Shloka 24
भूमिभार-निवारणप्रसङ्गः (Bhūmibhāra-nivāraṇa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Motif of Relieving Earth’s Burden
यो जरत्कारुणा जातो जरत्कारी महायशा: । आस्तीक: सर्पसत्रे वः पन्नगान् यो5भ्यरक्षत । त॑ स्मरन्तं महाभागा न मां हिंसितुमरहथ,(मन्त्र और उनके भाव इस प्रकार हैं--) जरत्कारुू ऋषिसे जरत्कारु नामक नागकन्यासे जो आस्तीक नामक यशस्वी ऋषि उत्पन्न हुए तथा जिन्होंने सर्पसत्रमें तुम सर्पोंकी रक्षा की थी, उनका मैं स्मरण कर रहा हूँ। महाभाग्यवान् सर्पो! तुमलोग मुझे मत डँसो
yo jaratkāruṇā jāto jaratkārī mahāyaśāḥ | āstīkaḥ sarpasatre vaḥ pannagān yo 'bhyarakṣata | taṁ smarantaṁ mahābhāgā na māṁ hiṁsitum arhatha ||
I am Āstīka, the greatly renowned—born of the sage Jaratkāru and the serpent-maiden Jaratkārī—who once protected you nāgas at the Snake-Sacrifice. Remembering him, O fortunate serpents, you ought not to harm me.
आस्तीक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma through gratitude and restraint: those who have been protected should remember benefaction and refrain from harming the benefactor. Ethical conduct is framed as a moral obligation grounded in memory of past help.
Āstīka identifies himself to the serpents and invokes his lineage and past deed—saving the nāgas during the Sarpa-satra—asking them not to bite or harm him, appealing to their recognition and sense of obligation.