Skip to main content

Second Skandha · Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Unit 30 of 318Second Skandha · Chapter 10Second Skandha · Chapter 101 source entries

Second Skandha · Chapter 10

Source

सूत उवाच तस्मिन्नेव दिने नाम्ना तक्षकस्तं नृपोत्तमम् । शप्तं ज्ञात्वा गृहात्तूर्णं निःसृतः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ १ ॥ वृद्धब्राह्मणवेषेण तक्षकः पथि निर्गतः । अपश्यत्कश्यपं मार्गे व्रजन्तं नृपतिं प्रति ॥ २ ॥ तमपृच्छत्पन्नगोऽसौ ब्राह्मणं मन्त्रवादिनम् । क्व भवांस्त्वरितो याति किञ्च कार्यं चिकीर्षति ॥ ३ ॥ कश्यप उवाच परीक्षितं नृपश्रेष्ठं तक्षकश्च प्रधक्ष्यति । तत्राहं त्वरितो यामि नृपं कर्तुमपज्वरम् ॥ ४ ॥ मन्त्रोऽस्ति मम विप्रेन्द्र विषनाशकरः किल । जीवयिष्याम्यहं तं वै जीवितव्येऽधुना किल ॥ ५ ॥ तक्षक उवाच अहं स पन्नगो ब्रह्मंस्तं धक्ष्यामि महीपतिम् । निवर्तस्व न शक्तस्त्वं मया दष्टं चिकित्सितुम् ॥ ६ ॥ कश्यप उवाच अहं दष्टं त्वया सर्प नृपं शप्तं द्विजेन वै । जीवयिष्याम्यसन्देहं कामं मन्त्रबलेन वै ॥ ७ ॥ तक्षक उवाच यदि त्वं जीवितुं यासि मया दष्टं नृपोत्तमम् । मन्त्रशक्तिबलं विप्र दर्शय त्वं ममानघ ॥ ८ ॥ धक्ष्याम्येनं च न्यग्रोधं विषदंष्ट्राभिरद्य वै । कश्यप उवाच जीवयिष्ये त्वया दष्टं दग्धं वा पन्नगोत्तम ॥ ९ ॥ सूत उवाच अदशत्पन्नगो वृक्षं भस्मसाच्च चकार तम् । उवाच कश्यपं भूयो जीवयैनं द्विजोत्तम ॥ १० ॥ दृष्ट्वा भस्मीकृतं वृक्षं पन्नगेन विषाग्निना । सर्वं भस्म समाहृत्य कश्यपो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ११ ॥ पश्य मन्त्रबलं मेऽद्य न्यग्रोधं पन्नगोत्तम । जीवयाम्यद्य वृक्षं वै पश्यतस्ते महाविष ॥ १२ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा जलमादाय कश्यपो मन्त्रवित्तमः । सिषेच भस्मराशिं तं मन्त्रितेनैव वारिणा ॥ १३ ॥ तद्वारिसेचनाज्जातो न्यग्रोधः पूर्ववच्छुभः । विस्मयं तक्षकः प्राप्तो दृष्ट्वा तं जीवितं नगम् ॥ १४ ॥ तमाह कश्यपं नागः किमर्थं ते परिश्रमः । सम्पादयामि तं कामं ब्रूहि वाडव वाञ्छितम् ॥ १५ ॥ कश्यप उवाच वित्तार्थी नृपतिं मत्वा शप्तं पन्नग निःसृतः । गृहादहं चोपकर्तुं विद्यया नृपसत्तमम् ॥ १६ ॥ तक्षक उवाच वित्तं गृहाण विप्रेन्द्र यावदिच्छसि पार्थिवात् । ददामि स्वगृहं याहि सकामोऽहं भवाम्यतः ॥ १७ ॥ सूत उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कश्यपः परमार्थवित् । चिन्तयामास मनसा किं करोमि पुनः पुनः ॥ १८ ॥ धनं गहीत्वा स्वगृहं प्रयामि यद्यहं पुनः । भविष्यति न मे कीर्तिर्लोके लोभसमाश्रयात् ॥ १९ ॥ जीवितेऽथ नृपश्रेष्ठे कीर्तिः स्यादचला मम । धनप्राप्तिश्च बहुधा भवेत्पुण्यं च जीवनात् ॥ २० ॥ रक्षणीयं यशः कामं धिग्धनं यशसा विना । सर्वस्वं रघुणा पूर्वं दत्तं विप्राय कीर्तये ॥ २१ ॥ हरिश्चन्द्रेण कर्णेन कीर्त्यर्थं बहुविस्तरम् । उपेक्षेयं कथं भूपं दह्यमानं विषाग्निना ॥ २२ ॥ जीवितेऽद्य मया राज्ञि सुखं सर्वजनस्य च । अराजके प्रजानाशो भविता नात्र संशयः ॥ २३ ॥ प्रजानाशस्य पापं मे भविष्यति मृते नृपे । अपकीर्तिश्च लोकेषु धनलोभाद्‌भविष्यति ॥ २४ ॥ इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा ध्यानं कृत्वा स कश्यपः । गतायुषं च नृपतिं ज्ञातवाम्बुद्धिमत्तरः ॥ २५ ॥ आसन्नमृत्युं राजानं ज्ञात्वा ध्यानेन कश्यपः । गृहं ययौ स धर्मात्मा धनमादाय तक्षकात् ॥ २६ ॥ निवर्त्य कश्यपं सर्पः सप्तमे दिवसे नृपम् । हन्तुकामो जगामाशु नगरं नागसाह्वयम् ॥ २७ ॥ शुश्राव नगरस्यान्ते प्रासादस्थं परीक्षितम् । मणिमन्त्रौषधैः कामं रक्ष्यमाणमतन्द्रितम् ॥ २८ ॥ चिन्ताविष्टस्तदा नागो विप्रशापभयाकुलः । चिन्तयामास योगेन प्रविशेयं गृहं कथम् ॥ २९ ॥ वञ्जयामि कथं चैनं राजानं पापकारिणम् । विप्रशापाद्धतं मूढं विप्रपीडाकरं शठम् ॥ ३० ॥ पाण्डवानां कुले जातः कोऽपि नैतादृशो भवेत् । तापसस्य गले येन मृतः सर्पो निवेशितः ॥ ३१ ॥ कृत्वा विगर्हितं कर्म जानन्कालगतिं नृपः । रक्षकान्भवने कृत्वा प्रासादमभिगम्य च ॥ ३२ ॥ मृत्युं वञ्चयते राजा वर्ततेऽद्य निराकुलः । तं कथं धक्षयिष्यामि विप्रवाक्येन चोदितः ॥ ३३ ॥ न जानाति च मन्दात्मा मरणं ह्यनिवर्तनम् । तेनासौ रक्षकान्स्थाप्य सौधारूढोऽद्य मोदते ॥ ३४ ॥ यदि वै विहितो मृत्युर्दैवेनामिततेजसा । स कथं परिवर्तेत कृतैर्यत्‍नैस्तु कोटिभिः ॥ ३५ ॥ पाण्डवस्य च दायादो जानन्मृत्युं गतं नृपः । जीवने मतिमास्थाय स्थितः स्थाने निराकुलः ॥ ३६ ॥ दानपुण्यादिकं राजा कर्तुमर्हति सर्वथा । धर्मेण हन्यते व्याधिर्येनायुः शाश्वतं भवेत् ॥ ३७ ॥ नोचेन्मृत्युविधिं कृत्वा स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः । मरणं स्वर्गलोकाय नरकायान्यथा भवेतू ॥ ३८ ॥ द्विजपीडाकृतं पापं पृथग्वास्य च भूपतेः । विप्रशापस्तथा घोर आसन्ने मरणे किल ॥ ३९ ॥ न कोऽपि ब्राह्मणः पार्श्वे य एनं प्रतिबोधयेत् । वेधसा विहितो मृत्युरनिवार्यस्तु सर्वथा ॥ ४० ॥ इति सञ्चिन्त्य सर्पोऽसौ स्वान्नागान्निकटे स्थितान् । कृत्वा तापसवेषांस्तान्प्राहिणोत्सुभुजङ्गमान् ॥ ४१ ॥ फलमूलादिकं गृह्य राज्ञे नागोऽथ तक्षकः । स्वयं च कीटरूपेण फलमध्ये ससार ह ॥ ४२ ॥ निर्गतास्ते तदा नागाः फलान्यादाय सत्वराः । ते राजभवनं प्राप्य स्थिताः प्रासादसन्निधौ ॥ ४३ ॥ रक्षकास्तापसान्दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुस्तच्चिकीर्षितम् । ऊचुस्ते भूपतिं द्रष्टुं प्राप्ताः स्मोऽद्य तपोवनात् ॥ ४४ ॥ अभिमन्युसुतं वीरं कुलार्कं चारुदर्शनम् । परिवर्धयितुं प्राप्ता मन्त्रैराथर्वणैस्तथा ॥ ४५ ॥ निवेदयध्वं राजानं दर्शनार्थागतान्मुनीन् । कृत्वाभिषेकान्यास्यामो दत्त्वा मिष्टफलानिच ॥ ४६ ॥ भारतानां कुले वापि न दृष्टा द्वाररक्षकाः । न श्रुतं तापसानां तु राज्ञोऽसन्दर्शनं किल ॥ ४७ ॥ आरोहामो वयं तत्र यत्र राजा परीक्षितः । आशीर्भिर्वर्धयित्वैनं दत्ताज्ञाः प्रव्रजामहे ॥ ४८ ॥ सूत उवाच इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां तापसानां तु रक्षकाः । प्रत्यूचुस्तान् द्विजान्मत्वा निदेशं भूपतेर्यथा ॥ ४९ ॥ नाद्य वो दर्शनं विप्रा राज्ञः स्यादिति नो मतिः । श्वः सर्वतापसैरत्र त्वागन्तव्यं नृपालये ॥ ५० ॥ अनारोहस्तु प्रासादो विप्राणां मुनिसत्तमाः । विप्रशापभयाद्‌राज्ञा विहितोऽस्ति न संशयः ॥ ५१ ॥ तदोचुस्तानथो विप्राः फलमूलजलानि च । विप्राशिषश्च राज्ञेऽथ ग्राहयन्तु सुरक्षकाः ॥ ५२ ॥ ते गत्वा नृपतिं प्रोचुस्तापसानागताञ्जनाः । राजोवाचानयध्वं वै फलमूलादिकं च यत् ॥ ५३ ॥ पृच्छध्वं तापसान्कार्यं प्रातरागमनं पुनः । प्रणामं कथयध्वं मे नाद्य सन्दर्शनं मम ॥ ५४ ॥ ते गत्वाथ समादाय फलमूलादिकं च यत् । राज्ञे समर्पयामासुर्बहुमानपुरःसरम् ॥ ५५ ॥ गतेषु तेषु नागेषु विप्रवेषावृतेषु च । फलान्यादाय राजासौ सचिवानिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ५६ ॥ सुहृदो भक्षयन्त्वद्य फलान्येतानि सर्वशः । अद्म्यहं चैकमेतद्वै फलं विप्रार्पितं महत् ॥ ५७ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा तत्फलं दत्त्वा सुहृद्‌भ्यश्चोत्तरासुतः । करे कृत्वा फलं पक्वं ददार नृपतिः स्वयम् ॥ ५८ ॥ विदारितं फलं राज्ञा तत्र कृमिरभूदणुः । स कृष्णनयनस्ताम्रो दृष्टो भूपतिना स्वयम् ॥ ५९ ॥ तं दृष्ट्वा नृपतिः प्राह सचिवान्विस्मितानथ । अस्तमभ्येति सविता विषादद्य न मे भयम् ॥ ६० ॥ अङ्गीकरोमि तं शापं कृमिको मां दशत्वयम् । एवमुक्त्वा स राजेन्द्रो ग्रीवायां संन्यवेशयत् ॥ ६१ ॥ अस्तं याते दिवानाथे धृतः कण्ठेऽथ कीटकः । तक्षकस्तु तदा जातः कालरूपी भयानकः ॥ ६२ ॥ राजा संवेष्टितस्तेन दष्टश्चापि महीपतिः । मन्त्रिणो विस्मयं प्राप्ता रुरुदुर्भृशदुःखिताः ॥ ६३ ॥ घोररूपमहिं वीक्ष्य दुद्रुवुस्ते भयार्दिताः । चुक्रुशू रक्षकाः सर्वे हाहाकारो महानभूत् ॥ ६४ ॥ वेष्टितो भोगिभोगेन विनष्टबहुपौरुषः । नोवाच नृपतिः किञ्चिन्न चचालोत्तरासुतः ॥ ६५ ॥ उत्थिताग्निशिखा घोरा विषजा तक्षकाननात् । प्रजज्वाल नृपं त्वाशु गतप्राणं चकार ह ॥ ६६ ॥ हत्वाशु जीवितं राज्ञस्तक्षको गगने गतः । जगद्दग्धं तु कुर्वाणं ददृशुस्तं जना इह ॥ ६७ ॥ स पपात गतप्राणो राजा दग्ध इव द्रुमः । चुकुशुश्च जनाः सर्वे मृतं दृष्ट्वा नराधिपम् ॥ ६८ ॥

