Jaratkaru belonged to Yayavar race. He was celibate. He wandered the forests by performing penance. He served Rishis and gained immense knowledge. One day while roaming in the forest he found something amazing. There was a small water pond, a small plant was close to the pond and there were thousands of tiny sages hanging upside down from the plant in to the water pond. Sunshine was their sole source of existence. The roots of the plant have been nibbled by a rat, only one root was solely holding the entire plant. If this root is nibbled, the entire plant will collapse in to the water and the sages will drown. Jaratkaru thought that this was a different kind of penance. He went closer to them and asked them to teach him this type pf penance. The sages said " This is not a penance. We are evil doers, we don't have heirs and hence we will have to die in hell. Due to our ill fate we have a descendant named Jaratkaru who is a selfish person. He is celibate and is not going to have kids. We are his ancestors, he is the only one who can bear kids in our whole race. This plant is our family tree, the only root left is Jaratkaru and the rat is Yama. The roots that have been nibbled are our fore fathers and ancestors. The water pond is the unknown world(Hell). If Jaratkaru dies without having kids the only root will be nibbled by the rat and we will all fall in to Hell. If Jaratkaru bears kids we will go to the great and sacred worlds. You look like a well wisher, If you see Jaratkaru please let him know about our situation".
Jaratkaru deeply regretted for the mistake that he had committed unknowingly, he apologized to them and said " I am Jaratkaru, I am sorry for my mistakes. I will marry now". The sages were very happy and said " Jaratkaru, even if we do great penance we will not be taken to the sacred worlds without having male heirs. Go get married and have kids and give save us from going to the unknown worlds." Jaratkaru agreed to get married and said " I need to marry a girl who has the same name as me, I will marry only such person". He then started searching for his namesake. He started going to different places and inquired many people, but he never could find his name sake on Earth.Years passed by, and his body was shrunk by Upavasam everyday. He had the responsibility of pleasing his ancestors, but he could not find a girl with his name.
Vasuki came to know about Jaratkaru searching for his namesake. He got his sister Jaratkaru along with him from Naga Loka( habitat of serpents). Jaratkaru finally found the right bride he was looking for. He married Jaratkaru. On the first night together, he placed a condition " Never insult me, the day I am insulted I will leave you and go away". Jaratkaru was very cautious of her husband( Jaratkaru's) condition and tried to please him. She took good care of him and tried to do whatever he wanted. She got pregnant eventually.
One day Jaratkaru was sleeping on deer skin with his head placed in his wife's lap. It was late in the evening and the other sages in the Ashram were getting ready for evening rituals. Jaratkaru did not know what to do. If she woke him up then he would be angry about her disturbing his sleep, else he would miss his evening rituals. Missing his evening rituals would be bad and he would be angry again. She thought " it is better to wake him up in sleep and disturb him rather than not being righteous and avoiding evening rituals" and she woke him up. Jaratkaru was extremely angry and shouted at her saying why she had to wake him up. Jaratkaru was frightened and said that she had to wake him up because it was sunset. "There sun cannot set before I wake up, so you treated me as a fool and you have no confidence in me. This is a very big insult. I warned you before that I would leave you If you insult me and the day has come. I am going forever and will never see your face again. Your womb is bearing a very pious child and he will bring glory to both our races. Dont worry now and go back to your brother" said Jaratkaru and he left the place without turning back.
Jaratkaru was heartbroken by her husband, she returned to her brother Vasuki to Naga Loka. Some days later a radiant and glorious by named Asthika was born. He was very graceful and grew up to be a great sage. Chyavana's son Pramati and Asthika were colleagues, they studies Vedas and Shastras together. Asthika attained the greatest fame among great sages.
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