Jaratkaru Weds Jaratkaru

Jaratkaru happened to meet his forefathers who were just about to fall into Naraka because he was not getting married and continuing the vamsha.
They told him that his tapas or even their own tapas will not save them.
Stay in a Punyaloka is assured only if the vamsha continues.
Jaratkaru agreed to get married.
But he was not sure whether all that was happening whether it was genuine.
Is someone trying to break his tapas? This happens right? Negative forces do not want someone progressing.
Why even negative forces? There have been incidents in which Indra himself has tried to intercept someone's tapas.
So Jaratkaru put three difficult conditions.
Buying himself time and also making sure that if this is a genuine situation then the divinity itself will find ways to overcome the conditions that he had put and get him married.
The conditions were: The bride should have his own name, Jaratkaru.
Jaratkariu means someone with a weak body.
Who would name his daughter with such a name? Rishis - yes they are often named in accordance with their nature.
But not girls.
Girls always have auspicious names.
The second condition - the bride should come to him as bhiksha.
Which parent would give away his daughter as bhiksha? The third - he will not take care of her.
Even after the wedding, he will not be responsible even for her daily needs.
But as we saw, Vasuki had no option but to get his sister married to Jaratkaru muni.
The son who would be born to them can only save the Naga vamsha from extermination.
Vasuki had sent his people all around to look for Jaratkaru muni.
Jaratkaru bound by the word that he had given to the forefathers would call out every day three times asking whether someone was prepared to give him a bride in bhiksha.
It is not that he didn't have a genuine concern for the emancipation of his forefathers.
He was earnest.
The messengers came and informed Vasuki that they have found Jaratkaru.
So once when Jaratkaru was in the forest and was calling out, Vasuki came and told him: I am
ready to give you my sister as bhiksha.
Jaratkaru asked him what is her name.
She is also Jaratkaru.
I will not take care of her.
Doesn't matter, we will continue to care of her.
You can be in Nagaloka and we will take care of you as well.
The Muni put one more condition: if she ever offends me in the slightest way, I will go away.
Vasuki agreed and the marriage took place in the proper Vedic way.
The couple started living in the palace in Nagaloka.
Jaratkaru conceived.
One day, in the afternoon, the Muni was taking rest.
Sleeping with his head on Jaratkaru's lap.
The Sun was about to set.
Jaratkaru got worried.
The muni is going to miss his evening sandhya vandana.
She was in a dilemma.
If she wakes him up he will get angry.
If she doesn't wake him up, then also he will get angry at her for having missed the evening ritual.
But then she thought, missing sandhya vandana is grave and will have long-term consequences.
She decided to wake him up.
And told him that the Sun is about to set and I thought you would miss the sandhya vandana.
The muni said you have disrespected me.
Do you think the Sun will have the courage to set while I am asleep? I will not live with you anymore.
I am going.
Jaratkaru pleaded with him.
The whole purpose of all these is that I should conceive from you and that child will save Naga vamsha.
I am not even sure whether I am pregnant.
At that time the muni said: अस्त्ययं सुभगे गर्भस्तव वैश्वानरोपमः ऋषिः परमधर्मात्मा वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः yes, you are pregnant .
And a son will be born to you who will be as brilliant as fire, who will be a Rishi, most virtuous, and a scholar in Vedas and Vedangas.
From this term astyayam only when the child was born, he was named Astika.
After the Muni went away, Jaratkaru went back to her brother Vasuki, continued with the pregnancy, and gave birth to a boy.
He grew up in Nagaloka into a brilliant scholar in Vedas and Vedangas as the muni had told.
All the Nagas felt relieved and happy that ultimately their savior was there.