01.044
Library: Astika is born, and he studies Vedas under the guidance of Chyavana, son of Bhrigu.
सूत उवाच॥
Sūta said:
गतमात्रं तु भर्तारं जरत्कारुरवेदयत्। भ्रातुस्त्वरितमागम्य यथातथ्यं तपोधन ॥१-४४-१॥
Jaratkaru informed her husband who had just left. She quickly went to her brother and told him everything as it was, O sage.
ततः स भुजगश्रेष्ठः श्रुत्वा सुमहदप्रियम्। उवाच भगिनीं दीनां तदा दीनतरः स्वयम् ॥१-४४-२॥
Then, the chief of serpents, upon hearing the grievous news, spoke to his sorrowful sister, feeling even more sorrowful himself.
जानासि भद्रे यत्कार्यं प्रदाने कारणं च यत्। पन्नगानां हितार्थाय पुत्रस्ते स्यात्ततो यदि ॥१-४४-३॥
O auspicious one, you know what duty and reason lie in giving. If your son can be for the welfare of the serpents, then it should be so.
स सर्पसत्रात्किल नो मोक्षयिष्यति वीर्यवान्। एवं पितामहः पूर्वमुक्तवान्मां सुरैः सह ॥१-४४-४॥
The powerful one will indeed save us from the snake sacrifice. This is what the grandfather had told me earlier, along with the gods.
अप्यस्ति गर्भः सुभगे तस्मात्ते मुनिसत्तमात्। न चेच्छाम्यफलं तस्य दारकर्म मनीषिणः ॥१-४४-५॥
O fortunate one, do you have a pregnancy from the best of sages? If not, I wish that the wise one's marital efforts remain fruitless.
कामं च मम न न्याय्यं प्रष्टुं त्वां कार्यमीदृशम्। किं तु कार्यगरीयस्त्वात्ततस्त्वाहमचूचुदम् ॥१-४४-६॥
Although it is not proper for me to ask you such a task, due to the importance of the task, I have asked you.
दुर्वासतां विदित्वा च भर्तुस्तेऽतितपस्विनः। नैनमन्वागमिष्यामि कदाचिद्धि शपेत्स माम् ॥१-४४-७॥
Understanding the wrath of your husband, the great ascetic, I shall not accompany him, as he might curse me at some point.
आचक्ष्व भद्रे भर्तुस्त्वं सर्वमेव विचेष्टितम्। शल्यमुद्धर मे घोरं भद्रे हृदि चिरस्थितम् ॥१-४४-८॥
O gentle lady, please recount all the activities of your husband. Kindly remove the terrible thorn that has long resided in my heart, dear lady.
जरत्कारुस्ततो वाक्यमित्युक्ता प्रत्यभाषत। आश्वासयन्ती सन्तप्तं वासुकिं पन्नगेश्वरम् ॥१-४४-९॥
Jaratkaru, having been spoken to, replied to Vasuki, the lord of serpents, offering comfort to the distressed.
पृष्टो मयापत्यहेतोः स महात्मा महातपाः। अस्तीत्युदरमुद्दिश्य ममेदं गतवांश्च सः ॥१-४४-१०॥
When I asked the great soul and ascetic for the sake of offspring, he pointed to my stomach and affirmed its existence before departing.
स्वैरेष्वपि न तेनाहं स्मरामि वितथं क्वचित्। उक्तपूर्वं कुतो राजन्साम्पराये स वक्ष्यति ॥१-४४-११॥
O king, even in times of freedom, I have never known him to speak falsely. How then will he speak untruths in the future?
न सन्तापस्त्वया कार्यः कार्यं प्रति भुजङ्गमे। उत्पत्स्यति हि ते पुत्रो ज्वलनार्कसमद्युतिः ॥१-४४-१२॥
Do not grieve over the matter, O serpent. Your son will indeed be born with a splendor equal to that of fire and the sun.
इत्युक्त्वा हि स मां भ्रातर्गतो भर्ता तपोवनम्। तस्माद्व्येतु परं दुःखं तवेदं मनसि स्थितम् ॥१-४४-१३॥
Thus, my brother, having spoken, went to the forest of penance. Therefore, let go of this great sorrow that resides in your mind.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा स नागेन्द्रो वासुकिः परया मुदा। एवमस्त्विति तद्वाक्यं भगिन्याः प्रत्यगृह्णत ॥१-४४-१४॥
Upon hearing this, Vāsuki, the king of serpents, joyfully accepted his sister's words, agreeing to them by saying, "So be it."
सान्त्वमानार्थदानैश्च पूजया चानुरूपया। सोदर्यां पूजयामास स्वसारं पन्नगोत्तमः ॥१-४४-१५॥
The best of serpents, with due respect and gifts, honored his sister appropriately.
ततः स ववृधे गर्भो महातेजा रविप्रभः। यथा सोमो द्विजश्रेष्ठ शुक्लपक्षोदितो दिवि ॥१-४४-१६॥
Then the embryo grew with great radiance, shining like the sun, just as the moon rises in the sky during the waxing phase, O best of the twice-born.
यथाकालं तु सा ब्रह्मन्प्रजज्ञे भुजगस्वसा। कुमारं देवगर्भाभं पितृमातृभयापहम् ॥१-४४-१७॥
At the right time, she, O Brahman, gave birth to a boy who was the sister of the serpent, resembling a divine embryo and removing the fear of his parents.
ववृधे स च तत्रैव नागराजनिवेशने। वेदांश्चाधिजगे साङ्गान्भार्गवाच्च्यवनात्मजात् ॥१-४४-१८॥
He grew up right there in the abode of the serpent king and learned the Vedas along with its branches from Bhārgava, the son of Cyavana.
चरितव्रतो बाल एव बुद्धिसत्त्वगुणान्वितः। नाम चास्याभवत्ख्यातं लोकेष्वास्तीक इत्युत ॥१-४४-१९॥
Even as a young boy, he was known for observing vows and was endowed with intelligence and virtue. His name became famous in the world as Āstīka.
अस्तीत्युक्त्वा गतो यस्मात्पिता गर्भस्थमेव तम्। वनं तस्मादिदं तस्य नामास्तीकेति विश्रुतम् ॥१-४४-२०॥
The father, having declared 'asti' (exists), went to the forest while the child was still in the womb. Hence, he is famously known as Āstīka.
स बाल एव तत्रस्थश्चरन्नमितबुद्धिमान्। गृहे पन्नगराजस्य प्रयत्नात्पर्यरक्ष्यत ॥१-४४-२१॥
The young boy, possessing immeasurable intelligence, was carefully protected in the house of the serpent king.
भगवानिव देवेशः शूलपाणिर्हिरण्यदः। विवर्धमानः सर्वांस्तान्पन्नगानभ्यहर्षयत् ॥१-४४-२२॥
The revered one, resembling the lord of the gods and bearer of the trident, who bestows gold, joyously uplifted all the serpents.
