सौतिरुवाच मातुः सकाशात्तं शापं श्रुत्वा वै पन्नगोत्तमः। वासुकिश्चिन्तयामास शापोऽयं न भवेत्कथम्॥
Sauti said: The best of snakes, Vasuki, hearing the curse of his mother, pondered over how to make it abortive.
ततः स मन्त्रयामास भ्रातृभिः सह सर्वशः। ऐरावतप्रभृतिभिः सर्वधर्मपरायणैः॥
He held a consultation with all his brothers, Airavata and others, who were virtuous.
वासुकिरुवाच अयं शापो यथोद्दिष्टो विदितं वस्तथाऽनघाः। तस्य शापस्य मोक्षार्थ मन्त्रयित्वा यतामहे॥
Vasuki said: O sinless ones, the curse on us is well known to you. We should try to neutralise it.
सर्वेषामेव शापानां प्रतिधातो हि विद्यते। न तु मात्राभिशप्तानां मोक्षः क्व च न विद्यते॥
Remedies exist for all curses, but no remedy can avail those who are cursed by their mother.
अव्ययस्याप्रमेयस्य सत्यस्य च तथाऽग्रतः। शप्ता इत्येव मे श्रुत्वा जायते हृदि वेपथुः॥
Hearing that this curse was uttered before the immutable, the infinite and the true one, my heart trembles.
नूनं सर्वविनाशोऽयमस्माकं समुपागतः। न ह्येतां सोऽव्ययो देवः शपन्तीं प्रत्यषेधयत्॥
Our annihilation has certainly come; otherwise the immutable Lord should have prevented our mother from uttering the curse.
तस्मात्संमन्त्रयामोऽद्य भुजंगानामनामयम्। यथा भवेद्धि सर्वेषां मा नः कालोऽत्यगादयम्॥
Therefore, let us consult today how we may secure the safety of the snakes. Let us not waste time.
सर्व एव हि न स्तावबुद्धिमन्तो विचक्षणाः। अपि मन्त्रयमाणा हि हेतुं पश्याम मोक्षणे॥
You are all wise and discerning. We shall all consult together and find out a means of deliverance,
यथा नष्टं पुरा देवा गूढमग्निं गुहागतम्। यथा स यज्ञो न भवेद्यथा वापि पराभवः। जनमेजयस्य सर्पाणां विनाशकरणाय वै॥
As did the celestials, in the days of yore, to regain the lost Agni who had concealed himself within a cave, cave, so that the sacrifice of Janamejaya for the destruction of the snakes may not take place and so that we may not meet with our destruction.
सौतिरुवाच तथेत्युक्त्वा ततः सर्वे काद्रवेयाः समागताः। समयं चक्रिरे तत्र मन्त्रबुद्धिविशारदाः॥
Sauti said: Thus addressed, all the offspring of Kadru assembled together; they were all wise in counsel and they gave their opinions (one after the other.)
एके तत्राब्रुवन्नागा वयं भूत्वा द्विजर्षभाः। जनमेजयं तु भिक्षामो यज्ञस्ते न भवेदिति॥
One party said, “We shall assume the guise of Brahmana Rishis and asked Janamejaya not to hold the sacrifice.”
अपरे त्वब्रुवन्नागास्तत्र पण्डितमानिनः। मन्त्रिणोऽस्य वयं सर्वे भविष्यामः सुसंमताः॥
Others, thinking themselves wise, said, "We shall all become his favourite counsellors.
स नः प्रक्ष्यति सर्वेषु कार्येष्वर्थविनिश्चयम्। तत्र बुद्धिं प्रदास्यामो यथा यज्ञो निवर्त्यति॥
He will then certainly ask our advice in all things and we shall then give him such advice as may obstruct the sacrifice.
स नो बहुमतानराजा बुध्या बुद्धिमतां वरः। यज्ञार्थं प्रक्ष्यति व्यक्तं नेति वक्ष्यामहे वयम्॥
The king, thinking us wise, will certainly ask our advice about his sacrifice and we shall say, "Don't hold it."
दर्शयन्तो बहून्दोषान्प्रेत्य चेह च दारुणान्। हेतुभिः कारणैश्चैव यथा यज्ञो भवेन्न सः॥
We shall point him out many serious evils in this world and the next, with reasons and causes, so that the sacrifice may not take place.
अथवाऽयमुपाध्यायः क्रतोस्तस्य भविष्यति। सर्पसत्रविधानज्ञो राजकार्यहिते रतः॥ तं गत्वा दशतां कश्चिद् भुजङ्गः स मरिष्यति। तस्मिन्मृते यज्ञकारे क्रतुः स न भविष्यति॥
(We can do this also); let one of the snakes by biting kill the persons, who will try to do good to the king and who will be wellacquainted with the rites of the Snake-sacrifice and who will be appointed as the sacrificial priest. And by his death, the sacrifice will not be completed.
