# The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section XL

Section XL. ( Astika Parva continued. )
Saunaka said, "O son of Suta, I desire to know the reason why the illustrious Rishi whom thou hast named Jaratkaru came to be so called on earth. It behoveth thee to tell us the etymology of the name Jaratkaru."
Sauti said, "Jara is said to mean waste, and Karu implies huge. This Rishi's body had been huge, and he gradually reduced it by severe ascetic penances. For the same reason, O Brahmana, the sister of Vasuki was called Jaratkaru."
The virtuous Saunaka, when he heard this, smiled, and addressing Ugrasrava said, "It is even so."
Saunaka then said, "I have heard all that thou hast before recited. I desire to know how Astika was born."
And Suta, on hearing these words, began to say according to what was written in the Shastras.
Sauti said, "And Vasuki desirous of bestowing his sister upon the Rishi Jaratkaru gave the snakes (necessary) orders. But days went on, yet that wise Muni of rigid vows, deeply engaged in ascetic devotions, sought not for a wife. And that high-souled Rishi, engaged in study and deeply devoted to asceticism, his vital seed under full control, fearlessly wandered over the while earth and felt not a wish even for a wife.
"Afterwards, once upon a certain time, there was a king, O Brahmana, of the name of Parikshita, born of the race of the Kauravas. And, like his great-grand-father Pandu of old, he was of mighty arm, the first of all bearers of bows in war and given up to hunting. And the monarch wandered about piercing deer, wild boars, wolves, and buffaloes, and ​various other kinds of wild animals. One day having pierced a deer with a sharp arrow and slung his bow on his back, he penetrated into the deep forest, searching for the animal here and there, like the illustrious Rudra himself of old pursuing in the heavens, with bow in hand, the deer which was the celestial sacrifice itself turned into that shape, after having pierced it. No deer that was pierced by Parikshita had ever escaped in the woods with life. This deer, however, wounded as before, fled with speed, as the (proximate) cause of the king's attainment of heaven. And the deer that Parikshita—that king of men—had pierced was lost to his gaze and drew the monarch far enough into the forest. And fatigued and thirsty, he came upon a Muni, in the forest, seated in a fold of kine and drinking to his fill the froth oozing out of the mouths of calves sticking the milk of their dams. And approaching him hastily, the monarch, hungry and fatigued, and raising his bow, asked that Muni of rigid vows, saying, 'O Brahmana, I am king Parikshita, the son of Abhimanyu. A deer pierced by me hath been lost. Hast ther seen it?' But that Muni, observing then the vow of silence, spake not unto him a word. And the king in anger thereupon placed upon his shoulder a dead snake, taking it up with the end of his bow. And the Muni suffered him to do it without protest. And he spake not a word, good or bad. And the king seeing him in that state, cast off his anger and became sorry. And he returned to his capital, but the Rishi continued in the same state. And the forgiving Muni, knowing that the monarch who was a tiger amongst kings was true to the duties of his order, cursed him not though insulted. And that tiger amongst monarchs, the foremost of the Bharata race, also knew him not for a virtuous Rishi. And it was for this that he had insulted him so.
"And that Rishi had a son by name Sringi, of tender years, gifted with great energy, deep in ascetic penances, severe in his vows, very wrathful, and difficult to be appeased. At times, he worshipped with great attention and respect his preceptor, seated with ease on his seat and over engaged in the good of all creatures.
"And commanded by his preceptor he was coming home when, ​O best of Brahmanas, a companion of his, a Rishi's son named Krisha in a playful mood laughingly spake unto him. And Sringi, wrathful and like unto poison itself, hearing those words in reference to his father, flamed up in a rage.
"And Krisha said, 'Be not proud, O Sringi, for ascetic as thou art and possessed of energy, thy father bears on his shoulder a dead snake. Henceforth speak not a word to sons of Rishis like ourselves who have knowledge of the truth, are deep in ascetic penances, and have attained success. Where is that manliness of thine, those high words of thine begotten of pride, when thou must have to behold thy father bearing a dead snake? O thou best of all the Munis, thy father too had done nothing to deserve this treatment, and it is for this that I am particularly sorry as if the punishment were mine.'"
And so ends the fortieth Section in the Astika of the Adi Parva.