Shloka 18
Vyāsa’s Arrival at Janamejaya’s Sarpasatra; Commissioning of Vaiśaṃpāyana’s Recital (व्यासागमनम्)
अहं त्वां मोक्षयिष्यामि वासुके पन्नगोत्तम । तस्माच्छापान्महास तत्त्व सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते,“महान् शक्तिशाली नागराज वासुके! मैं आपको माताके उस शापसे छुड़ा दूँगा। यह आपसे सत्य कहता हूँ
ahaṁ tvāṁ mokṣayiṣyāmi vāsuke pannagottama | tasmāc chāpān mahāsattva satyam etad bravīmi te ||
“โอ้ วาสุกี ผู้ประเสริฐแห่งพญานาคทั้งหลาย เราจักปลดเจ้าให้พ้นจากคำสาปนั้น โอ้ผู้ทรงเดชยิ่ง เรากล่าวแก่เจ้าด้วยสัตย์จริง”
आस्तीक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights satya (truthfulness) joined with karuṇā (compassion): a righteous person gives assurance to protect others from harm and stands by that promise, especially when a community faces existential threat.
Āstīka addresses Vāsuki and promises to free him from a curse associated with his mother. This pledge anticipates Āstīka’s later role in averting catastrophe for the Nāgas during the serpent-sacrifice episode.