01.046
Library: King Janamejaya decides to take revenge on Takshaka.
mantriṇa ūcuḥ॥
The ministers spoke:
tataḥ sa rājā rājendra skandhe tasya bhujaṅgamam। muneḥ kṣutkṣāma āsajya svapuraṃ punarāyayau ॥1-46-1॥
Then the king, O lord of kings, placed the sage's serpent, which was emaciated by hunger, on his shoulder and returned to his city once more.
ṛṣestasya tu putro'bhūdgavi jāto mahāyaśāḥ। śṛṅgī nāma mahātejāstigmavīryo'tikopanaḥ ॥1-46-2॥
The sage's son, Śṛṅgī, was born in a cow and was known for his great energy, sharp prowess, and irritable nature.
brahmāṇaṃ so'bhyupāgamya muniḥ pūjāṃ cakāra ha। anujñāto gatastatra śṛṅgī śuśrāva taṃ tadā ॥ sakhyuḥ sakāśātpitaraṃ pitrā te dharṣitaṃ tathā ॥1-46-3॥
The sage approached Brahma and performed worship. With permission, Śṛṅgī went there and heard him. From the presence of the friend, your father was insulted by his father.
mṛtaṃ sarpaṃ samāsaktaṃ pitrā te janamejaya। vahantaṃ kuruśārdūla skandhenānapakāriṇam ॥1-46-4॥
O Janamejaya, your father, the best of the Kurus, carried an innocent dead snake on his shoulder.
tapasvinamatīvātha taṃ munipravaraṃ nṛpa| jitendriyaṃ viśuddhaṃ ca sthitaṃ karmaṇyathādbhute ॥1-46-5॥
Then, O king, the ascetic, who was extremely pure and had conquered his senses, stood wonderfully firm in his duties, being the best among sages.
tapasā dyotitātmānaṃ sveṣvaṅgeṣu yataṃ tathā। śubhācāraṃ śubhakathaṃ susthiraṃ tamalolupam ॥1-46-6॥
Through penance, one achieves an illuminated self, controlling one's own limbs, thus maintaining auspicious conduct and engaging in auspicious stories, remaining firm and free from greed.
akṣudramanasūyaṃ ca vṛddhaṃ maunavrate sthitam। śaraṇyaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ pitrā viprakṛtaṃ tava ॥1-46-7॥
You, who are not small, without envy, and old, situated in a vow of silence, are the refuge of all beings, wronged by your father.
śaśāpātha sa tacchrutvā pitaraṃ te ruṣānvitaḥ। ṛṣeḥ putro mahātejā bālo'pi sthavirairvaraḥ ॥1-46-8॥
Then, upon hearing that, the greatly powerful son of the sage, though just a boy, was filled with anger and cursed your father, showing himself to be superior even to the elders.
saḥ kṣipramudakaṃ spṛṣṭvā roṣādidamuvāca ha। pitaraṃ te'bhisandhāya tejasā prajvalanniva ॥1-46-9॥
He quickly touched the water and, with anger, said this, as if blazing with energy, intending your father.
anāgasi gurau yo me mṛtaṃ sarpam avāsṛjat। taṃ nāgas takṣakaḥ kruddhas tejasā sādayiṣyati ॥ saptarātrād itaḥ pāpaṃ paśya me tapaso balam ॥1-46-10॥
The innocent teacher who threw my dead snake will be struck by the angry serpent Takshaka with his energy. Witness the power of my penance against sin after seven nights from now.
ityuktvā prayayau tatra pitā yatrāsya so'bhavat. dṛṣṭvā ca pitaraṃ tasmai śāpaṃ taṃ pratyavedayat ॥1-46-11॥
After speaking thus, the father went to the place where he was. Upon seeing his father, he conveyed that curse to him.
sa cāpi muniśārdūlaḥ preṣayāmāsa te pituḥ। śapto'si mama putreṇa yatto bhava mahīpate ॥ takṣakastvāṃ mahārāja tejasā sādayiṣyati ॥1-46-12॥
The sage, like a tiger, sent your father. You have been cursed by my son, so be alert, O king. Takshaka will bring you down with his power, O great king.
śrutvā tu tadvaco ghoraṃ pitā te janamejaya। yatto'bhavatparitrastastakṣakātpannagottamāt ॥1-46-13॥
Upon hearing those dreadful words, your father Janamejaya became alert and was terrified of Takshaka, the supreme serpent.
tatastasmiṃstu divase saptame samupasthite। rājñaḥ samīpaṃ brahmarṣiḥ kāśyapo gantumaicchat ॥1-46-14॥
On the seventh day, when the time had come, the sage Kashyapa wished to visit the king.
taṁ dadarśātha nāgendraḥ kāśyapaṁ takṣakastadā| tamabravītpannagendraḥ kāśyapaṁ tvaritaṁ vrajan ॥1-46-15॥
Then, the serpent king Takshaka saw Kashyapa and said to him, 'Kashyapa, go quickly.'
kva bhavāṃstvarito yāti kiṃ ca kāryaṃ cikīrṣati ॥1-46-15॥
Where are you rushing to and what task do you plan to accomplish?
kāśyapa uvāca॥
Kashyapa spoke:
yatra rājā kuruśreṣṭhaḥ parikṣinnāma vai dvija। takṣakeṇa bhujaṅgena dhakṣyate kila tatra vai ॥1-46-16॥
O Brahmin, it is said that there, the king Parikshit, the best of the Kurus, will indeed be bitten by the serpent Takshaka.
gacchāmyahaṃ taṃ tvaritaḥ sadyaḥ kartumapajvaram। mayābhipannaṃ taṃ cāpi na sarpo dharṣayiṣyati ॥1-46-17॥
I am going quickly to provide immediate relief. The snake will not harm him whom I have approached.
takṣaka uvāca॥
Takshaka spoke:
kimarthaṃ taṃ mayā daṣṭaṃ sañjīvayitumicchasi। brūhi kāmamahaṃ te'dya dadmi svaṃ veśma gamyatām ॥1-46-18॥
Why do you wish to revive him whom I have bitten? Tell me your desire, and I will grant it to you today; now go to your own house.
mantriṇa ūcuḥ॥
The ministers spoke:
dhanalipsurahaṁ tatra yāmītyuktaśca tena saḥ। tamuvāca mahātmānaṁ mānayañślakṣṇayā girā ॥1-46-19॥
Desiring wealth, he said, 'I will go there.' He spoke to the great soul, honoring him with gentle words.
yāvaddhanaṃ prārthayase tasmādrājñastato'dhikam। gṛhāṇa matta eva tvaṃ saṃnivartasva cānagha ॥1-46-20॥
Take as much wealth as you desire from the king, but take even more from me and return, O sinless one.
sa evamukto nāgena kāśyapo dvipadāṃ varaḥ| labdhvā vittaṃ nivavṛte takṣakādyāvadīpsitam ॥1-46-21॥
Kashyapa, the best among bipeds, was addressed by the serpent and, having obtained the desired wealth, returned from Takshaka.
tasmin pratigate vipre chadmanopetya takṣakaḥ। taṃ nṛpaṃ nṛpatiśreṣṭha pitaraṃ dhārmikaṃ tava ॥1-46-22॥
When the Brahmin returned, Takshaka, in disguise, approached your righteous father, the king, O best of kings.
prāsādasthaṃ yattamapi dagdhavānviṣavahninā. tatastvaṃ puruṣavyāghra vijayāyābhiṣecitaḥ ॥1-46-23॥
In the palace, even that was consumed by the poison-fire. Thereafter, you, the tiger among men, were anointed for victory.
etad dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ cāpi yathāvan nṛpasattama। asmābhir nikhilaṃ sarvaṃ kathitaṃ te sudāruṇam ॥1-46-24॥
O best of kings, we have seen and heard all of this as it is, and have recounted everything to you, which is very terrible.
śrutvā caitaṃ nṛpaśreṣṭha pārthivasya parābhavam। asya carṣeruttaṅkasya vidhatsva yadanantaram ॥1-46-25॥
Upon hearing this, O esteemed king, regarding the defeat of the prince and the sage Uttanka, please take the necessary actions that follow.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya spoke:
etattu śrotumicchāmi aṭavyāṃ nirjane vane। saṃvādaṃ pannageṃdrasya kāśyapasya ca yattadā ॥1-46-26॥
I wish to hear the conversation that took place between the serpent king and Kashyapa in the desolate forest.
kena dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ cāpi bhavatāṃ śrotramāgatam. śrutvā cātha vidhāsyāmi pannagāntakarīṃ matim ..1-46-27..