sūta uvāca tasminneva dine nāmnā takṣakastaṃ nṛpottamam | śaptaṃ jñātvā gṛhāttūrṇaṃ niḥsṛtaḥ puruṣottamaḥ || 1 || vṛddhabrāhmaṇaveṣeṇa takṣakaḥ pathi nirgataḥ | apaśyatkaśyapaṃ mārge vrajantaṃ nṛpatiṃ prati || 2 || tamapṛcchatpannago'sau brāhmaṇaṃ mantravādinam | kva bhavāṃstvarito yāti kiñca kāryaṃ cikīrṣati || 3 || kaśyapa uvāca parīkṣitaṃ nṛpaśreṣṭhaṃ takṣakaśca pradhakṣyati | tatrāhaṃ tvarito yāmi nṛpaṃ kartumapajvaram || 4 || mantro'sti mama viprendra viṣanāśakaraḥ kila | jīvayiṣyāmyahaṃ taṃ vai jīvitavye'dhunā kila || 5 || takṣaka uvāca ahaṃ sa pannago brahmaṃstaṃ dhakṣyāmi mahīpatim | nivartasva na śaktastvaṃ mayā daṣṭaṃ cikitsitum || 6 || kaśyapa uvāca ahaṃ daṣṭaṃ tvayā sarpa nṛpaṃ śaptaṃ dvijena vai | jīvayiṣyāmyasandehaṃ kāmaṃ mantrabalena vai || 7 || takṣaka uvāca yadi tvaṃ jīvituṃ yāsi mayā daṣṭaṃ nṛpottamam | mantraśaktibalaṃ vipra darśaya tvaṃ mamānagha || 8 || dhakṣyāmyenaṃ ca nyagrodhaṃ viṣadaṃṣṭrābhiradya vai | kaśyapa uvāca jīvayiṣye tvayā daṣṭaṃ dagdhaṃ vā pannagottama || 9 || sūta uvāca adaśatpannago vṛkṣaṃ bhasmasācca cakāra tam | uvāca kaśyapaṃ bhūyo jīvayainaṃ dvijottama || 10 || dṛṣṭvā bhasmīkṛtaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pannagena viṣāgninā | sarvaṃ bhasma samāhṛtya kaśyapo vākyamabravīt || 11 || paśya mantrabalaṃ me'dya nyagrodhaṃ pannagottama | jīvayāmyadya vṛkṣaṃ vai paśyataste mahāviṣa || 12 || ityuktvā jalamādāya kaśyapo mantravittamaḥ | siṣeca bhasmarāśiṃ taṃ mantritenaiva vāriṇā || 13 || tadvārisecanājjāto nyagrodhaḥ pūrvavacchubhaḥ | vismayaṃ takṣakaḥ prāpto dṛṣṭvā taṃ jīvitaṃ nagam || 14 || tamāha kaśyapaṃ nāgaḥ kimarthaṃ te pariśramaḥ | sampādayāmi taṃ kāmaṃ brūhi vāḍava vāñchitam || 15 || kaśyapa uvāca vittārthī nṛpatiṃ matvā śaptaṃ pannaga niḥsṛtaḥ | gṛhādahaṃ copakartuṃ vidyayā nṛpasattamam || 16 || takṣaka uvāca vittaṃ gṛhāṇa viprendra yāvadicchasi pārthivāt | dadāmi svagṛhaṃ yāhi sakāmo'haṃ bhavāmyataḥ || 17 || sūta uvāca tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya kaśyapaḥ paramārthavit | cintayāmāsa manasā kiṃ karomi punaḥ punaḥ || 18 || dhanaṃ gahītvā svagṛhaṃ prayāmi yadyahaṃ punaḥ | bhaviṣyati na me kīrtirloke lobhasamāśrayāt || 19 || jīvite'tha nṛpaśreṣṭhe kīrtiḥ syādacalā mama | dhanaprāptiśca bahudhā bhavetpuṇyaṃ ca jīvanāt || 20 || rakṣaṇīyaṃ yaśaḥ kāmaṃ dhigdhanaṃ yaśasā vinā | sarvasvaṃ raghuṇā pūrvaṃ dattaṃ viprāya kīrtaye || 21 || hariścandreṇa karṇena kīrtyarthaṃ bahuvistaram | upekṣeyaṃ kathaṃ bhūpaṃ dahyamānaṃ viṣāgninā || 22 || jīvite'dya mayā rājñi sukhaṃ sarvajanasya ca | arājake prajānāśo bhavitā nātra saṃśayaḥ || 23 || prajānāśasya pāpaṃ me bhaviṣyati mṛte nṛpe | apakīrtiśca lokeṣu dhanalobhād‌bhaviṣyati || 24 || iti sañcintya manasā dhyānaṃ kṛtvā sa kaśyapaḥ | gatāyuṣaṃ ca nṛpatiṃ jñātavāmbuddhimattaraḥ || 25 || āsannamṛtyuṃ rājānaṃ jñātvā dhyānena kaśyapaḥ | gṛhaṃ yayau sa dharmātmā dhanamādāya takṣakāt || 26 || nivartya kaśyapaṃ sarpaḥ saptame divase nṛpam | hantukāmo jagāmāśu nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam || 27 || śuśrāva nagarasyānte prāsādasthaṃ parīkṣitam | maṇimantrauṣadhaiḥ kāmaṃ rakṣyamāṇamatandritam || 28 || cintāviṣṭastadā nāgo vipraśāpabhayākulaḥ | cintayāmāsa yogena praviśeyaṃ gṛhaṃ katham || 29 || vañjayāmi kathaṃ cainaṃ rājānaṃ pāpakāriṇam | vipraśāpāddhataṃ mūḍhaṃ viprapīḍākaraṃ śaṭham || 30 || pāṇḍavānāṃ kule jātaḥ ko'pi naitādṛśo bhavet | tāpasasya gale yena mṛtaḥ sarpo niveśitaḥ || 31 || kṛtvā vigarhitaṃ karma jānankālagatiṃ nṛpaḥ | rakṣakānbhavane kṛtvā prāsādamabhigamya ca || 32 || mṛtyuṃ vañcayate rājā vartate'dya nirākulaḥ | taṃ kathaṃ dhakṣayiṣyāmi vipravākyena coditaḥ || 33 || na jānāti ca mandātmā maraṇaṃ hyanivartanam | tenāsau rakṣakānsthāpya saudhārūḍho'dya modate || 34 || yadi vai vihito mṛtyurdaivenāmitatejasā | sa kathaṃ parivarteta kṛtairyat‍naistu koṭibhiḥ || 35 || pāṇḍavasya ca dāyādo jānanmṛtyuṃ gataṃ nṛpaḥ | jīvane matimāsthāya sthitaḥ sthāne nirākulaḥ || 36 || dānapuṇyādikaṃ rājā kartumarhati sarvathā | dharmeṇa hanyate vyādhiryenāyuḥ śāśvataṃ bhavet || 37 || nocenmṛtyuvidhiṃ kṛtvā snānadānādikāḥ kriyāḥ | maraṇaṃ svargalokāya narakāyānyathā bhavetū || 38 || dvijapīḍākṛtaṃ pāpaṃ pṛthagvāsya ca bhūpateḥ | vipraśāpastathā ghora āsanne maraṇe kila || 39 || na ko'pi brāhmaṇaḥ pārśve ya enaṃ pratibodhayet | vedhasā vihito mṛtyuranivāryastu sarvathā || 40 || iti sañcintya sarpo'sau svānnāgānnikaṭe sthitān | kṛtvā tāpasaveṣāṃstānprāhiṇotsubhujaṅgamān || 41 || phalamūlādikaṃ gṛhya rājñe nāgo'tha takṣakaḥ | svayaṃ ca kīṭarūpeṇa phalamadhye sasāra ha || 42 || nirgatāste tadā nāgāḥ phalānyādāya satvarāḥ | te rājabhavanaṃ prāpya sthitāḥ prāsādasannidhau || 43 || rakṣakāstāpasāndṛṣṭvā papracchustaccikīrṣitam | ūcuste bhūpatiṃ draṣṭuṃ prāptāḥ smo'dya tapovanāt || 44 || abhimanyusutaṃ vīraṃ kulārkaṃ cārudarśanam | parivardhayituṃ prāptā mantrairātharvaṇaistathā || 45 || nivedayadhvaṃ rājānaṃ darśanārthāgatānmunīn | kṛtvābhiṣekānyāsyāmo dattvā miṣṭaphalānica || 46 || bhāratānāṃ kule vāpi na dṛṣṭā dvārarakṣakāḥ | na śrutaṃ tāpasānāṃ tu rājño'sandarśanaṃ kila || 47 || ārohāmo vayaṃ tatra yatra rājā parīkṣitaḥ | āśīrbhirvardhayitvainaṃ dattājñāḥ pravrajāmahe || 48 || sūta uvāca ityākarṇya vacasteṣāṃ tāpasānāṃ tu rakṣakāḥ | pratyūcustān dvijānmatvā nideśaṃ bhūpateryathā || 49 || nādya vo darśanaṃ viprā rājñaḥ syāditi no matiḥ | śvaḥ sarvatāpasairatra tvāgantavyaṃ nṛpālaye || 50 || anārohastu prāsādo viprāṇāṃ munisattamāḥ | vipraśāpabhayād‌rājñā vihito'sti na saṃśayaḥ || 51 || tadocustānatho viprāḥ phalamūlajalāni ca | viprāśiṣaśca rājñe'tha grāhayantu surakṣakāḥ || 52 || te gatvā nṛpatiṃ procustāpasānāgatāñjanāḥ | rājovācānayadhvaṃ vai phalamūlādikaṃ ca yat || 53 || pṛcchadhvaṃ tāpasānkāryaṃ prātarāgamanaṃ punaḥ | praṇāmaṃ kathayadhvaṃ me nādya sandarśanaṃ mama || 54 || te gatvātha samādāya phalamūlādikaṃ ca yat | rājñe samarpayāmāsurbahumānapuraḥsaram || 55 || gateṣu teṣu nāgeṣu vipraveṣāvṛteṣu ca | phalānyādāya rājāsau sacivānidamabravīt || 56 || suhṛdo bhakṣayantvadya phalānyetāni sarvaśaḥ | admyahaṃ caikametadvai phalaṃ viprārpitaṃ mahat || 57 || ityuktvā tatphalaṃ dattvā suhṛd‌bhyaścottarāsutaḥ | kare kṛtvā phalaṃ pakvaṃ dadāra nṛpatiḥ svayam || 58 || vidāritaṃ phalaṃ rājñā tatra kṛmirabhūdaṇuḥ | sa kṛṣṇanayanastāmro dṛṣṭo bhūpatinā svayam || 59 || taṃ dṛṣṭvā nṛpatiḥ prāha sacivānvismitānatha | astamabhyeti savitā viṣādadya na me bhayam || 60 || aṅgīkaromi taṃ śāpaṃ kṛmiko māṃ daśatvayam | evamuktvā sa rājendro grīvāyāṃ saṃnyaveśayat || 61 || astaṃ yāte divānāthe dhṛtaḥ kaṇṭhe'tha kīṭakaḥ | takṣakastu tadā jātaḥ kālarūpī bhayānakaḥ || 62 || rājā saṃveṣṭitastena daṣṭaścāpi mahīpatiḥ | mantriṇo vismayaṃ prāptā rurudurbhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ || 63 || ghorarūpamahiṃ vīkṣya dudruvuste bhayārditāḥ | cukruśū rakṣakāḥ sarve hāhākāro mahānabhūt || 64 || veṣṭito bhogibhogena vinaṣṭabahupauruṣaḥ | novāca nṛpatiḥ kiñcinna cacālottarāsutaḥ || 65 || utthitāgniśikhā ghorā viṣajā takṣakānanāt | prajajvāla nṛpaṃ tvāśu gataprāṇaṃ cakāra ha || 66 || hatvāśu jīvitaṃ rājñastakṣako gagane gataḥ | jagaddagdhaṃ tu kurvāṇaṃ dadṛśustaṃ janā iha || 67 || sa papāta gataprāṇo rājā dagdha iva drumaḥ | cukuśuśca janāḥ sarve mṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā narādhipam || 68 ||

