सौतिरुवाच गतमात्रं तु भर्तारं जरत्कारुरवेदयत्। भ्रातुः सकाशमागत्य याथातथ्यं तपोधन॥
Sauti said: O ascetic Rishi, as soon as her husband was gone, Jaratkaru went to her brother and told him all that had happened.
ततः स भुजगश्रेष्ठः श्रुत्वा सुमहदप्रियम्। उवाच भगिनीं दीनां तदा दीनतरः स्वयम्॥
Hearing this greatly evil news, the king of the snakes spoke to his miserable sister, he being more miserable than she was.
वासुकिरुवाच जानासि भद्रे यत्कार्यं प्रदाने कारणं च यत्। पन्नगानां हितार्थाय पुत्रस्ते स्यात्ततो यदि॥
Vasuki said: O amiable sister, you know the object for which you were bestowed (on the Rishi,) If a son be born for the good of the snake race.
स सर्पसत्रात्किल नो मोक्षयिष्यति वीर्यवान्। एवं पितामहः पूर्वमुक्तवांस्तु सुरैः सह॥
That greatly powerful being will be able to from the Snake-sacrifice. The Grandsire told this to the celestials in olden times.
अप्यस्ति गर्भः सुभगे तस्मात्ते मुनिसत्तमात्। न चेच्छाम्यफलं तस्य दारकर्म मनीषिणः॥
O Fortunate one, are you quick, with child by that best of Rishis? My heart's desire is that my bestowal of you on that wise man may not be fruitless.
कामं च मम न न्याय्यं प्रष्टुं त्वां कार्यमीदृशम्। किं तु कार्यगरीयस्त्वात्ततस्त्वाहमचूचुदम्॥
It is not proper for me to ask you such a question, but I ask you from the gravity of the matter.
दुर्वार्यतां विदित्वा च भर्तुस्तेऽतितपस्विनः। नैनमन्वागमिष्यामि कदाचिद्धि शपेत्स माम्॥
Knowing that it is not possible to get back your husband, ever engaged in asceticism, I shall not follow him; he may save us severe curse me.
आचक्ष्व भद्रे भर्तुः स्वं सर्वमेव विचेष्टितम्। उद्धरस्व च शल्यं मे घोरं हृदि चिरस्थितम्॥
O amiable sister, tell me all that your husband has done and thereby (relieve me by drawing out the terribly painful dart that is implanted in my heart.
जरत्कारुस्ततो वाक्यमित्युक्त्वा प्रत्यभाषत। आश्वासयन्ती संतप्तं वासुकिं पन्नगेश्वरम्॥
Jaratkaru, having been thus addressed, consoled the king of the snakes, Vasuki and spoke thus.
जरत्कारुरुवाच पृष्टो मयाऽपत्यहेतोः स महात्मा महातपाः। अस्तीत्युत्तरमुद्दिश्य ममेदं गतवांश्च सः॥
Jaratkaru said: Asked by me about offspring, the highsouled great ascetic said, “It is there and went away.
स्वैरेष्वपि न तेनाहं स्मरामि वितथं वचः। उक्तपूर्वं कुतो राजन्सांपराये स वक्ष्यति॥
I do not remember him to have spoken a falsehood even in jest. O king, why should he then speak a falsehood in such a serious matters. He said,
न संतापस्त्वया कार्यः कार्यं प्रति भुजङ्गमे। उत्पत्स्यति च ते पुत्रो ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभः॥
"O Lady of the Naga race, do not grieve for the result of our union. A son will be born in you like a blazing fire.
इत्युक्त्वा स हि मां भ्रातर्गतो भर्ता तपोधनः। तस्माद्व्येतु परं दुःखं तवेदं मनसि स्थितम्॥
O Brother, having said this, the Rishi, my husband, went away therefore, let the great sorrow in your mind be removed.
सौतिरुवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा स नागेन्द्रो वासुकिः परया मुदा। एवमस्त्विति तद्वाक्यं भगिन्या:प्रत्यगृह्णत॥
Sauti said : Having heard this, Vasuki, the king of the snakes, accepted the words of his sister, saying "Be it so."
सान्त्वमानार्थदानैश्च पूजया चानुरूपया। सोदर्यां पूजयामास स्वसारं पन्नगोत्तमः॥
O Brahmana, the best of the snakes then adored his sister with best regards, with fitting eulogies and gifts of wealth.
ततः प्रववृधे गर्भो महातेजा महाप्रभः। यथा सोमो द्विजश्रेष्ठ शुक्लपक्षोदितो दिवि॥
O Best of the twice born, the greatly powerful and effulgent embryo began to develop like the moon in the white fortnight.
अथ काले तु सा ब्रह्मन्प्रजज्ञे भुजगस्वसा। कुमारं देवगर्भाभं पितृमातृभयापहम्॥
O Brahmana, the sister of the snake in due time gave birth to a son with the splendour of a celestial boy, the destroyer of the fears of (the relatives of) his father and mother.
ववृधे स तु तत्रैव नागराजनिवेशने। वेदांश्चाधिजगे साङ्गान्भार्गवाच्च्यवनान्मुने।॥
He grew up in the house of the king of the snakes. He studied the Vedas with their Angas from the great Rishi Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu.
चीर्णव्रतो बाल एव बुद्धिसत्त्वगुणान्वितः। नाम चास्याभवत्ख्यातं लोकेष्वास्तीक इत्युत॥
Though he was a mere boy, his asceticism was great; he was gifted with great intelligence and many virtues. He was known in the world by the name of Astika.
अस्तीत्युक्त्वा गतो यस्मात्पिता गर्भस्थमेव तम्। वनं तस्मादिदं तस्य नामास्तीकेति विश्रुतम्॥
He was known by the name of Astika, because his father had gone away to the forest, saying 'Asti' (one is there), when he was in his mother's womb.
स बाल एव तत्रस्थश्चरन्नमितबुद्धिमान्। गृहे पन्नगराजस्य प्रयत्नात्परिरक्षितः॥
Though he was only a boy, yet he was grave and intelligent. He was kept with great care in the palace of the snake-king.
भगवानिव देवेशः शूलपाणिर्हिरण्मयः। विवर्धमानः सर्वांस्तान्पन्नगानभ्यहर्षयत्॥
He was like the illustrious lord of the celestials, Shulapani (Shiva). He grew up day by day to the infinite delight of all the snakes.