शृङ्गयुवाच यद्येतत्साहसं तात यदि वा दुष्कृतं कृतम्। प्रियं वाऽप्यप्रियं वा ते वागुक्ता न मृषा भवेत्॥
Shringi said : O father, whether my act was rash oi improper, whether you like it or dislike it, the words spoken by me shall never be vain.
नैवान्यथेदं भविता पितरेष ब्रवीमि ते। नाहं मृषा ब्रवीम्येवं स्वैरेष्वपि कुतः शपन्॥
O father, I tell you, this can never be otherwise. I have never spoken a lie even in jest.
शमीक उवाच जानाम्युग्रप्रभावं त्वां तात सत्यगिरं तथा। नानृतं चोक्तपूर्वं ते नैतन्मिथ्या भविष्यति॥
Shamika said: My child, I know, you are greatly powerful and you are very truthful. You have never spoken a falsehood in your life and therefore your curse will never be false.
पित्रा पुत्रो वयःस्थोऽपि सततं वाच्य एव तु। यथा स्याद्गुणसंयुक्तः प्राप्नुयाच्च महद्यशः॥
But the son, even he is grown up, should always be advised by his father, so that adorned with good qualities, he may earn great renown.
किं पुनर्बाल एव त्वं तपसा भावितः सदा। वर्धते च प्रभवतां कोपोऽतीव महात्मनाम्॥
You are mere child and therefore, how much more do you stand in need of counsel! You are always engaged in asceticism. Even the anger of illustrious and high-souled men increases with the increase of their powers.
सोऽहं पश्यामि वक्तव्यं त्वयि धर्मभूतां वर। पुत्रत्वं बालता चैव तवावेक्ष्य च साहसम्॥
O best of pious men, considering that you are my son and a mere boy and seeing your rashness, I see I must give you advice.
स त्वं शमपरो भूत्वा वन्यमाहारमाचरन्। चर क्रोधमिमं हत्वा नैवं धर्मं प्रहास्यसि॥
Live, O son, having your mind inclined to peace; live on fruits and roots of the forest. Destroy your anger; but do not destroy the fruits of your asceticism (by giving vent to anger).
क्रोधो हि धर्मं हरति यतीनां दुःखसंचितम्। ततो धर्मविहीनानां गतिरिष्टां न विद्यते॥
Anger diminishes the merits that ascetics acquire with great pains. There is no hope for those who are deprived of virtue.
शम एव यतीनां हि क्षमिणां सिद्धिकारकः। क्षमावतामयं लोकः परश्चैव क्षमावताम्॥
Peacefulness produces success to the forgiving ascetics. Good come to the forgiving men, both in this world and in the next.
तस्माच्चरेथाः सततं क्षमाशीलो जितेन्द्रियः। क्षमया प्राप्स्यसे लोकान्ब्रह्मणः समनन्तरान्॥
Therefore, you should always live, being forgiving in your temper and self-controlling of your passions. By forgiveness you will attain to worlds that are beyond the reach of even Brahma.
मया तु शममास्थाय यच्छक्यं कर्तुमद्य वै। तत्करिष्याम्यहं तात प्रेषयिष्ये नृपाय वै॥
O my son, having adopted peacefulness, I shall do as much as lies in my power. I shall do this. I shall send word to the king, telling him,
मम पुत्रेण शप्तोऽसि बालेन कृशबुद्धिना। ममेमां धर्षणां त्वत्तः प्रेक्ष्य राजन्नमर्षिणा॥
"O king, you have been cursed by my son, who is a mere child and whose intellect is not yet developed. Seeing your disrespect towards me, (he has done this) in anger."
सौतिरुवाच एवमादिश्य शिष्यं स प्रेषयामास सुव्रतः। परिक्षिते नृपतये दयापन्नो महातपाः॥
Sauti said : That great ascetic, observant of vows, moved by kindness, sent a disciple to Parikshit with proper instructions,
संदिश्य कुशलप्रश्नं कार्यवृत्तान्तमेव च। शिष्यं गौरमुखं नाम शीलवन्तं समाहितम्॥
He sent his disciple, named Gauramukha, a young man of good manners and of ascetic penances, instructing him to enquire first about the welfare of the king and then to communicate the real business.
