Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 1.36
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1.36.1
आख्याता भुजगास्तात वीर्यवन्तो दुरासदाः ।
शापं तं तेऽभिविज्ञाय कृतवन्तः किमुत्तरम् ॥ १.३६.१ ॥
Dear one, the mighty and formidable serpents were named. Having learned of that curse, what answer did they make?
1.36.2
तेषां तु भगवाञ्छेषः कद्रूं त्यक्त्वा महायशाः ।
उग्रं तपः समातस्थे वायुभक्षो यतव्रतः ॥ १.३६.२ ॥
But among them the blessed Śeṣa, of great fame, abandoning his mother Kadrū, took up a fierce austerity, living on air alone and steadfast in his vow.
1.36.3
गन्धमादनमासाद्य बदर्यां च तपोरतः ।
गोकर्णे पुष्करारण्ये तथा हिमवतस्तटे ॥ १.३६.३ ॥
Reaching Gandhamādana, he delighted in austerity at Badarī, at Gokarṇa, in the Puṣkara forest, and likewise on the slopes of the Himālaya.
1.36.4
तेषु तेषु च पुण्येषु तीर्थेष्वायतनेषु च ।
एकान्तशीलो नियतः सततं विजितेन्द्रियः ॥ १.३६.४ ॥
At those various holy fords and sanctuaries, he was ever devoted to solitude, self-restrained and constant, with his senses conquered.
1.36.5
तप्यमानं तपो घोरं तं ददर्श पितामहः ।
संशुष्कमांसत्वक्स्नायुं जटाचीरधरं मुनिम् ॥ १.३६.५ ॥
The grandfather saw him performing the terrible austerity — a sage with dried flesh, skin and sinews, wearing matted hair and bark garments.
1.36.6
तमब्रवीत्सत्यधृतिं तप्यमानं पितामहः ।
किमिदं कुरुषे शेष प्रजानां स्वस्ति वै कुरु ॥ १.३६.६ ॥
To him, steadfast in truth and practising austerity, the grandfather said: "Śeṣa, what is this you are doing? Bring well-being to the creatures."
1.36.7
त्वं हि तीव्रेण तपसा प्रजास्तापयसेऽनघ ।
ब्रूहि कामं च मे शेष यस्ते हृदि व्यवस्थितः ॥ १.३६.७ ॥
O sinless one, you scorch the creatures with fierce penance. Tell me freely, O Śeṣa, whatever is settled in your heart.
1.36.8
सोदर्या मम सर्वे हि भ्रातरो मन्दचेतसः ।
सह तैर्नोत्सहे वस्तुं तद्भवाननुमन्यताम् ॥ १.३६.८ ॥
All my uterine brothers are dull-minded. I am unable to dwell with them; may your honour consent to this.
1.36.9
अभ्यसूयन्ति सततं परस्परममित्रवत् ।
ततोऽहं तप आतिष्ठे नैतन्पश्येयमित्युत ॥ १.३६.९ ॥
They constantly quarrel with one another like enemies. Therefore I undertook penance, so that I might not see this.
1.36.10
न मर्षयन्ति ससुतां सततं विनतां च ते ।
अस्माकं चापरो भ्राता वैनतेयोऽन्तरिक्षगः ॥ १.३६.१० ॥
They never tolerate Vinatā together with her son. And our other brother is Vainateya (Garuḍa), who moves in the sky.
1.36.11
तं च द्विषन्ति सततं स चापि बलवत्तरः ।
वरप्रदानात्स पितुः कश्यपस्य महात्मनः ॥ १.३६.११ ॥
They constantly hate him as well, and he is far stronger, by the boon of our great-souled father Kaśyapa.
1.36.12
सोऽहं तपः समास्थाय मोक्ष्यामीदं कलेवरम् ।
कथं मे प्रेत्यभावेऽपि न तैः स्यात्सह सङ्गमः ॥ १.३६.१२ ॥
So I shall take up penance wholeheartedly and abandon this body. How could there be no union with them even after death?
1.36.13
तमेवं वादिनं शेषं पितामह उवाच ह ।
जानामि शेष सर्वेषां भ्रातॄणां ते विचेष्टितम् ॥ १.३६.१३ ॥
Thus speaking to Śeṣa, the grandfather said: O Śeṣa, I know the conduct of all your brothers.
1.36.14
मातुश्चाप्यपराधाद्वै भ्रातॄणां ते महद्भयम् ।
कृतोऽत्र परिहारश्च पूर्वमेव भुजङ्गम ॥ १.३६.१४ ॥
Through the mother's offence great fear has come upon your brothers; yet a remedy for this has already been made, O best of serpents.