Who saw and heard it, and how did it reach your ears? After hearing it, I will then decide on a plan to end the serpents.
mantriṇa ūcuḥ॥
The ministers spoke:
śṛṇu rājanyathāsmākaṃ yenaitatkathitaṃ purā। samāgamaṃ dvijendrasya pannagendrasya cādhvani ॥1-46-28॥
Listen, O king, to how our meeting with the best of Brahmins and the king of serpents on the road was narrated in the past.
tasmin vṛkṣe naraḥ kaścid indhanārthāya pārthivaḥ। vicinvan pūrvam ārūḍhaḥ śuṣkaśākhaṃ vanaspatim ॥1-46-29॥
In that tree, a certain man climbed up the dry branch searching for firewood, O king.
abudhyamānau taṃ tatra vṛkṣasthaṃ pannagadvijau ॥1-46-29॥
The serpent-bird, dwelling in the tree, was not aware of him being there.
sa tu tenaiva vṛkṣeṇa bhasmībhūto'bhavattadā। dvijaprabhāvādrājendra jīvitaḥ savanaspatiḥ ॥1-46-30॥
However, O King, by the influence of the Brahmin, the tree was revived and became alive after being turned to ashes by that very tree.
tena gatvā nṛpaśreṣṭha nagare'sminniveditam। yathāvṛttaṃ tu tatsarvaṃ takṣakasya dvijasya ca ॥1-46-31॥
O best of kings, having gone to this city, he informed everything as it happened, regarding Takshaka and the Brahmin.
etatte kathitaṃ rājanyathāvṛttaṃ yathāśrutam. śrutvā tu nṛpaśārdūla prakuruṣva yathepsitam ॥1-46-32॥
This has been narrated to you, O king, exactly as it happened and as it was heard. Now, having listened, O distinguished king, act according to your wishes.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
mantriṇāṃ tu vacaḥ śrutvā sa rājā janamejayaḥ। paryatapyata duḥkhārtaḥ pratyapiṃṣat kare karam ॥1-46-33॥
Upon hearing the ministers' words, King Janamejaya was overwhelmed with sorrow and clasped his hands together in distress.
niḥśvāsamuṣṇamasakṛddīrghaṃ rājīvalocanaḥ| mumocāśrūṇi ca tadā netrābhyāṃ pratataṃ nṛpaḥ ॥ uvāca ca mahīpālo duḥkhaśokasamanvitaḥ ॥1-46-34॥
The lotus-eyed king, overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, repeatedly sighed deeply and shed tears continuously from his eyes. Then, the ruler of the earth spoke.
śrutvaitadbhavatāṃ vākyaṃ piturme svargatiṃ prati| niściteyaṃ mama matiryā vai tāṃ me nibodhata ॥1-46-35॥
Upon hearing these words of yours about my father's journey to heaven, this is my firm decision, indeed, understand it.
anantaramahaṁ manye takṣakāya durātmane। pratikartavyamityeva yena me hiṁsitaḥ pitā ॥1-46-36॥
Afterwards, I believe that it is necessary to retaliate against the wicked Takshaka who harmed my father.
ṛṣer hi śṛṅger vacanaṃ kṛtvā dagdhvā ca pārthivam| yadi gacched asau pāpo nanu jīvet pitā mama ॥1-46-37॥
Indeed, if the sinner follows the words of sage Śṛṅga and burns the king, surely my father would survive.
parihīyeta kiṃ tasya yadi jīvetsa pārthivaḥ। kāśyapasya prasādena mantriṇāṃ sunayena ca ॥1-46-38॥
What harm would there be to him if the king continues to live, supported by the grace of Kashyapa and the wise counsel of his ministers?
sa tu vāritavān mohāt kāśyapaṃ dvijasattamam। sañjijīvayiṣuṃ prāptaṃ rājānam aparājitam ॥1-46-39॥
However, in his delusion, he stopped Kashyapa, the eminent sage, who had come with the intention to revive the undefeated king.
mahānatikramo hyeṣa takṣakasya durātmanaḥ। dvijasya yo'dadaddravyaṃ mā nṛpaṃ jīvayediti ॥1-46-40॥
This is indeed a great transgression by Takshaka, the wicked soul, who bribed the Brahmin to ensure that the king would not be revived.
uttaṅkasya priyaṃ kurvannātmanaśca mahatpriyam। bhavatāṃ caiva sarveṣāṃ yāsyāmyapacitiṃ pituḥ ॥1-46-41॥
I will do what pleases Uttanka and is greatly pleasing to myself and indeed to all of you, and I shall go to pay respects to my father.
