Chapter 6(a) - Takṣaka Bites Parīkṣit—Janmejaya’s Serpent Sacrifice

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śūta said:

1. Having heard this exposition from the Sage Śuka, the son of Vyāsa, who had the vision of Lord Hari, the soul abiding in all^[1] King Parīkṣit, who (while in womb) was protected by Lord Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) approached the lotus-feet of Śuka and. bowed down with his head bent and palms folded.

The king Parīkṣit requested:

2. My purpose in life (viz, of gaining spiritual wisdom) has been accomplished. I have been graciously favoured by your worship of merciful heart, as I have been made to listen directly (to the stories etc.) of Lord Hari who is the cause of the world^[2] and have been enlightened in the means of attaining to him.

3. I do not consider it a wonder that the grace of those noble persons who have completely devoted their hearts to Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa) should be showered on ignorant beings who have been tormented by miseries.

4. We have heard from you the collection of this (Bhāgavata) Purāṇa in which is extolled and praised Lord Viṣṇu of hallowing renown.

5. Worshipful Sir! Now I am not afraid of death either from Takṣaka or from other causes. I have entered (i.e. established my mind) in the fearless and supremely blissful Brahman, as guided by you.

6. O Brāhmaṇa sage! Be pleased to permit me. I shall now control my speech and other senses and concentrate on the supra-sensuous Lord. Entering (i.e. establishing my mind which is rid of all cravings and desires into the Supreme Lord, I shall give up my body.

7. You have graciously shown to me the fearless and the supreme state of the Almighty Lord, the firm insight of the knowledge and realisation of which have completely wiped out my nescience and the effects and impressions caused by it.

Sūta said:

8. The worshipful Śuka, the son of Bāḍarāyaṇa who was thus addressed and worshipped by the king, took leave of the king and departed along with other ascetics (who came to listen to the Bhāgavata).

9. By force of his reason, king Parīkṣit also established his mind firmly with his Soul and meditated on the Supreme Brahman remaining breathless and motionless like a tree (trunk or a post.)

10. On the bank of the Gaṅgā, facing to the north and seated on a seat of Kuśa grass the end of which pointed to the east, the great Yogin who was completely devoid of attachment and all whose doubts had been resolved, was completely merged in the Brahman.

11. O Brāhmaṇas! when the king became absorbed in Brahman, it was unnecessary and superfluous to kill him by snake-bite. In the meanwhile Takṣaka was directed by the revengeful and indignant son of Brāhmaṇa (sage Śamīka). While Takṣaka was going with the intention of killing the King, on the way he met (the Brāhmaṇa) Kaśyapa (who knew how to counteract poison).

12. With payment of money, he gratified the Brāhmaṇa who knew how to cure (all types of) poison^[3] and made him go back. The serpent who was capable of assuming any form at will, disguised himself as a Brāhmaṇa^[4] and bit the King.

13. Instantly the body of the royal sage who had become merged in Brahman was reduced to ashes by the serpent poison, while all embodied beings stood as mere witnesses.

14. There arose a loud hue and cry all over the earth, the sky and in all directions. For all gods, asuras, men, etc. became astonished at the event.

15. (But it was also a joyous occasion as King Parīkṣit was absorbed in the Brahman). Drums were sounded in the heavens; Gandharvas and Apsaras (celestial musicians and dancers) sang. Gods, expressing their approbation, sent down showers of flowers.

16. Hearing that his father had been assassinated by Takṣaka, Janmejaya flared up with wrath. With the help of Brāhmaṇa priests, he started a sacrificial session in which he offered Nāgas as oblations into the fire, in the prescribed manner.

17. Seeing that even big serpents were being burnt in the raging fire-blaze of the serpent-sacrifice, Takṣaka became terror-stricken and sought the protection of Indra.

18. Not seeing Takṣaka (invoked and oblated) in the sacred fire kindled for the sacrifice, the king Janmejaya, the son of Parīkṣit, enquired why Takṣaka, the vilest of serpents, was not invoked as oblation to the fire.

19. “O King of kings! It is Indra who is protecting Takṣaka as he has sought asylum with him. He has been protected and held back by Indra. Hence the serpent does not fall into the sacrificial fire.”

20. Hearing that explanation, the highly intelligent son of Parīkṣit asked the officiating priests, “Why is not Takṣaka along with Indra invoked and made to fall into the fire (by you) O Brāhmaṇas?”

21. Hearing that request of Janmejaya) the Brāhmaṇas invoked Takṣaka along with Indra in that sacrifice thus: “O Takṣaka! Instantly fall into this (sacrificial) fire along with. Indra, the leader of Maruts.^[5]

22. In this way, due to the (superior) force in the harsh invocation of the Brāhmaṇas, Indra, along with his aerial car and Takṣaka, was dislodged from his position and became bewildered (in mind).

