Astika maharaj
Astika maharaj an eminent learned youth, Scholar and a holy man ,also a close friend of Janamejaya, minister and a philosopher comes to know of Janamajaya's act and stops him.
Astika muni whose name mean Believer; theist; God-revering person.
It has been mentioned in Mahabharata that the recitation of following
verses protects one from snakes.
Astika, son of Sage
Jarutkaru, had a boon so that serpants can not harm him. The same mantra (verses) is shared in Mahabharata Adi Parva. The meaning of these verses is very interesting. It prays to serpant god not to harm and gives reference to the original boon that was granted to Astik. Isn't it fascinating ?
असितं चार्तिमंतं च सुनीथं चापि यः स्मरेत्
दिवा वा यदि रात्रौ नास्य सर्पभयं भवेत् ॥
यो जरत्कारुणा जातो जरत्कारौ महायशाः ।
आस्तीकः सर्पसत्रे वः पन्नगान्योङभ्यरक्षत ॥
तं स्मरंत महाभागा न मां हिंसितुमहर्थ ।
सर्पापसर्प भद्रं ते गच्छ सर्प महाविष ।
जनमेजयस्य यज्ञांते आस्तीकवचनं स्मर ॥
आस्तीकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा यः सर्पो न निवर्तते ।
शतधा भिद्यते मूर्घ्नि शिशंवृक्षफलं त्रथा ॥
Once Parikshita went hunting in the forest. Parikshita entered into a sage Shringi's hut as he was thirsty. He found the sage in deep meditation. He bowed to him several times but as their was no response he took a dead snake and threw it around the sage's neck. Later when the sage's son heard of this incident and cursed the king to die of a snake bite on the 7th day.
On hearing this, the king forswore the throne for his son and spent his last 7 days listening to the discourses of Sage Sukadeva on As prophesied, the snake king Takshaka bit Parikshita, who left his mortal remains behind and attained salvation. On hearing this, Parikshita's son vows to kill all the naga in a week. Janamejaya starts his killing spree of naga. He brutally murders Takshaka.
Astika, a close friend of Janamejaya, minister and a philosopher comes to know of Janamajaya's act and stops him.The genocide of serpents was brought to halt by the intervention of
Astika an eminent learned youth, Scholar and a holy man.
At this moment,
Astika said, "STAY! Takshaka may your fall be arrested!". He then turned to the King and said, "This is the boon that I seek of you. May you stop the sacrifice at this time. You have already killed millions of snakes in revenge for your father's death. I am a Brahmana, but my mother
Jaratkaru, is the sister of Vasuki, the foremost of the serpents. She sent me here to stop your sacrifice and to save her kinsmen. Even Lord Brahma desires that you should remain content with slayi