वैशंपायन उवाच
युधिष्ठिरस् तम् आसाद्य सर्पभोगाभिवेष्टितम् ॥
दयितं भ्रातरं वीरम् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
कुन्तीमातः कथम् इमाम् आपदं त्वम् अवाप्तवान् ॥
कश् चायं पर्वताभोगप्रतिमः पन्नगोत्तमः ॥
स धर्मराजम् आलक्ष्य भ्राता भ्रातरम् अग्रजम् ॥
कथयाम् आस तत् सर्वं ग्रहणादि विचेष्टितम् ॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
देवो वा यदि वा दैत्य उरगो वा भवान् यदि ॥
सत्यं सर्प वचो ब्रूहि पृच्छति त्वां युधिष्ठिरः ॥
किम् आहृत्य विदित्वा वा प्रीतिस् ते स्याद् भुजंगम ॥
किम् आहारं प्रयच्छामि कथं मुञ्चेद् भवान् इमम् ॥
सर्प उवाच
नहुषो नाम राजाहम् आसं पूर्वस् तवानघ ॥
प्रथितः पञ्चमः सोमाद् आयोः पुत्रो नराधिप ॥
क्रतुभिस् तपसा चैव स्वाध्यायेन दमेन च ॥
त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्यम् अव्यग्रं प्राप्तो विक्रमणेन च ॥
तद् ऐश्वर्यं समासाद्य दर्पो माम् अगमत् तदा ॥
सहस्रं हि द्विजातीनाम् उवाह शिबिकां मम ॥
ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तो ऽहम् अवमन्य ततो द्विजान् ॥
इमाम् अगस्त्येन दशाम् आनीतः पृथिवीपते ॥
न तु माम् अजहात् प्रज्ञा यावद् अद्येति पाण्डव ॥
तस्यैवानुग्रहाद् राजन्न् अगस्त्यस्य महात्मनः ॥
षष्ठे काले ममाहारः प्राप्तो ऽयम् अनुजस् तव ॥
नाहम् एनं विमोक्ष्यामि न चान्यम् अभिकामये ॥
प्रश्नान् उच्चारितांस् तु त्वं व्याहरिष्यसि चेन् मम ॥
अथ पश्चाद् विमोक्ष्यामि भ्रातरं ते वृकोदरम् ॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
ब्रूहि सर्प यथाकामं प्रतिवक्ष्यामि ते वचः ॥
अपि चेच् छक्नुयां प्रीतिम् आहर्तुं ते भुजंगम ॥
वेद्यं यद् ब्राह्मणेनेह तद् भवान् वेत्ति केवलम् ॥
सर्पराज ततः श्रुत्वा प्रतिवक्ष्यामि ते वचः ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
yudhiṣṭhiras tam āsādya sarpabhogābhiveṣṭitam ||
dayitaṃ bhrātaraṃ vīram idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
kuntīmātaḥ katham imām āpadaṃ tvam avāptavān ||
kaś cāyaṃ parvatābhogapratimaḥ pannagottamaḥ ||
sa dharmarājam ālakṣya bhrātā bhrātaram agrajam ||
kathayām āsa tat sarvaṃ grahaṇādi viceṣṭitam ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
devo vā yadi vā daitya urago vā bhavān yadi ||
satyaṃ sarpa vaco brūhi pṛcchati tvāṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
kim āhṛtya viditvā vā prītis te syād bhujaṃgama ||
kim āhāraṃ prayacchāmi kathaṃ muñced bhavān imam ||
sarpa uvāca
nahuṣo nāma rājāham āsaṃ pūrvas tavānagha ||
prathitaḥ pañcamaḥ somād āyoḥ putro narādhipa ||
kratubhis tapasā caiva svādhyāyena damena ca ||
trailokyaiśvaryam avyagraṃ prāpto vikramaṇena ca ||
tad aiśvaryaṃ samāsādya darpo mām agamat tadā ||
sahasraṃ hi dvijātīnām uvāha śibikāṃ mama ||
aiśvaryamadamatto 'ham avamanya tato dvijān ||
imām agastyena daśām ānītaḥ pṛthivīpate ||
na tu mām ajahāt prajñā yāvad adyeti pāṇḍava ||
tasyaivānugrahād rājann agastyasya mahātmanaḥ ||
ṣaṣṭhe kāle mamāhāraḥ prāpto 'yam anujas tava ||
nāham enaṃ vimokṣyāmi na cānyam abhikāmaye ||
praśnān uccāritāṃs tu tvaṃ vyāhariṣyasi cen mama ||
atha paścād vimokṣyāmi bhrātaraṃ te vṛkodaram ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
brūhi sarpa yathākāmaṃ prativakṣyāmi te vacaḥ ||
api cec chaknuyāṃ prītim āhartuṃ te bhujaṃgama ||
vedyaṃ yad brāhmaṇeneha tad bhavān vetti kevalam ||
sarparāja tataḥ śrutvā prativakṣyāmi te vacaḥ ||
Vaishampayana said: 'Yudhishthira, approaching his beloved brother-hero bound in the serpent's coils, said: "Son of mother Kunti, how did you fall into this calamity? And who is this best of serpents, like a mountain slope?" Having seen Dharmaraja, the brother told his elder brother everything about how he had been seized and what had happened. Yudhishthira said: "If you are a god, a daitya, or a serpent, tell the truth, serpent: Yudhishthira asks you. What, by bringing or by knowing, would bring you joy? What food shall I give you? How will you release him?" The serpent said: "I was once a king named Nahusha before you, sinless one, renowned, fifth from Soma, son of Ayu, lord of men. By sacrifices, austerity, study of the Vedas, self-restraint, and valor I attained unshaken dominion over the three worlds. Having attained that dominion, I was overcome by pride: a thousand twice-born men carried my palanquin. Intoxicated with power, I scorned them, and Agastya brought me to this state, lord of the earth. But wisdom has not left me to this day, son of Pandu, by the grace of that same magnanimous Agastya. In the sixth watch this younger brother of yours became my food; I will not release him, nor do I desire another. But if you speak the answers to my questions, then I will release your brother Vrikodara." Yudhishthira said: "Ask, serpent, as you wish; I will answer your words if I am able to bring you joy. What a brahmin must know here, you alone know, king of serpents. Having heard, I will answer you."'
a2c838b82e1f · publicado 16 jul 2026, 17:12:44 UTC
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Nahusha was king of the three worlds, but fell because of his contempt for brahmins. Now his release depends not on power, but on right understanding of dharma.