01.044
Library: Astika is born, and he studies Vedas under the guidance of Chyavana, son of Bhrigu.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
gatamātraṃ tu bhartāraṃ jaratkāruravedayat। bhrātustvaritamāgamya yathātathyaṃ tapodhana ॥1-44-1॥
Jaratkaru informed her husband who had just left. She quickly went to her brother and told him everything as it was, O sage.
tataḥ sa bhujagaśreṣṭhaḥ śrutvā sumahadapriyam। uvāca bhaginīṃ dīnāṃ tadā dīnatarḥ svayam ॥1-44-2॥
Then, the chief of serpents, upon hearing the grievous news, spoke to his sorrowful sister, feeling even more sorrowful himself.
jānāsi bhadre yat kāryaṃ pradāne kāraṇaṃ ca yat। pannagānāṃ hitārthāya putras te syāt tato yadi ॥1-44-3॥
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.
sa sarpasatrātkila no mokṣayiṣyati vīryavān। evaṃ pitāmahaḥ pūrvamuktavānmāṃ suraiḥ saha ॥1-44-4॥
The powerful one will indeed save us from the snake sacrifice. This is what the grandfather had told me earlier, along with the gods.
apyasti garbhaḥ subhage tasmātte munisattamāt। na cecchāmyaphalaṃ tasya dārakarma manīṣiṇaḥ ॥1-44-5॥
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.
kāmaṃ ca mama na nyāyyaṃ praṣṭuṃ tvāṃ kāryamīdṛśam. kiṃ tu kāryagarīyastvāttatastvāhamacūcudam ॥1-44-6॥
Although it is not proper for me to ask you such a task, due to the importance of the task, I have asked you.
durvāsatāṃ viditvā ca bhartuste'titapasvinaḥ। nainamanvāgamiṣyāmi kadāciddhi śapetsa mām ॥1-44-7॥
Understanding the wrath of your husband, the great ascetic, I shall not accompany him, as he might curse me at some point.
ācakṣva bhadre bhartustvaṃ sarvameva viceṣṭitam। śalyamuddhara me ghoraṃ bhadre hṛdi cirasthitam ॥1-44-8॥
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.
jaratkārustato vākyamityuktā pratyabhāṣata. āśvāsayantī santaptaṃ vāsukiṃ pannageśvaram ॥1-44-9॥
Jaratkaru, having been spoken to, replied to Vasuki, the lord of serpents, offering comfort to the distressed.
pṛṣṭo mayāpatyahetoḥ sa mahātmā mahātapāḥ। astītyudaramuddiśya mamedaṃ gatavāṃśca saḥ ॥1-44-10॥
When I asked the great soul and ascetic for the sake of offspring, he pointed to my stomach and affirmed its existence before departing.
svaireṣvapi na tenāhaṃ smarāmi vitathaṃ kvacit। uktapūrvaṃ kuto rājansāmparāye sa vakṣyati ॥1-44-11॥
O king, even in times of freedom, I have never known him to speak falsely. How then will he speak untruths in the future?
na santāpastvayā kāryaḥ kāryaṃ prati bhujaṅgame। utpatsyati hi te putro jvalanārkasamadyutiḥ ॥1-44-12॥
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.
ityuktvā hi sa māṃ bhrātargato bhartā tapovanam। tasmādvyetu paraṃ duḥkhaṃ tavedaṃ manasi sthitam ॥1-44-13॥
Thus, my brother, having spoken, went to the forest of penance. Therefore, let go of this great sorrow that resides in your mind.
etacchrutvā sa nāgendro vāsukiḥ parayā mudā। evamastviti tadvākyaṃ bhaginyāḥ pratyagṛhṇata ॥1-44-14॥
Upon hearing this, Vāsuki, the king of serpents, joyfully accepted his sister's words, agreeing to them by saying, "So be it."
sāntvamānārthadānaiśca pūjayā cānurūpayā। sodaryāṃ pūjayāmāsa svasāraṃ pannagottamaḥ ॥1-44-15॥
The best of serpents, with due respect and gifts, honored his sister appropriately.
tataḥ sa vavṛdhe garbho mahātejā raviprabhaḥ। yathā somo dvijaśreṣṭha śuklapakṣodito divi ॥1-44-16॥
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.
yathākālaṃ tu sā brahmanprajajñe bhujagasvasā। kumāraṃ devagarbhābhaṃ pitṛmātṛbhayāpaham ॥1-44-17॥
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.
vavṛdhe sa ca tatraiva nāgarājaniveśane। vedāṃścādhijage sāṅgānbhārgavāccyavanātmajāt ॥1-44-18॥
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.
caritavrato bāla eva buddhisattvaguṇānvitaḥ। nāma cāsyābhavatkhyātaṃ lokeṣvāstīka ityuta ॥1-44-19॥
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.
astītyuktvā gato yasmātpitā garbhasthameva tam. vanaṃ tasmādidaṃ tasya nāmāstīketi viśrutam ॥1-44-20॥
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.
sa bāla eva tatrasthaścarannamitabuddhimān। gṛhe pannagarājasya prayatnātparyarakṣyata ॥1-44-21॥
The young boy, possessing immeasurable intelligence, was carefully protected in the house of the serpent king.
bhagavān iva deveśaḥ śūlapāṇir hiraṇyadaḥ। vivardhamānaḥ sarvān tān pannagān abhyaharṣayat ॥1-44-22॥
The revered one, resembling the lord of the gods and bearer of the trident, who bestows gold, joyously uplifted all the serpents.