सोऽभिगम्य ततः शीघ्रं नरेन्द्रं कुरुवर्धनम्। विवेश भवनं राज्ञः पूर्वं द्वास्थैर्निवेदितः॥
Going (to Hastinapur) he soon came to the king, the head of the Kuru race. He entered the king's palace, having first sent the notice of his arrival through gate-keeper.
पूजितस्तु नरेन्द्रेण द्विजो गौरमुखस्तदा। आचख्यौ च परिश्रान्तो राज्ञः सर्वमशेषतः॥ शमीकवचनं घोरं यथोक्तं मन्त्रिसन्निधौ।
The Brahmana, Gaurmukha, was received in all honours. And then after resting for a while, he told the king in the presence of his ministers, the terrible words of Shamika, exactly as he was instructed.
गौरमुख उवाच शमीको नाम राजेन्द्र वर्तते विषये तव॥ ऋषिः परमधर्मात्मा दान्तः शान्तो महातपाः। तस्य त्वया नरव्याघ्र सर्पः प्राणैर्वियोजितः॥ तक्षकः सप्तरात्रेण अवसक्तो धनुष्कोट्या स्कन्धे मौनान्वितस्य च। क्षान्तवांस्तव तत्कर्म पुत्रस्तस्य न चक्षमे॥
Gaurmukha said : O king of kings, there lives within your dominions, a Rishi, named Shamika. He is greatly virtuous, very peaceful, his passions under control and a great ascetic. O best of men, a dead snake was placed by you with the end of your bow on the shoulder of this Rishi who was then observing the vow of silence. He himself forgave the act, but his son did not.
तेन शप्तोऽसि राजेन्द्र पितुरज्ञातमद्य वै। मृत्युस्तव भविष्यति॥
O king of kings, you have been to-day cursed by him without the knowledge of his father. Takshaka will be your death after seven nights from this day.
तत्र रक्षां कुरुष्वेति पुनः पुनस्थाऽब्रवीत्। तदन्यथा न शक्यं च कर्तुं केनचिदप्युत॥
Shamika repeatedly asked his son to save you, but there is none to falsify his curse.
न हि शक्नोति तं यन्तुं पुत्रं कोपसमन्वितम्। ततोऽहं प्रेषितस्तेन तव राजन्हितार्थिना॥
As he has been unable to pacify his angry son, therefore, O king, I have been sent by him to you for your good.
सौतिरुवाच इति श्रुत्वा वचो घोरं स राजा कुरुनन्दनः। पर्यतप्यत तत्पापं कृत्वा राजा महातपाः॥
Sauti said : Having heard these terrible words and recollecting his own sinful act, the king, the descendant of the Kuru race, a great ascetic himself, grew exceedingly sorry.
तं च मौनव्रतं श्रुत्वा वने मुनिवरं तदा। भूय एवाभवद्राजा शोकसंतप्तमानसः॥
Having heard that the best of the Rishi (Shamika) had been observing the vow of silence, he was doubly afflicted with sorrow.
अनुक्रोशात्मतां तस्य शमीकस्यावधार्य च। पर्यतप्यत भूयोऽपि कृत्वा तत्किल्बिषं मुनेः॥
Seeing also the great kindness shown to him by the Rishi and recollecting his own great act, the king became very penitent.
न हि मृत्युं तथा राजा श्रुत्वा वै सोऽन्वतप्यत। अशोचदमरप्रख्यो यथा कृत्वेह कर्म तत्॥
The king, who looked like a celestial, did not grieve so much for hearing that he would die, as for having done that (insulting) act to the Rishi.
ततस्तं प्रेषयामास राजा गौरमुखं तदा। भूयः प्रसादं भगवान्करोत्विह ममेति वै॥
The king then sent away Gaurmukha, saying "Let the adored Rishi be gracious to me!”
तस्मिंश्च गतमात्रेऽथ राजा गौरमुखे तदा। मन्त्रिभिर्मन्त्रयामास सह संविग्नमानसः॥
When Gaurmukha had gone away the king in great anxiety consulted with all his ministers without delay.
