The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 16

Section XVI. ( Astika Parva continued. )

Saunaka said, "O Sauti, relate in detail the history of the virtuous and learned Astika. We are extremely curious to hear it. O thou amiable one, thou speakest sweetly, and we are well pleased with thy speech. Thou speakest even as thy father. Thy sire was ever ready to please us. Now tell us the story as thy father told it."

Sauti said, "O thou blest with length of days, I will narrate the history of Astika as I heard it from my father. O Brahmana, in the Krita (golden) age Prajapati had two fair and virtuous daughters named Kadru and Vinata. The sisters were the wives of Kasyapa. Highly gratified with his virtuous wives, Kasyapa, resembling Prajapati himself, was desirous of conferring on each of them a boon. The ladies were all joy because their lord was willing to confer on them choice blessings. Kadru said, 'I would be mother of a thousand snakes of equal vigor.' And Vinata wished to bring forth two sons surpassing the thousand offspring of Kadru in strength, energy, size of body, and bravery. And Kasyapa said, 'be it so,' to Vinata extremely desirous of having offspring. And having obtained her prayer, she rejoiced greatly. And having obtained two sons of splendid prowess, she regarded her boon fulfilled. And Kadru also obtained her thousand sons of equal vigor. 'Bear your children carefully' said Kasyapa and went to the forest, leaving his two wives gratified with his blessings."

Sauti said, "O best of Dwijas, after a long time, Kadru brought forth a thousand eggs, and Vinata two. Their maid-servants deposited the eggs separately in warm vessels. Five hundred years passed away, and the thousand eggs produced by Kadru burst and out came the progeny. But the twins of Vinata did not appear. And Vinata was jealous, and she broke one of the eggs and found in it an embryo with the upper part developed but the lower undeveloped. At this, the child in the egg became angry and thus cursed his mother: 'O mother, since thou hast prematurely broken this egg, thou shalt even serve as a slave. And shouldst thou wait five thousand years, and not destroy, by breaking the other egg through impatience, the illustrious child within it, or render it half-developed, he will deliver thee from slavery. And if thou wouldst have the child strong, thou must take tender care of the egg for all this time.' And thus cursing his mother the child rose to the sky. O Brahmana, even he is the charioteer of the Sun, always seen in the hour of morning.

"Then at the expiration of the five hundred years, bursting open the other egg, out came Gadura, the serpent-eater. O tiger of the Bhrigu race, immediately on seeing the light, the son of Vinata left his mother, and the lord of birds feeling hungry mounted on his wings to seek for the food assigned to him by the great ordainer of all."

And so ends the sixteenth Section in the Astika of the Adi Parva.