ये चान्ये सर्पसत्रज्ञा भविष्यन्त्यस्य चविजः। तांश्च सर्वान्दशिष्यामः कृतमेवं भविष्यति॥
We shall also bite those who are acquainted with the Snakes-sacrifice and who may be appointed as the Ritviks of the sacrifice. Thus we shall obtain our object."
अपरे त्वब्रुवन्नागा धर्मात्मानो दयालवः। अबुद्धिरेषा भवतां ब्रह्महत्या न शोभनम्॥
Some other snakes, who were kind hearted and virtuous, said, “Your this advice is not good. It is not proper to kill Brahmanas.”
सम्यक्सद्धर्ममूला वै व्यसने शान्तिरुत्तमा। अधर्मोत्तरता नाम कृत्स्नं व्यापादयेज्जगत्॥
That remedy is proper in a danger which rests on righteousness. Unrighteousness finally destroys the world.”
अपरे त्वब्रुवन्नागाः समिद्धं जातवेदसम्। वनिर्वापयिष्यामो मेघा भूत्वा सविद्युतः॥
Other snakes said : “We shall extinguish the sacrificial fire by becoming clouds luminous with lightning and pouring down showers.
स्रुग्भाण्डं निशि गत्वा च अपरे भुजगोत्तमाः। प्रमत्तानां हरन्त्वाशु विघ्न एवं भविष्यति॥
Other good snakes said, “Let us go in the night and steal away the vessel of the Soma. This will obstruct the sacrifice.
यज्ञे वा भुजगास्तस्मिञ्छतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। जनान्दशन्तु वै सर्वे नैवं त्रासो भविष्यसि॥
Or let the snakes go in hundred and thousands to the sacrifice, bite every one and thus create a terror.
अथवा संस्कृतं भोज्यं दूषयन्तु भुजंगमाः। स्वेन मूत्रपुरीषेण सर्वभोज्यविनाशिना॥
Or let the serpents defile the pure food with their urine and dung."
अपरे त्वब्रुवंस्तत्र ऋत्विजोऽस्य भवामहे। यज्ञविघ्नं करिष्यामो दीयतां दक्षिणा इति॥
Others said, “Let us become the Ritviks of the king and obstruct the sacrifice by saying at the very outset, 'Give us our Dakshina."
वश्यतां च गतोऽसौ नः करिष्यति योप्सितम्। अपरे त्वब्रुवंस्तत्र जले प्रकीडितं नृपम्॥
The king, being placed in our power, will do whatever we will ask him to do." Other said, “When the king will play in the waters,
गृहमानीय बनीमः क्रतुरेवं भवेन्न सः। अपरे त्वब्रुवंस्तत्र नागाः पण्डितमानिनः॥
Let us carry him to our home and keep him bound, so that the sacrifice may not take place.” Others, thinking themselves wise, said,
दशामस्तं प्रगृह्याशु कृतमेवं भविष्यति। छिन्नं मूलमनर्थानां मृते तस्मिन्भविष्यति॥
“Let us go to the king and bite him, so that our object may be accomplished. By his death the root of all evil will be destroyed.
एषा नो नैष्ठिकी बुद्धिः सर्वेषामीक्षणश्रवः। अथ यन्मन्यसे राजन्दुतं तत्संविधीयताम्॥
O snake, that hears by the eyes, this is the final result of our deliberations. O king, do speedily what you think proper.
इत्युक्त्वा समुदैक्षन्त वासुकिं पन्नगोत्तमम्। वासुकिश्चापि संचिन्त्य तानुवाच भुजङ्गमान्॥
Having said this, they all eagerly looked at the best of the snakes, Vasuki. And Vasuki, after reflecting a while, told the snakes,
नैषा वो नैष्ठिकी बुद्धिमता कर्तु भुजंगमाः। सर्वेषामेव मे बुद्धिः पन्नगानां न रोचते॥
"O snakes, your this final determination does not seem worthy of adoption. The advice, that all give, are not to my liking.
किं तत्र संविधातव्यं भवतां स्याद्धितं तु यत्। श्रेयः प्रसादनं मन्ये कश्यपस्य महात्मनः॥
What I suggest would be for your good! I think the favour of (our father) the illustrious Kashyapa can alone do us good.
ज्ञातिवर्गस्य सौहार्दादात्मनश्च भुजंगमाः। न च जानाति मे बुद्धिः किंचित्कर्तुं वचो हि वः॥३३।
O snakes, my mind does not know which of your suggestions to adopt for the welfare of my race and mine.
मयाहीदं विधातव्यं भवतां यद्धितं भवेत्। अनेनाहं भृशं तप्ये गुणदोषो मदाश्रयौ।॥
I should do that would be good to you all. It is this that makes me so anxious, for the credit and the discredit of the act will rest on me alone.