सौतिरुवाच इदमत्यद्भुतं चान्यदास्तीकस्यानुशुश्रुम। तथा वरैश्छन्द्यमाने राज्ञा पारिक्षितेन हि॥
Sauti said : Now hsar, (I shall mention) another wonderful incident in connection with Astika. When the son of Parikshit, the king (Janamejaya) was about to grant the boon (to Astika).
इन्द्रहस्ताच्च्युतो नागः ख एव यदतिष्ठत। ततश्चिन्तापरो राजा बभूव जनमेजयः॥
The snake, (Takshaka) though thrown off form Indra's hands, remained in the air without falling. Thereupon, king Janamejaya became thoughtful,
हूयमाने भृशं दीप्तं विधिवद्वसुरेतसि। न स्म स प्राप तद्वन्हौ तक्षको भयपीडितः॥
For Takshaka, though benumbed with fear, did not at once fall into the fire, although libations were poured into the blazing sacrificial fire in his name and in the proper form.
शौनक उवाच किं सूत तेषां विप्राणां मन्त्रग्रामो मनीषिणाम्। न प्रत्यभात्तदाऽग्नौ यत्स पपात न तक्षकः॥
Shaunaka said : O Suta, were not the Mantras of those wise Brahmanas propitious? Why did not Takshaka fall into the fire?"
सौतिरुवाच तमिन्द्रहस्ताद्वित्रस्तं विसंज्ञं पन्नगोत्तमम्। आस्तीकस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेतिवाचस्तिस्रोऽभ्युदैरयत्॥
Sauti said : Astika had said thrice, "Stay, stay, stay," to the unconscious Takshaka, the best of snakes, when he was cast off from Indra's hands.
वितस्थे सोऽन्तरिक्षे च हृदयेन विदूयता। यथा तिष्ठति वै कश्चित्खं च गां चान्तरा नरः॥
And afflicted with grief he remained in the sky like a person who hang between the heaven and the earth.
ततो राजाब्रवीद्वाक्यं सदस्यैश्चोदितो भृशम्। काममेतद्भवत्वेवं यथास्तीकस्य भाषितम्॥
Being again and again urged by his Sadasyas, the king said, “Let it be done as asked by Astika.
समाप्यतामिदं कर्म पन्नगाः सन्त्वनामयाः। प्रीयतामयमास्तीकः सत्यं सूतवचोऽस्तु तत्॥
Let the sacrifice be stopped, let the snakes be saved, let this Astika be gratified and let the words of the Suta be true."
ततो हलहलाशब्दः प्रीतिदः समजायत। आस्तीकस्य वरे दत्ते तथैवोपरराम च॥ स यज्ञः पाण्डवेयस्य राज्ञः पारिक्षितस्य ह। प्रीतिमांश्चाभवद्राजा भारतो जनमेजयः॥
When the boon was granted to Astika, loud acclamation of joy rose into the sky and the sacrifice of the son of Parikshit, the king of the Pandavas dynasty, came to an end. And king Janamejaya of the Bharata race was much pleased with himself.
ऋत्विग्भ्यः ससदस्येभ्यो ये तत्रासन्समागताः। तेभ्यश्च प्रददौ वित्तं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥
The king bestowed money by hundreds and thousands on the Ritvijas and Sadasyas and on all that were present there (in that great sacrifice).
लोहिताक्षाय सूताय तथा स्थपतये विभुः। येनोक्तं तस्य तत्राग्रे सर्पसत्रनिवर्तने॥ निमित्तं ब्राह्मण इति तस्मै वित्तं ददौ बहु। दत्वा द्रव्यं यथान्यायं भोजनाच्छादनान्वितम्॥
And he bestowed much wealth on Suta Lohitaksha, who was learned in the science of masonry and foundations and who had said at the very commencement of the Snake-sacrifice that a Brahmana would be the cause of its interruption. He gave him wealth and various things, food and wearing apparel.
प्रीतस्तस्मै नरपतिरप्रमेयपराक्रमः। ततश्चकारावभृथं विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥
The king of immeasurable kindness was thus much pleased and he concluded the sacrifice according to the rites of the ordinance.
आस्तीकं प्रेषयामास गृहानेव सुसंस्कृतम्। राजा प्रीतमनाः प्रीतं कृतकृत्यं मनीषिणम्॥
He sent back home in much joy the wise Astika, whom he treated with every respect. He too was exceedingly pleased, because his object was attained.
पुनरागमनं कार्यमिति चैनं वचोऽब्रवीत्। भविष्यसि सदस्यो मे वाजिमेधे महाक्रतौ॥
The king said to him, “You must come again to become a Sadasya in my great Horsesacrifice.”
तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रदुद्राव तदास्तीको मुदा युतः। कृत्वा स्वकार्यमतुलं तोषयित्वा च पार्थिवम्॥
And Astika replied, Yes." He then returned home in great joy, having achieved his great object, by pleasing the king.
स गत्वा परमप्रीतो मातुलं मातरं च ताम्। अभिगम्योपसंगृह्य तथावृत्तं न्यवेदयत्॥
Having returned in great joy to his uncle and mother, he touched their feet and told them all that had happened.
सौतिरुवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रीयमाणाः समेता तत्रासन्पन्नगा वीतमोहाः। रूचुश्चै वरमिष्टं वृणीष्व॥
Having heard all he said, those snakes, that assembled there, were much delighted and their fear was dispelled. They were greatly pleased with Astika and insisted him to ask a boon.
भूयो भूयः सर्वशस्तेऽब्रुवंस्तं किं ते प्रियं करवामाद्य विद्वन्। प्रीता वयं मोक्षिताश्चैव सर्वे कामं किं ते करवामाद्य वत्स॥
They all again and again asked him, "O learned one, what good can we do to you? We are exceedingly pleased with you, for we have been all saved by you. O child, (tell us) what can we do for you?
आस्तीक उवाच सायंप्रातर्ये प्रसन्नात्मरूपा लोके विप्रा मानवा ये परेऽपि। धर्माख्यानं ये पठेयुर्ममेदं तेषां युष्मन्नैव किचिद्भयं स्यात्॥
Astika said : Let those Brahmans and other men, who will cheerfully and with attention read morning and evening this sacred account of my this act have no fear from you.'
रेतत्सत्यं काममेवं वरं ते। प्रीत्या युक्ताः कामितं सर्वशस्ते कर्तारः स्म प्रवणा भागिनेय॥
They said in joy, "O nephew, as regards the boon asked by you, let it be exactly as you say. O nephew, we shall all cheerfully do what you ask us to do.
असितं चार्तिमन्तं च सुनीथं चापि यः स्मरेत्। दिवा वा यदि वा रात्रौ नास्य सर्पभयं भवेत्॥
Those that will recall to their minds, Asita, Artiman and Sunitha, in the day or in the night, will have no fear from snakes.
यो जरत्कारुणा जातो जरत्कारौ महायशाः। आस्तीक. सर्पसत्रे वः पन्नगान्योऽभ्यरक्षत। तं स्मरन्तं महाभागा न मां हिंसितुमर्हथ॥
He will have no fear from snakes, who will say, Astika, the son of Jaratkaru, born of Jaratkaru, Astika who saved the snakes from the Snakes-sacrifice. I recall him to my mind. Therefore, O illustrious snakes, you should not bite me.
सोपसर्प भद्रं ते गच्छ सर्पमहाविष। जनमेजयस्य यज्ञान्ते आस्तीकवचनं स्मर॥
O blessed snake, go away, go away, O snake of virulent poison. Remember the words of Astika spoken after the Snake-sacrifice of Janamejaya."
आस्तीकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा यः सर्पो न निवर्तते। शतधा भिद्यते मूर्ध्नि शिंशवृक्ष फलं यथा॥
Having heard the words of Astika mentioned, the snake, that will not cease to bite, will have his hood divided into one hundred-fold like the fruit of Shishama tree."
सौतिरुवाच स एवमुक्तस्तु तदा द्विजेन्द्रः समागतैस्तैर्भुजगेन्द्रमुख्यैः संप्राप्य प्रीतिं विपुलां महात्मा ततो मनो गमनायाथ दधे॥
Sauti said: Thus addressed by the chief snakes, that best of Brahmanas, (Astika), was very much pleased and the illustrious (boy) then thought of going away.
मोक्षयित्वा तु भुजगान्सर्पसत्राद्विजोत्तमः। जगाम काले धर्मात्मा दिष्टान्तं पुत्रपौत्रवान्॥
That virtuous and the best of the twice born, having thus saved the snakes from the Snake-sacrifice, died at the proper time, leaving sons and grandsons behind him.
इत्याख्यानं मयास्तीकं यथावत्तव कीर्तितम्। यत्कीर्तयित्वा सर्पेभ्यो न भयं विद्यते क्वचित्॥
Thus have I narrated to you the history of Astika exactly as it happened, a history, which if narrated, dispels all fear of snakes.
सौतिरुवाच यथा कथितवान्ब्रह्मन्प्रमतिः पूर्वजस्तव। पुत्राय रुरवे प्रीतः पृच्छते भार्गवोत्तम।॥
O Brahmana, O best of the Bhrigu-race, as your ancestor Pramati had gladly narrated it to his enquiring son Ruru,
यद्वाक्यं श्रुतवांश्चाहं तथा च कथितं मया। आस्तीकस्य कवेर्विप्र श्रीमच्चरितमादितः॥
And as I heard it (from my father), I have narrated this blessed history of the learned Astika from the beginning (to the end).
श्रुत्वा धर्मिष्ठमाख्यानमास्तीकं पुण्यवर्धनम्। यन्मां त्वं पृष्टवान्ब्रह्मछ्रुत्वा डुण्डुभभाषितम्। व्येतु ते सुमहद्ब्रह्मन्कौतूहलमरिंदम॥
O Brahman, O chastiser of foes, (now you have) heard this sacred history of Astika, a history which increases virtue and which you asked me to narrate after hearing the story of the Dundubha, let now your great curiosity be satisfied.