The Story of Rishi Jaratkaru and the birth of Aasteek

Rishi Jaratkaru was a strong and healthy man and later due to intense prayers and meditation by starving himself he became emaciated. "Jara" means weak and old and "Karu" means strong and healthy, hence as Rishi Jaratkaru was strong earlier and became weak later he got the name of Jaratkaru. The same happened with Jaratkaru, Vasuki's sister. Rishi Jaratkaru for a long time lived a celibate life of a Brahmachari and was busy with his spiritual pursuits. He was involved with his prayers, meditation and self-study and would roam the earth in quest of knowledge. King Parikshit was the ruler those days.

Rishi Jaratkaru had a rule that he would roam the earth and stop for rest wherever he was when night fell. He would visit the holy places and would follow such rigid norms that would be difficult for a man seeking pleasures. He would most of the time stay without food and thus became very weak. One day on his travel he saw a few ancestors hanging upside down in a pit holding on to a single branch of the Khus grass. A rat was chewing at the roots of that plant. The ancestors were hanging there without food and were weak and helpless. Jaratkaru was moved at this sight and went up to them, "There is a rat chewing at the root of the Khus grass that you are holding on to. Who are you? It pains me to see you in this condition. May I help you in any way? I am ready to use the fruits of my prayers to help you get rid of your trauma."

The ancestors replied, "You are an old bachelor, and you want to protect us from harm, but our troubles are not going to be over by the fruits of your labour. We also are saints and have our own fruits of prayers, but we are suffering because we are responsible for destroying our clan. We are the saints of the Yayavar family and because we did not produce sons to carry the family name forward we have been weakened and fallen from the graces of the Gods. There is only one of left, who too, is almost equivalent to no one as he too is an ascetic. It is our misfortune that he, whose name is Jaratkaru has become a saint and will not marry. He is not only erudite and a great scholar of the Vedas but also kind, patient and persevering. But his quest for spirituality has put us into trouble. He has no relatives and no wife and child. That is why we are suffering in this way. If you meet him somewhere on one of your travels then give him this message from us that we his ancestors are hanging upside down and only you can redeem us from our suffering. Please marry and produce children as you are the only one who can carry the family name forward. This Khus twig that we are hanging on to is symbolic of Jaratkaru who is our last hope to be redeemed. The roots that have been cut fully are our ancestors who have been destroyed and the rat gnawing away at the roots is the almighty Time. He will one day destroy Jaratkaru too and then we will be doomed. Now that you have heard of our plight please tell who you are and why are you mourning for us like a family member?" Hearing the whole story of his ancestors Jaratkaru was very sad. He said to his ancestors, "I am your guilty son Jaratkaru and I stand before you as your culprit. Tell me what to do."

Jaratkaru's ancestors were pleased and asked him why he had not married till now. Jaratkaru said that he had decided to remain a celibate till he went to heaven, but seeing the plight of his ancestors he had decided to break his vows of celibacy and marry. "If I can find a woman who is my namesake and then only as alms while I am begging then I will marry her but I will not take the responsibility of looking after her. But please do not worry, I will produce children who will redeem you from your suffering," having said this Jaratkaru went ahead in search of a bride. But as he was old no one would marry his daughter to him and secondly there was no girl who was his namesake. He was very disappointed and went to the forests and said softly three times, "I am looking for a girl. Whoever is present in this jungle listen to my voice. I am looking for a girl to marry because I have to redeem my ancestors. I am looking for a girl who is my namesake, who is given to me as alms and whom I do not have to look after. Please give me a girl who fulfils these criteria." The snakes that had been appointed by Vasuki to keep him posted of the events in Jaratkaru's life went to the Vasuki, the king of the snakes and Vasuki immediately gave his sister Jaratkaru as alms to the rishi

The saint accepted he girl and told Vasuki that if the girl did anything that displeased him he would immediately leave her and go. Vasuki told the saint that he will look after his sister and she will not do anything to displease her husband. They then went to the palace of Vasuki and there Jaratkaru was married to Jaratkaru. Jaratkaru again told his wife that if she said or did anything to displease him, he would leave her. Jaratkaru then very carefully looked after her husband and in due course she conceived and her foetus started to grow. One day, Rishi Jaratkaru was sleeping with his head on his wife's lap. As the time for sunset came, his wife started worrying about the evening prayers that were to be performed by the rishi. She deliberated a lot as to what she should do --- if she woke him up he would be angry and if she didn't then he would be responsible for the sin of having broken a rule which was of great importance. She thought for a while and decided to wake up her husband. She woke him up quietly instructing him to clean himself and perform the evening prayers. The Rishi woke up in great anger and was very displeased with his wife for having woken him up.

He said that he believed that the sun wouldn't set if he was asleep and by waking him up his wife had insulted him. So according to the condition Jaratkaru was ready to leave his wife and go. His wife Jaratkaru was contrite and requested her husband not to leave her and go. She tried to explain that she had not intended to displease him but feared that if he did not wake up for the prayers ill luck would befall them. Jaratkaru told her that according to the condition he had to leave and asked her to tell Vasuki that he was very happy with her and that he had spent happy days in his palace. He also told her not to worry about anything after he was gone. Then his wife Jaratkaru told him the whole story of the curse on her brothers and how only a son born out of their union would redeem them and save them from harm.

She requested him not to leave the palace, as she feared that she had not yet conceived his child. The rishi said, "Asti." (It is a Sanskrit word which means 'yes there is'). He told her that a child as powerful and bright as the sun and the moon was growing inside her womb and when the time comes he shall redeem both, his ancestors and her brothers. Saying this the Rishi left his wife to go and live in the jungles. Jaratkaru then went to her brother and told him the whole story. Vasuki was saddened at the fate of his sister but consoled her by saying that they had married her to Jaratkaru for a specific purpose. Vasuki asked her if she had conceived and would the child who was to save their lives from the yajna of Janmejaya would be born in due course. Jaratkaru assured him that he would be and decided to name the child Aasteek, as his father had uttered the word "Asti" when asked whether there was a child in Jaratkaru's womb. Vasuki took good care of his sister and in due course of time Aasteek was born to her. With his birth the ancestors of Rishi Jaratkaru were redeemed and the serpents heaved a sigh of relief as Aasteek was destined to save the snakes from the Yajna of Janmejaya. Aasteek grew up to be an intelligent and simple man who learnt about the Vedas from the great Saint Chyavan.