Shloka 22
Vyāsa’s Arrival at Janamejaya’s Sarpasatra; Commissioning of Vaiśaṃpāyana’s Recital (व्यासागमनम्)
स सम्भावय नागेन्द्र मयि सर्व महामते । न ते मयि मनो जातु मिथ्या भवितुमहति,“महाबुद्धिमान् नागराज! मुझमें यह सब कुछ करनेकी योग्यता है, आप इसपर विश्वास रखें। आपके मनमें मेरे प्रति जो आशा-भरोसा है, वह कभी मिथ्या नहीं हो सकता”
sa sambhāvaya nāgendra mayi sarva mahāmate | na te mayi mano jātu mithyā bhavitum arhati ||
Āstīka sprach: „O Herr der Schlangen, o Großgesinnter, setze dein volles Vertrauen in mich. Ich vermag alles zu vollbringen, was nötig ist. Die Hoffnung und das Vertrauen, die dein Herz in mich gelegt hat, können niemals mit Recht vergeblich werden.“
आस्तीक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes responsible assurance: one should accept trust only with the intent and capacity to fulfill it, and a protector/intercessor should act so that another’s reliance does not become futile—an ethical stance aligned with dharma (keeping faith, preventing harm).
During the serpent-sacrifice episode, Āstīka addresses the serpent-king, urging him to trust Āstīka’s ability to act effectively. He promises that the serpent-king’s hope in him will not be disappointed, preparing the ground for Āstīka’s intervention to halt the destruction of the nāgas.