Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/143

Rh They were much pleased with Astika and asked him to solicit a boon saying,-'O learned one, what good shall we do unto thee? We have been very much gratified, having been all saved by thee! What shall we accomplish for thee, O child !

Astika said, 'Let those Brahmanas, and other men, who shall, in the morning or in the evening, cheerfully and with attention, read the sacred account of this my act, have no fear from any of your And the snakes in joy thereupon said.-'O nephew, in the nature of thy boon, let it be exactly as thou sayest! That which thou askest we all shall cheerfully do, O nephew! And those also that call to mind Astika, Artiman and Sunitha, in the day or in the night, shall have no fear of snakes. He again shall have no fear of snakes who will say.-'I call to mind the famous Astika born of Jaratkaru by Jaratkaru, that Astika who saved the snakes from the snake-sacrifice. Therefore, ye snakes of great good fortune, it behoveth you not to bite me. But go ye away, blessed be ye, or go away thou snake of virulent poison, and remember the words of Astika after the snake-sacrifice of Janamejaya 1 - That snake who does not cease from biting after hearing such mention of Astika, shall have his hood divided a hundred-fold like the fruit of Singsa tree."

Sauti continued.--"That first of Brahmanas, thus addressed by the foremost of the chief snakes assembled together, was very much gratified. And the high-souled one then set his heart upon going away."

And that best of Brahmanas, having saved the snakes from the snakesacrifice, ascended to heaven when his time came, leaving sons and grandsons behind him.

"Thus have I recited to thee this history of Astika exactly as it happened. Indeed, the recitation of this history dispelleth all fear of snakes."

Sauti continued, -"O Brahmana, O foremost one of Bhrigu's race, as thy ancestor Pramati bad cheerfully narrated unto his inquiring son Ruru, and as I had heard it, thus have I recited this blessed history, from the beginning, of the learned Astika! And O Brahmana, o oppressor of all enemies, having heard this holy history of Astika that increasech virtue, and which thou hadst asked me about after hearing the story of the Dundubha, let thy ardent curiosity be satisfied I"

Thus ends the fifty-eighth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva. 17