to you, how the nectar was churned and where the glorious horse of incomparable valor emerged.
yaṁ niśāmya tadā kadrūrvīnatāmidamabravīt. uccaiḥśravā nu kiṁvarṇo bhadre jānīhi māciram ॥1-18-2॥
Upon hearing this, Kadru said to Vinata, "Dear, quickly find out the color of Uccaiḥśravā."
vinatovāca॥
Vinata said:
śveta evāśvarājo'yaṃ kiṃ vā tvaṃ manyase śubhe। brūhi varṇaṃ tvamapyasya tato'tra vipaṇāvahe ॥1-18-3॥
This horse king is indeed white, or what do you think, O auspicious one? Tell me the color, you also, of this, then we shall take it to the market.
kadrūruvāca॥
Kadru spoke:
kṛṣṇavālamahaṃ manye hayamenaṃ śucismite। ehi sārdhaṃ mayā dīvya dāsībhāvāya bhāmini ॥1-18-4॥
I believe this is a black horse, O fair-smiling one. Come and play with me, O beautiful lady, in servitude.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
evaṃ te samayaṃ kṛtvā dāsībhāvāya vai mithaḥ। jagmatuḥ svagṛhāneva śvo drakṣyāva iti sma ha ॥1-18-5॥
Thus, having mutually agreed to servitude, they returned to their homes, saying, "We shall see each other tomorrow."
tataḥ putrasahasraṃ tu kadrūrjihmaṃ cikīrṣatī. ājñāpayāmāsa tadā vālā bhūtvāñjanaprabhāḥ ॥1-18-6॥
Then Kadru, desiring to deceive, commanded her thousand sons to become black-colored hairs.
āviśadhvaṃ hayaṃ kṣipraṃ dāsī na syāmahaṃ yathā| tadvākyaṃ nānvapadyanta tāñśaśāpa bhujaṅgamān ॥1-18-7॥
Enter the horse quickly so that I do not become a servant. When they did not follow that statement, she cursed the serpents.
sarpasatre vartamāne pāvako vaḥ pradhakṣyati। janamejayasya rājarṣeḥ pāṇḍaveyasya dhīmataḥ ॥1-18-8॥
During the ongoing serpent sacrifice, the fire will consume you. This is the sacrifice of Janamejaya, the wise royal sage and descendant of Pandu.
śāpam enaṃ tu śuśrāva svayam eva pitāmahaḥ। atikrūraṃ samuddiṣṭaṃ kadrvā daivād atīva hi ॥1-18-9॥
The grandfather himself heard this very cruel curse, which was assigned by Kadru, indeed extremely by fate.
sārdhaṃ devagaṇaiḥ sarvairvācaṃ tāmanvamodata. bahutvaṃ prekṣya sarpāṇāṃ prajānāṃ hitakāmyayā ॥1-18-10॥
Together with all the groups of gods, they approved that speech, seeing the multitude of serpents and desiring the welfare of the creatures.
tigmavīryaviṣā hyete dandaśūkā mahābalāḥ। teṣāṃ tīkṣṇaviṣatvāddhi prajānāṃ ca hitāya vai ॥1-18-11॥
These serpents are indeed very powerful and poisonous; their sharp poison is certainly for the welfare of the people.
prādādviṣahaṇīṃ vidyāṃ kāśyapāya mahātmane ॥1-18-11॥
He imparted the knowledge of poison removal to Kāśyapa, the revered sage.