23. Observing that Indra, along with his aerial car and Takṣaka, was crashing down from the sky, Bṛhaspati of the Aṅgiras gotra (clan) (strongly protested and) remonstrated with the king.^[6]

24. “O King of men! This king of serpents cannot be killed by you, as nectar has been imbibed by him and he is hence immune from old age and death.

25. (If you still insist on burning him as he is the murderer of your father please consider that Life and death of a being and his (consequent) position in the other world—all is determined by his own actions (Karma). Hence, O King, (it is the Karma—the result of one’s action and) no other person can be held responsible as the cause of happiness or misery of any other person.

26. When a being meets death through, the agency of a serpent, a thief, fire, lightning, starvation, thirst, disease and such other causes, the victim is experiencing the fruit of his own Karma that is in the process of fruition.

27. Therefore, let this malevolently motivated sacrificial session involving violence to life be stopped, as serpents, in spite of their innocence, have been burnt O King! (I however do not blame you for what you have done so far) It is the fruit of one’s part action that is experienced by people.

Sūta said:

28. Thus appealed, the king respected the words of the great sage and said, “Let it be done so.” He desisted from that serpent sacrifice and worshipped Bṛhaspati.

29. Such is this notable great deluding potency (Māyā) of Lord Viṣṇu. It is both incomprehensible and insuperable. It is due to the deluding force of this Māyā that beings, though rays or aṃśas of Viṣṇu succumb to passions (such as anger, etc.) which are the products of guṇas (like rajas and tamas) and do wrong to other fellow-beings.

30.^[7] (Māyā is superable if you resort to Lord Viṣṇu). The notion such as ‘This man is a hypocrite’ which exists in the mind is Māyā. But it does not figure boldly or openly in the frequent discussions held by the exponents of the self in their investigations about the self. (It is shown to exist somehow like one in a scared state of mind and does not function as a deluding potency). With relation to God there is no scope for various discussions or disputations which are based on Māyā as he is above that. Nor can the mind which is of the nature of creating ideations and doubts function in respect of God.

31. In relation to Him, no scope is there for the Jīva with its adjunct ahaṃkāra as its component and with Karma (action), materials bringing about Karma or its instruments and the fruit to be attained through the above two. He is above and unrelated to opposition or interruption (and hence does not oppose anybody or can be opposed by anybody). That being the nature of the self, the contemplative sage should discard these waves i.e. aberrations of ahaṃkāra and remain in the blissful state of ātman.

32. Persons who after due examination (of the true nature of things) desire to renounce everything that is not Ātman (using the words ‘not that’, ‘not that’) declare that the essential supreme nature ofViṣṇu is as (described) above. They have given up the false notion of (the identification of the body and soul called here as) ‘I-ness’ and ‘mine-ness’ with reference to their body and belongings. With full control over their body, senses and mind they embrace the essential nature of Viṣṇu in their heart and realize the Ātman by their power of meditation.

33. Only they can attain to the supreme nature of Viṣṇu, who are not touched by the evil notion of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ with reference to their body and house.

34. One should tolerate disparaging remarks and harsh words; he should not show disrespect to anybody; nor should he cherish enmity to any one for the sake of this (physical) body (which is to be cast off one day).

35. I bow to the worshipful and glorious Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana Vyāsa^[8] whose intelligence easily grasps everything (lit. is unobstructible). It is by meditating upon his feet that I learnt this compilation of Śrīmad Bhāgavata.

[See next for the second part of this chapter (i.e., verses 36-80)]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Or: Who looked upon all as within himself or with equal outlook (Bhāvāratha Dīpikā).

[2]:

Or: Who is eternal with no beginning or end.

[3]:

Mahābhārata: Ādi. 42.36-43 describes how Kāśyapa showed Takṣaka how he resuscitated the tree burnt to ashes by Takṣaka-bite.

[4]:

The Mahābhārata Ādi. 43. 22-36 makes him mixed up as a worm in the fruits, presented to the King by Nāga sages.

[5]:

Who is accompanied by Marut (wind)—gods—Bhāgavata Candrikā Padaratnāvalī

[6]:

As per Mahābhārata, Ādi. chs. 56-58 it is Āstīka, the Yāyāvara who made Janmejaya to stop the sacrifice.

[7]:

Padaratnāvalī is more lucid:—“When persons who, being experts in investigating into Upaniṣads, repeatedly carry on their enquiry or discussion about Paramātman, Māyā which has the capacity of deluding beings, does not wield any influence over Hari, though it may remain incomprehensible to others. Brahman cannot be comprehended even by the mind which is ‘unstable’ due to its apprehensions and doubts. Here the deities presiding over the mind or speech are implied and not the physical organ. Even these deities cannot comprehend paramātman.”

[8]:

Glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa—Padaratnāvalī