सौतिरुवाच मात्रा हि भुजगा: शप्ताः पूर्वं ब्रह्मविदांवर। जनमेजयस्य वो यज्ञे धक्ष्यत्यनिलसारथिः॥
Sauti said : O foremost of Brahma knowing men, the mother of the snakes, in the days of yore, cursed the Naga race, saying, "He whose charioteer is wind (Agni) will consume you at Janamejaya's sacrifice.
तस्य शापस्य शान्त्यर्थं प्रददौ पन्नगोत्तमः। स्वसारमृषये तस्मै सुव्रताय महात्मने।॥
To neutralise ve effect of that curse, the best of snakes (Vasuki) married off his sister to the high-souled Rishi of rigid vow.
स च तां प्रतिजग्राह विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा। आस्तीको नामपुत्रश्च तस्यां जज्ञे महामनाः॥
Accepting her according to the ordained rites, he begot on her a high-souled son, called Astika,
तपस्वी च महात्मा च वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः। समः सर्वस्य लोकस्य पितृमातृभयापहः॥
Who was a great ascetic, who was vastly learned in the Vedas and the Vedangas, who removed the fears of his parents and who saw everything with an equal eye.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य पाण्डवेयो नराधिपः। आजहार महायज्ञं सर्पसत्रमिति श्रुतिः॥
Then after a long time, a descendant of the Pandavas, celebrated a great sacrifice, known as the Snake-sacrifice.
तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते सत्रे तु सर्याणामन्तकाय वै। मोचयामास तान्नागानास्तीकः सुमहातपाः॥
When the sacrifice for the destruction of the snakes had begun, the great ascetic Astika rescued the Nagas,
भ्रातृ॑श्च मातुलांश्चैव तथैवान्यान्स पन्नगान्। पितुंश्च तारयामास संतत्या तपसा तथा॥
His brothers, his maternal uncles and other snakes. He also delivered his fathers by begetting a child.
व्रतैश्च विविधैर्ब्रह्मन्स्वाध्यायैश्चानृणोऽभवत्। देवांश्च तर्पयामास यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः। :॥
O Brahmana, he freed himself from their debts by rigid austerities, by various vows and the study of the Vedas. He propitiated the celestials by sacrifices in which various presents were made.
ऋषींश्च ब्रह्मचर्येण संतत्या च पितामहान्। अपहृत्य गुरुं भारं पितॄणां संशितव्रतः॥
He pleased the Rishis by his Brahmacharya and his ancestors by begetting offspring. Thus discharging the heavy debt that he owed to his ancestors.
जरत्कारुर्गतः स्वर्गं सहित: स्वैः पितामहैः। आस्तीकं च सुतं प्राप्य धर्मं चानुत्तमं मुनिः॥
Jaratkaru, of great austerity, attained heaven with his forefathers. Begetting the son, Astika and acquiring great religious merit, the best of the Munis,
जरत्कारुः सुमहता कालेन स्वर्गमेयिवान्। एतदाख्यानमास्तीकं यथावत्कथितं मया। प्रब्रूहि भृगुशार्दूल किमन्यत्कथयामि ते॥
The greatly noble Jaratkaru, after a long course of years, went to heaven. This is the story of Astika. I have narrated it (to you) as it is. Now, tell me, O best of the Bhrigu race, what else shall I narrate.