Sringi said: —
1. O father, whether my act was rash or improper, whether you like it or dislike it, the words spoken by me shall never be vain.
2. O father, I tell you; this can never be otherwise. I have never spoken a lie even in jest.
Samika said: -
3. My child, I know, you are greatly powerful, and you are very truthful. You have never spoken a falsehood in your life, and therefore your curse will never be false.
4. But the son, even when he is grown up, should always be adviced by his father, so that adorned with good qualities, he may earn great renown.
5. You are mere child, and therefore, how much more do you stand in need of counsel! You are always engaged in asceticism. Even the anger of illustrious and high souled men increases with the increase of their powers.
6. O best of pious men, considering that you are my son and a mere boy, and seeing your rashness, I see I must give you advice.
7. Live, O son, having your mind inclined to peace; live on fruits and roots of the forest. Destroy your anger; but do not destroy the fruits of your asceticism (by giving vent to anger.)
8. Anger diminishes the merits that ascetics acquire with great pains. There is no hope for those who are deprived of virtue.
9. Peacefulness produces success to the forgiving ascetics. Good come to the forgiving men, both in this world and in the next.
10. Therefore, you should always live, being forgiving m your temper and self- controlling of your passions, my forgiveness you will attain to worlds that are beyond the reach of even Brahma.
11. O my son, having adopted peacefulness, I shall do.as much as lies in my power. I shall do this. I shall send words to the king, telling him.
12. “O king, you have been cursed by my son, who is a mere child and whose intellect is not yet developed. Seeing your disrespect towards me, (he has done this) in anger.”
Souti said: -
13. That great ascetic, observant of vows, moved by kindness, sent a disciple to Parikshit with proper instructions.
14. He sent his disciple, named Gaurmukha, a young man of good manners and of ascetic penances, instructing him to enquire first about the welfare of the king, and then to communicate the real business.
15. Going (to Hastinapur) he soon came to the king, the head of the Kuru race. He entered the king’s palace, having first sent the notice of his arrival through a servant.
16. The Brahmana, Gaurmukha, was received in all honours. And then after resting for a while, he told the king in the presence of his ministers, the terrible words of Samika, exactly as he was instructed.
Gaurmukha said : —
17. O king of kings, there lives within your dominions, a Rishi, named Shamika.
18-19. He is greatly virtuous, very peaceful, his passions under control, and a great ascetic. O best of men, a dead snake was placed by you with the end of your bow on the shoulder of this Rishi who was then observing, the vow of silence. He himself forgave the act, but his son did not.
20. O king of kings, you have been to-day cursed by him without the knowledge of his father. Takshaka will be your death within seven nights.
21. Shamika repeatedly asked his son to save you, but there is none to falsify his curse.
22. As he has been unable to pacify his angry son, therefore, O king, I have been sent by him to you for your good.
Souti said: —
23. Having heard these terrible words, and recollecting his own sinful act, the king, the descendant of the Kuru race, a great ascetic himself, grew exceedingly sorry.
24. Having heard that the best of the Rishi (Shamika) had been observing the vow of silence, he was doubly afflicted with sorrow.
25. Seeing I also the great kindness shown to him by the Rishi, and recollecting his own. great sinful act, the king became very penitant.
26. The king, who looked like a celestial, did not grieve so much for hearing that he would die, as for having done that (insulting) act to the Rishi.
27. The king then sent away Gaurmukha, saying: “Let the adored Rishi be gracious to met”
28. When Gaurmukha had gone away, the king in great anxiety consulted with all his ministers without delay.
29. Having consulted with his ministers, the king himself, wise in counsels, caused a palace to be erected on a pillar, guarded day and night by men.
30. For his protection, he placed all around the palace, physicians, medicines and Brahmanas skilled in Mantras.
31. Thus being protected on all sides, king discharged his royal duties, surrounded by his virtuous ministers.
32. None could approach that best of kings there (in that palace.) The air even could not go there, being prevented from enterings.
33. When the seventh day came, the best of Brahmanas, Kashyapa, was coming with the intention of treating the king, (if bitten by the snake.)
34. He had heard all that had happened; he had heard that the best of snakes, Takshaka would take the king to Yama’s, abode.
35. He. thought, “I will cure the king bitten by the best of the snakes. By this I may gain both wealth and virtue.”
36. The king of the snakes, Takshaka, saw on the way, Kashyapa, going with the intention of curing the king. He appeared before him in the form of a Brahmana.
37. Thereupon the king of the snakes spoke to the best of the Rishis, Kashyapa saying, “Where are you going with such speed”. What is the business upon which you are going?
Kashyapa said: —
38. The best of snakes, Takshaka, will to-day burn the chastiser of his enemies, king Parikshit of the Kuru race;
39. O amiable man, I am going in haste without loss of time, to curat that king of immeasurable prowess, the sole representative of the kudu race, when he will be bitten by the king of snakes, who is as powerful as Agni.
Takshaka said: —
40. O Brahmana, I am that very Takshaka, who will kill that king of the earth, Stop, you cannot cure one who is bitten by me.
Kashyapa said: -
41. I am possessed with the power of learning. Going there, I am sure I shall cure the king bitten by you.
Thus ends the forty second chapter, Astika, in the Adi Parva.