शौनक उवाच सौते त्वं कथयस्वेमां विस्तरेण कथां पुनः। आस्तीकस्य कवेः साधोः शुश्रूषा परमा हि नः॥
Shaunaka said: O Sauti, once more relate to us in detail the history of the learned and virtuous Astika. Great is our curiosity to hear it.
मधुरं कथ्यते सौम्य श्लक्ष्णाक्षरपदं त्वया। प्रीयामहे भृशं तात पितेवेदं प्रभाषसे॥
O gentle one, you speak very sweetly with proper accent and emphasis. We are very much, pleased with your speech. You speak like your (late) father.
अस्मच्छुश्रूषणे नित्यं पिता हि निरतस्तव। आचष्टैतद्यथाख्यानं पिता ते त्वं तथा वद॥
Your father was always ready to please us. Tell us, therefore, the story that your father had related.
सौतिरुवाच आयुष्मन्निदमाख्यानमास्तीकं कथयामि ते। यथाश्रुतं कथयतः सकाशाद्वै पितुर्मया॥
Sauti said: O long-lived ones, I shall narrate this story of Astika as I heard it from my father.
पुरा देवयुगे ब्रह्म प्रजापतिसुते शुभे। आस्तां भगिन्यौ रूपेण समुपेतेद्धतेऽनघ॥
O Brahmana, in the golden age Prajapati had two fair daughters. O sinless one, the two sisters were endued with great beauty.
ते भार्ये कश्यपस्यास्तां कद्रूश्च विनता च ह। प्रादात्ताभ्यां वरं प्रीतः प्रजापतिसमः पतिः॥
They were named Kadru and Vinata and they were the wives of Kashyapa. Their husband, who like Prajapati, having been pleased with them, gave each a boon
कश्यपो धर्मपत्नीभ्यां मुदा परमया युतः। वरातिसगं श्रुत्वैवं कश्यपादुत्तमं च ते॥
Kashyapa derived much happiness from his wives. Hearing that their husband Kashyapa was willing to bestow on them boons.
हषार्दप्रतिमां प्रीतिं प्रापतुःस्म वरस्त्रियौ। वने कदूः सुतान्नागान्सहस्रं तुल्यवर्चसः॥
The most beautiful damsels felt a transport of joy. Kadru wished to have one thousand snakes as her sons, all of equal splendour.
द्वौ पुत्रौ विनता वने कदूपुत्राधिको बले। तेजसा वपुषा चैव विक्रमेणाधिकौ च तौ॥
Vinata asked for two sons, more in strength, energy, size and prowess than the sons of Kadru.
तस्यै भर्ता वरं प्रादादत्यर्थं पुत्रमीप्सितम्। एवमस्त्विति तं चाह कश्यपं विनता तदा॥
On her did her husband bestow the boon of the desired sons; and Vinata said to him, “Be it so."
यथावत्प्रार्थित लख्वा वरं तुष्टाऽभवत्तदा। कृतकृत्या तु विनता लब्ध्वा वीर्याधिको सुतौ॥
Vinata, having got the boon as she requested, was much pleased and having obtained two greatly powerful sons, she regarded herself gratified.
कदूश्च लब्ध्वा पुत्राणां सहस्रं तुल्यवर्चसाम्। धार्यो प्रयत्नतो गर्भावित्युक्त्वा स महातपाः॥ ते भार्ये वरसंतुष्टे कश्यपो वनशाविशत्।
Kadru also obtained one thousand sons, all of equal spiendour. “Bear the embryos carefully.” So saying the great ascetic Kashyapa went into the forest, leaving his two wives much gratified with his boons.
सौतिरुवाच कालेन महता कद्दूरण्डानां दशतीर्दश। जनयामास विप्रेन्द्र द्वे चाण्डे विनता तदा॥
Sauti said: O best of Brahmanas, after a long time Kadru gave birth to one thousand eggs and Vinata two eggs.
तयोरण्डानि निदधुः प्रहृष्टाः परिचारिकाः। सोपस्वेदेषु भाण्डेषु पञ्चवर्षशतानि च॥
Their maid servants kept them separately in warm vessels and thus five hundred years passed away.
ततः पञ्चशते काले कद्रूपुत्रा विनिःसृताः। अण्डाभ्यां विनतायास्तु मिथुनं न व्यदृश्यत॥
After five hundred years, the sons of Kadru came out of the eggs, but Vinata's eggs did not produce anything.
ततः पुत्रार्थिनी देवी वीडिता च तपस्विनी। अण्डं बिभेद विनता तत्र पुत्रमपश्यत॥
Thereupon the ascetic lady desiring the sons, Vinata, feeling shame, broke open one of the eggs and saw her offspring,
अध्यर्धकायसंपन्नमितरेणाप्रकाशता। स पुत्रः क्रोधसंरब्धः शशापैनामिति श्रुतिः॥
As an embryo with the upper part developed, but the lower part undeveloped. Thereupon the child grew angry and cursed its mother, saying,
योऽहमेवं कृतो मातस्त्वया लोभपरीतया। शरीरेणासमग्रेण तस्माद्दासी भविष्यसि॥
"O mother, as you have prematurely broken this egg and did not allow my body to be fully developed, being jealous (of Kadru), you will have to serve as the slave (of that very Kadru).
पञ्चवर्षशतान्यस्या यया विस्पर्धसे सह। एष च त्वां सुतो मातर्दासीत्वान्मोचयिष्यति॥ यद्येनमपि मातस्त्वं मामिवाण्डबिभेदनात्। न करिष्यस्यनङ्गं वा व्यङ्गं वापि तपस्विनम्॥
O mother, if you wait with patience five hundred years and do not destroy the other egg, the illustrious child within it will deliver you from your slavery.
प्रतिपालयितव्यस्ते जन्मकालोऽस्य धीरया। विशिष्टं बलमीप्सन्त्या पञ्चवर्षशतात्परः॥
O mother, if you are desirous of having your son strong, take tender care of the egg for five hundred years.
एवं शप्त्वा ततः पुत्रो विनतामन्तरिक्षगः। अरुणो दृश्यते ब्रह्मन्प्रभातसमये यदा॥ आदित्यरथमध्यास्ते सारथ्यं समकल्पयत्। गरुडोऽपि यथाकालं जज्ञे पन्नगभोजनः॥
Thus cursing his mother Vinata, the child rose to the sky. O Brahmana, Aruna (this child) became the charioteer of the Sun and he is to be seen in the hour of the morning. At the stipulated time was also born the snake-eater Garuda.
स जातमात्रो विनतां परित्यज्य खमाविशत्। आदास्यन्नात्मनो भोज्यमन्नं विहितमस्य यत्। विधात्रा भृगुशार्दूल क्षुधितः पतगेश्वरः॥
As soon as he was born, he left his mother and the king of the birds, being hungry, mounted on his wings to seek for the food assigned to him by the great Ordainer.