1.36.15
भ्रातॄणां तव सर्वेषां न शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि ।
वृणीष्व च वरं मत्तः शेष यत्तेऽभिकाङ्क्षितम् ॥ १.३६.१५ ॥
You ought not to grieve for all your brothers. Choose a boon from me, O Śeṣa, whatever you desire.
1.36.16
दास्यामि हि वरं तेऽद्य प्रीतिर्मे परमा त्वयि ।
दिष्ट्या बुद्धिश्च ते धर्मे निविष्टा पन्नगोत्तम।
भूयो भूयश्च ते बुद्धिर्धर्मे भवतु सुस्थिरा ॥ १.३६.१६ ॥
Today I will give you a boon, for my supreme delight is in you. Fortunately your mind is fixed on dharma. O best of serpents, may your mind be ever more firmly steady in dharma.
1.36.17
एष एव वरो देव काङ्क्षितो मे पितामह ।
धर्मे मे रमतां बुद्धिः शमे तपसि चेश्वर ॥ १.३६.१७ ॥
This is indeed the boon I desire, O god, O grandfather: may my mind delight in dharma, and, O Lord, in calm and in asceticism.
1.36.18
प्रीतोऽस्म्यनेन ते शेष दमेन च शमेन च ।
त्वया त्विदं वचः कार्यं मन्नियोगात्प्रजाहितम् ॥ १.३६.१८ ॥
I am pleased with you, O Śeṣa, by this self-restraint and calm. But by my command you must carry out this word, which is for the welfare of creatures.
1.36.19
इमां महीं शैलवनोपपन्नां ।
ससागरग्रामविहारपत्तनाम्
त्वं शेष सम्यक् चलितां यथाव-
त्संगृह्य तिष्ठस्व यथाऽचला स्यात् ॥ १.३६.१९ ॥
O Śeṣa, this earth, endowed with mountains and forests, with oceans, villages, pleasure-grounds and towns, is unsteady. Hold it rightly and keep it firm, so that it may become immovable.
1.36.20
यथाऽऽह देवो वरदः प्रजापति-
र्महीपतिर्भूतपतिर्जगत्पतिः।
तथा महीं धारयिताऽस्मि निश्चलां ।
प्रयच्छतां मे विवरं प्रजापते ॥ १.३६.२० ॥
As the boon-giving god, the lord of creatures, lord of the earth, lord of beings and lord of the world has said, so I will bear this earth unmoving. O lord of creatures, grant me an opening.
1.36.21
अधो महीं गच्छ भुजङ्गमोत्तम ।
स्वयं तवैषा विवरं प्रदास्यति।
इमां धरां धारयता त्वया हि मे ।
महत्प्रियं शेष कृतं भविष्यति ॥ १.३६.२१ ॥
O best of serpents, go down into the earth. This earth itself will give you an opening. O Śeṣa, by bearing this earth you will do me a great service.
1.36.22
तथैव कृत्वा विवरं प्रविश्य स ।
प्रभुर्भुवो भुजगवराग्रजः स्थितः।
बिभर्ति देवीं शिरसा महीमिमां ।
समुद्रनेमिं परिगृह्य सर्वतः ॥ १.३६.२२ ॥
Having made an opening in this way and entered, that lord of the earth, foremost of the best of serpents, stood there and bore on his head this goddess earth, whose rim is the ocean, grasping her on every side.
1.36.23
शेषोऽसि नागोत्तम धर्मदेवो ।
महीमिमां धारयसे यदेकः।
अनन्तभोगैः परिगृह्य सर्वां ।
यथाहमेवं बलभिद्यथा वा ॥ १.३६.२३ ॥
O Śeṣa, best of nāgas, you are the god of dharma, for you alone bear this earth. Encircling all of it with your endless coils, bear it as I do, or as Indra does.
1.36.24
अधो भूमौ वसत्येवं नागोऽनन्तः प्रतापवान् ।
धास्यन्वसुधामेकः शासनाद्ब्रह्मणो विभोः ॥ १.३६.२४ ॥
Thus below the earth dwells the mighty serpent Ananta, who alone, by the command of the all-powerful Brahmā, bears up this earth.
1.36.25
सुपर्णं च सहायं वै भगवानमरोत्तमः ।
प्रादादनन्ताय तदा वैनतेयं पितामहः ॥ १.३६.२५ ॥
Then the blessed grandfather, best of the immortals, gave Ananta the son of Vinatā, Suparṇa (Garuḍa), as his helper.
1.36.26
अनन्तेऽभिप्रयाते तु वासुकिः स महाबलः ।
अभ्यषिच्यत नागैस्तु दैवतैरिव वासवः ॥ १.३६.२६ ॥
When Ananta had departed, that mighty Vāsuki was anointed by the nāgas, just as the gods anoint Indra.