रुरुरुवाच कथं हिंसितवान्सन्स राजा जनमेजयः। सर्पा वा हिंसितास्तत्र किमर्थं द्विजसत्तम॥
Ruru said: O best of the twice-born, why did king Janamejaya become the destroyer of the snakes and how did he destroy them?
किमर्थं मोक्षिताश्चैव पन्नगास्तेन धीमता। आस्तीकेन द्विजश्रेष्ठ श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यशेषतः॥
Why were they saved by wise Astika, the best of Brahmanas? I am desirous of hearing all this.
ऋषिरुवाच श्रोष्यसि त्वं रुरो सर्वमास्तीकचरितं महत्। ब्राह्मणानां कथयतामित्युक्त्वान्तरधीयत॥
Rishi said: O Ruru, you will hear the important history of Astika from the Brahmanas. Saying this he disappeared.
सौतिरुवाच रुस्श्चापि वनं सर्वं पर्यधावत्समन्ततः। तमृषि नष्टमन्विच्छन्संश्रान्तो न्यपत वि॥
Sauti said: Ruru rushed in search of the Rishi, but he did not find him in all the forest. Finding him not, he sat down on the ground, much fatigued.
स मोहं परमं गत्वा नष्टसंज्ञ इवाभवत्। तदृषेर्वचनं तथ्यं चिन्तयानं पुनः पुनः॥
He felt himself confounded and seemed to lose his senses. He repeatedly pondered over the Rishi's words.
लब्धसंज्ञो रुस्चायात्तदाचख्यौ पितुस्तदा। पिता चास्य तदाख्यानं पृष्टः सर्वं न्यवेदयत्॥
Regaining his senses, he came home and asked his father (to relate the history) and his father related to him the story. End of Pau loma Parva