Astika - Son of Jaratkaru

MahaBharata
Adiparva section 14,15 Astika parva

Jaratkaru wandered in the forest searching for a bride, and prayed thrice for the same. Then the serpent Vasuki came and offered his sister whose name was Jaratkaru to Rishi Jaratkaru. Rishi married her with all the vedic rites. They had a son named Astika.

Sauti narrates, "Long before this the mother of snakes cursed all snakes that they will all die in the fire of snake sacrifice". To neutralise this, the King of snakes got his sister married to Jaratkaru, hoping that their son will deliver them from this curse.

Astika is a renowned vedic scholar, he regarded all with a balanced eye, performed severe austerities, and penances. When a king of the pandava lineage performed snake sacrifice, Astika saved serpents from dying in that sacrifice.

Astika performed all yajnas ordained for men. He fulfilled pitr yajna by begetting offspring. He fullfilled rishi yajna by following brahmacharya. He fulfilled Deva yajna by performing various yajnas and propitiated gods. He studied veda, followed austereties, tapas, svadhyaya and freed himself from all debts.

Jaratkaru also repaid the debt he owed to his forefathers by begetting a son Astika, and their forefathers were fulfilled and went to heaven. Jaratkaru also left his body and ascended to heaven.

MahaBharata

Adiparva section 14,15 Astika parva ends

let us all follow the example of Astika and perform our duties perfectly and repay the various debts we owe, namely debt to society, debt to forefathers, debt to saints, debt to gods, and finally debt to ourselves.