English translation

1-3. Suta said “O Risis! On that very day when the Brahmin Kas'yapa went out of his house, Taksak, knowing the king ParTksit cursed, assumed an aged Brahmin's form and went out of his abode.

The serpent Taksak met the Brahmin Kas'yapa on the way. Seeing the Brahmana, versed in the Mantras, Taksak asked him “Where are you going so in haste, and what for are you taking this trouble?”

4-17. Thus questioned, Kas'yapa replied I heard that the serpent Taksak will bite the king ParTksit; therefore I am going in haste to the king ParTksit to cure him of the serpent's poison. I know the mantra (mystic verse) that can destroy the effect of poison. If his life-period is not exhausted, I will certainly give him back his life. Taksak then. Said “O Brahmana! I am that Taksak; I will bite him and take away his life. So you better desist. Will you be able to treat him whom I bite; certainly you will not.” Kas'yapa said “O chief of snakes! When you will bite the king who has been cursed by the Brahman, I will no doubt make him alive by the power of my mantra.” Taksak said “O chief of Brahmanas! If you have so thought that you will make the king alive after I bite him, then shew me your strength before hand. O sinless one! I will bite this Nyagrodha tree (the Indian fig-tree); just now make it alive.”

Kas'yapa said “Certainly I will make this tree alive, that will be burnt away by the venom of your teeth.” Suta said “The snake Taksak then bit the tree, which was reduced to ashes; and asked Kas'yapa to bring back that tree to life.” Seeing the tree reduced to ashes by the fire of venom of the snake, he collected all the ashes and said “O highly venomous serpent. See to-day the power of my mantra. Behold! While you are witnessing, I will enliven this tree. Thus the great mantra-knower Kas'yapa took water in his hand, and

impregnating it with his mantra power, sprinkled the water on the ashes. Immediately, on the sprinkling of the mantra saturated water, the Nyagrodha tree got back its life as before. Taksak became greatly astonished to see the tree enlivened again and said to Kas'yapa >- “O chief of Brahmans! What is your object in taking so much pains? Speak out what you want and I will fulfil your desires.” Kas'yapa said “O chief of serpents! Knowing the king cursed, I am going to do good to him by my knowledge and to get in return abundant wealth.” Hearing this, Taksak said “I will give you the amount of wealth that you desire; take that and go back to your house, and let my desire be also fulfilled.”

18-26. Kas'yapa, the knower of the highest state, heard Taksaka's words and pondered in his mind again and again. “What is to be done now? If I take this wealth and go back to my house, my name and fame will not be known in this world, simply for my greed; but if the king be made alive again, my undying fame, abundant wealth, and greater Punyam will accrue to me. Again fie to that wealth with which there is no fame; so one must try one's best to preserve one's fame. The king Raghu, in ancient days, gave away everything of his to the Brahmanas for fame; the king Harischandra and Kama did not hesitate a bit to give away endless property. There is one point again to take into account, how can I trifle away the matter, seeing the king burnt up by the venomous fire?

If I can bring back the king's life, everyone will become happy. If the kingdom be without its king, the subjects will, no doubt, be ruined.

So, following the king's death, sin will also incur on me due to the ruin of the subjects; and infamy will come on my head that I am a very greedy man.” Thus meditating in his mind, the highly intelligent Kas'yapa began to meditate, and plunged himself in Dhyan; he thereby came to know that the king's life period was spent up. Thus knowing the king's death imminent, the virtuous Kas'yapa took the desired wealth from Taksak and returned home.

27-48. Thus making Kas'yapa to retire to his house on the seventh day Taksak went on to Hastinapur to bring death and destruction on to Pariksit. When he went close to the city, he heard that the king Pariksit was staying on the upper story of the palace; and the palace had been preserved by various gems, mantras, herbs and plant. Taksak became very anxious; and fearing, lest the curse of the Brahmanas, will fall on his head, became very much agitated and thought. “How shall I now enter the palace? How can I cheat this stupid hypocrite vicious king, cursed by the Brahmana, who causes troubles to the Brahmanas. Not a single man has taken birth in the Pandava family ever since that he coiled a dead serpent round the neck of an ascetic Brahmin. The king has committed a very heinous crime and knowing the course of time to be in fallible, has placed sentries on all sides of the palace and has ascended to the top-most story of the building, thinking thereby to deceive Death and is staying in a peaceful mind. How can then he be smitten, in accordance with the Brahmana's word? The king, of dull intellect, knows not that death cannot be prevented; for that reason he has placed guards and sentinels round the building, and himself has got up the house and is happily whiling away his time; but he is quite ignorant that when Fate who can never be violated, ordains the death, how can it be prevented though thousands of attempts are made to thwart it? This scion of Pandu family knows that his death is at hand and yet wants to live and therefore is staying in his own place with a tranquil mind. The king ought now to make charities and other meritorious works; it is only by acts of Dharma that disease is destroyed and life is prolonged.

