have been in the same path, with heart fixed on the good of my relatives. O best of Brabmanas, the object for which I was bestowed on thee hath not been accomplished yet? Unfortunate as I am, what shall Vasuki say unto me? O excellent one, the offspring desired of thee by my relatives afflicted by a mother's curse, doth not yet appear ! The wel. fare of my relatives dependeth on the acquisition of an offspring from thee! And in order that my connection with thee may not be fruitless. O illustrious Brabmana, moved by the desire of doing good to my race do I entreat thee! O excellent one, bigh-souled as thou art, why sbalt thou leave me who am faultless? This conception of mine is as yet indistinct !'"
"Thus addressed, the Muni of great ascetic merit spake unto his wife Jatatkaru these words that were proper and suitable to the occasion. And he said.-'0 fortunate one, the being thou hast conceived, even like unto Agni himself is a Rishi of soul highly virtuous, and a master of the Vedas and their brances.'
"Having said so, the great Rishi, Jaratkaru, of virtuous soul, went away, his heart firmly fixed on practising again the severest penances."
So ends the forty-seventy section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION XLVIII
(Astika Parva continued)
Sauti said, "O thou of ascetic wealth, soon after her lord had left her, Jaratkaru went to her brother. And she told him everything that had happened. And the prince of snakes, beating the calamitous news, spake unto his miserable sister, himself more miserable still."
"And he said, 'Thou knowest, O amiable one, the purpose of thy bestowal, the reason thereof! 'If, from that union, for the welfare of the snakes, a son be born, then he, possessed of energy, will save us all from the snake sacrifice ! The Grandsire had said so, of old, in the midst of the gods. O fortunate one, hast thou conceived from thy union with that best of Rishis? My heart's desire is that my bestowal of thee on that wise one may not be fruitless I Truly, it is not proper for me to ask thee about this I But from the gravity of the interests I ask thee this I Knowing also the obstinacy of thy lord, ever engaged in severe penances, I shall not follow him, for he may curse me. Tell me in detail all that thy lord, O amiable one, hath done, and extract that terribly afflicting dart that lies implanted for a long time past in my heart I""
"Jaratkaru, thus addressed, consoling Vasuki, the king of the snakes,