संमन्त्र्य मन्त्रिभिश्चैव स तथा मन्त्रतत्त्ववित्। प्रासादं कारयामास एकं स्तम्भं सुरक्षितम्॥
Having consulted with his ministers, the king himself, wise in counsels, caused a palace to be erected on a pillar, guarded day and night by men.
रक्षां च विदधे तत्र भिषजश्चौषधानि च। ब्राह्मणान्मन्त्रसिद्धांश्च सर्वतो वै न्ययोजयत्॥
For his protection, he placed all around the palace, physicians, medicines and Brahmanas skilled in Mantras.
राजकार्याणिः तत्रस्थः सर्वाण्येवाकरोच्च सः। मन्त्रिभिः सह धर्मज्ञः समन्तात्परिरक्षितः॥
Thus being protected on all sides, the king discharged his royal duties, surrounded by his virtuous ministers.
न चैनं कश्चिदारूढं लभते राजसत्तमम्। वातोऽपि निश्चरंस्तत्र प्रवेशे विनिवार्यते॥
None could approach that best of kings there (in that palace.) Even air could not go there, being prevented from entering.
प्राप्ते च दिवसे तस्मिन्सप्तमे द्विजसत्तमः। काश्यपोऽभ्यागमद्विद्वांस्तं राजानं चिकित्सितुम्॥
When the seventh day came, the best of Brahmanas, Kashyapa, was coming with the intention of treating the king, (if bitten by the snake).
श्रुतं हि तेन तदभूद्यथा तं राजसत्तमम्। तक्षकः पन्नगश्रेष्ठो नेष्यते यमसादनम्॥
He had heard all that had happened; he had heard that the best of snakes, Takshaka would take the king to Yama's, abode.
तं दष्टं पन्नगेन्द्रेण करिष्येऽहमपज्वरम्। तत्र मेऽर्थश्च धर्मश्च भवितेति विचिन्तयन्॥
He thought, “I will cure the king bitten by the best of the snakes. By this I may gain both wealth and virtue."
तं ददर्श स नागेन्द्रस्तक्षकः काश्यपं पथि। गच्छन्तमेकमनसं द्विजो भूत्वा वयोतिगः॥
The king of the snakes, Takshaka, saw on the way, Kashyapa, going with the intention of curing the king. He appeared before him in the form of an old Brahmana.
तमब्रवीत्पन्नगेन्द्रः काश्यपं मुनिपुंगवम्। क्व भवांस्त्वरितो याति किं च कार्यं चिकीर्षति॥
Thereupon the king of the snakes spoke to the best of the Rishis, Kashyapa, saying, “Where are you going with such speed? What is the business upon which you are going
काश्यप उवाच नृपं कुरुकुलोत्पन्न परिक्षितमरिन्दमम्। तक्षकः पन्नगश्रेष्ठस्तेजसाऽद्य प्रधक्ष्यति॥
Kashyapa said: The best of snakes, Takshaka, will to-day burn the chastiser of his enemies, king Parikshit of the Kuru race;
तं दष्टं पन्नगेन्द्रेण तेनाग्निसमतेजसम्। पाण्डवानां कुलकरं राजानममितौजसम्। गच्छामि त्वरितं सौम्य सद्यः कर्तुमपज्वरम्॥
O amiable man, I am going in haste without loss of time, to cure that king of immeasurable prowess, the sole representative of the Kuru race, when he will be bitten by the king of snakes, who is as powerful as Agni.
तक्षक उवाच अहं स तक्षको ब्रह्मं स्तं धक्ष्यामि महीपतिम्। निवर्तस्व न शक्तस्त्वं मया दष्टं चिकित्सितुम्॥
Takshaka said: O Brahmana, I am that very Takshaka, who will kill that king of the earth, Stop, you cannot cure one who is bitten by me.
काश्यप उवाच अहं तं नृपतिं गत्वा त्वया दष्टमपज्वरम्। करिष्यामीति मे बुद्धिर्विद्याबलसमन्विता॥
Kashyapa said : I am possessed with the power of learning. Going there, I am sure I shall cure the king bitten by you.