And if that be not the object then a dying man ought to take bath, to make charities and to await his time of death; he thereby attains heaven; otherwise hell is inevitable. The king committed great sin in the act of causing pains and trouble to the Brahmin or other similar acts and therefore death is so close that the Brahmin curse has fallen thus on his head. Is there no such Brahmin who can make him

understand this; or the Creator has ordained his death now as inevitable.” Thus meditating, the chief serpent made other serpents following him assume then form of ascetic Brahmanas and gave them roots and fruits to be taken to the king. The serpent Taksak himself entered within the fruits in the form of an insect. Then the ascetic serpents took the fruits and quickly went out of the place. They came to the palace where Pariksit was resting. Seeing them, the guards asked “What for have you come here?” Hearing this, “We are coming from the hermitage to prolong the life of the hero king, the son of Abhimanyu and the son of the Pandava family, by chanting the mantras of the Atharvavedas, and we want to have an interview with the king; now you better go and inform the king that some Munis have come to see you. We will sprinkle water on him and give him some sweet fruits and then depart. We have never come across such gatekeepers in the family of Bharat as disallow the ascetic Muni visitors to go and see the king. We will ascend to the place where the Pariksit is staying and we will bless him, and wish him long life; we will communicate to him our orders and then depart to our own places.”

49-68. Suta said Hearing these words, the sentinels spoke as previously ordered by the king, as follows “O Brahmanas! We think verily you won't be able to have an interview with the king to¬ day; you, all ascetics can come to-morrow to this palace. O Munis! Owing to the Brahmana's curse, the king has built this place; then it follows, as a matter of course, that the Brahmanas are not allowed to get up to the palace.” Then the serpents, in the form of the Brahmanas, spoke “O good sentinels! Then take these roots and fruits and offer them to the king and communicate to him our blessings.”

The sentinels went to the king, and informed him of the arrival of the ascetic Brahmanas. The king replied “Bring here the roots and fruits offered by them and ask what for they have come. Give them my pranams; to-day I cannot meet with them; let them come to-

morrow morning.” The sentinels went to the ascetics and got from them their roots and fruits and offered them with great respect to the king. When the serpents in the guise of the hypocrite Brahmins went away, the king took those fruits and spoke to his ministers

“Take these fruits and let all my friends eat them. I will take only this one fruit given by the Brahmanas and will eat it.” Saying this, the Uttara's son Pariksit gave away fruits to the friends and took one ripe fruit for himself, broke it and saw within it a very fine copper-coloured black eyed insect. At this the ministers were astonished; the King spoke to them “The sun has set; so there is no further chance of any fear from any poison to-day. I speak then to-day, fearing the Brahman's curse, let this insect bite me.” Thus saying the king took that insect and placed it on his neck. That Taksak in the form of an insect, when placed, during the sun-set, on the neck by the king, immediately assumed the form of the terrible Kala (Death), coiled round the king and beat him. The Ministers were greatly surprised and began to weep and cry with great pain and sorrow. Seeing that terrible serpent, the ministers, overwhelmed with terror, fled away on all sides. The guards cried out loudly. The terrible out-cry was raised on all sides. Then Uttara's son, the king Pariksit, coiled by the serpent, saw that all his efforts were rendered fruitless, and remained silent and held fast to his patience. From the mouth of the serpent Taksak the terrible venomous flames came out burning all and immediately killed the king. Thus taking away the life of the king, Taksak went up in the celestial atmosphere; the people then saw that the serpent was ready as if to burn the world. The king fell down lifeless like a burnt tree; and all the persons cried out seeing the king dead.

Thus ends the tenth Chapter of the Second Skandha on the death of the king Pariksit in the Mahapuranam S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24724, revision 75577 (2016-08-03T11:06:49Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk02ch10.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.