( Parva continued)
" said, 'O son of Suta, thou you hast have told us the reason why the snakes were cursed by their mother, and why also was cursed by her son. Thou you hast have also told us about the bestowal of boons, by their husband, on and . Thou you hast have likewise told us the names of 's sons. But thou you hast have not yet recited to us the names of the snakes. We are anxious to hear the names of the principal ones.'
" said, O thou you whose wealth is asceticism, from fear of being lengthy, I shall not mention the names of all the snakes. But I will recite the names of the chief ones. Listen to me!
" was born first, and then . (Then were born) Airavata, , , Dhananjaya, Kalakeya, the serpent Mani, Purana, Pinjaraka, and Elapatra, Vamana, Nila, Anila, Kalmasha, Savala, Aryaka, Ugra, Kalasapotaka, Suramukha, Dadhimukha, Vimalapindaka, Apta, Karotaka, Samkha, Valisikha, Nisthanaka, Hemaguha, Nahusha, Pingala, Vahyakarna, Hastipada, Mudgarapindaka, Kamvala Aswatara, Kaliyaka, Vritta, Samvartaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Sankhamukha, Kushmandaka, Kshemaka, Pindaraka, Karavira, Pushpadanshtraka, Vilwaka, Vilwapandara, Mushikada, Sankhasiras, Purnabhadra, Haridraka, Aparajita, Jyotika, Srivaha, Kauravya, Dhritarashtra, Sankhapinda, Virajas, Suvahu, Salipinda, Prabhakara, Hastipinda, Pitharaka, Sumuksha, Kaunapashana, Kuthara, Kunjara, Kumuda, Kumudaksha, Tittri, Halika, Kardama, Vahumulaka, Karkara, Akarkara, Kundodara, and Mahodara.
"Thus, O best of regenerate ones, have I said the names of the principal serpents. From fear of being tedious I do not give names of the rest. O thou you whose wealth is asceticism, the sons of these snakes, with their grandsons, are innumerable. Reflecting upon this, I shall not name them to thee you. O best ascetics, in this world the number of snakes baffles calculation, there being many thousands and millions of them.'"
So ends the thirty-fifth section in the Parva of the Adi Parva.
( Parva continued)
" said, 'O child, thou you hast have named many of the serpents gifted with great energy and incapable of being easily overcome. What did they do after hearing of that curse?'
" said, 'The illustrious amongst them, of great renown, leaving his mother practised hard penances, living upon air and rigidly observing his vows. He practised these ascetic devotions, repairing to Gandhamadana, Vadri, Gokarna, the woods of Pushkara, and the foot of Himavat. And he passed his days in those sacred regions, some of which were sacred for their water and others for their soil in the rigid observance of his vows, with singleness of aim, and his passions under complete control. And , , saw that ascetic with knotted hair, clad in rags, and his flesh, skin, and sinews dried up owing to the hard penances he was practising. And the addressing him, that penance-practising one of great fortitude, said, 'What is that thorn doest do do, O ? Let the welfare of the creatures of the worlds also engage thy your thoughts. O sinless one, thou you art afflicting all creatures by thy your hard penances. O , tell me the desire implanted in thy your breast.'
"And replied, 'My uterine brothers are all of wicked hearts. I do not desire to live amongst them. Let this be sanctioned by thee you. Like enemies they are always jealous of one another. I am, therefore, engaged in ascetic devotions. I will not see them even. They never show any kindness for and her son. Indeed, 's son capable of ranging through the skies, is another brother of ours. They always envy him. And he, too, is much stronger owing to the bestowal of that boon by our father, the high-souled . For these, I engaged in ascetic penances, and I will cast off this body of mine, so that I may avoid companionship with them, even in another state of life.'
"Unto to who had said so, the said, 'O , I know the behaviour of all thy your brothers and their great danger owing to their offence against their mother. But O Snake, a remedy (for this) hath has been provided by me even beforehand. It behoveth behooves thee you not to grieve for thy your brothers. O , ask of me the boon thou you desirest. I have been highly gratified with thee you and I will grant thee you today a boon. O best of snakes, it is fortunate that thy your heart hath has been set on virtue. Let thy your heart be more and more firmly set on virtue.'
"Then replied, 'O divine , this is the boon desired by me; viz., may my heart always delight in virtue and in blessed ascetic penances, O Lord of all!'
"Brahman said, 'O , I am exceedingly gratified with this thy your self-denial and love of peace. But, at my command, let this act be done by thee you for the good of my creatures. Bear thou you, O , properly and well this Earth so unsteady with her mountains and forests, her seas and towns and retreats, so that she may be steady.'
" said, 'O divine Lord of all creatures, O bestower of boons, O lord of the Earth, lord of every created thing, lord of the universe, I will, even as thou you sayest say hold the Earth steady. Therefore, O lord of all creatures, place her on my head.'
"Brahman said, 'O best of snakes, go underneath the Earth. She will herself give thee you a crevice to pass through. And, O , by holding the Earth, thou you shalt shall certainly do what is prized by me very greatly.'
" continued, 'Then the elder brother of the king of the snakes, entering a hole, passed to the other side of the Earth, and holding her, supported with his head that goddess with her belt of seas passing all round.'
"Brahman said, 'O , O best of snakes, thou you art the god , because alone, with thy your huge body, thou you supportest support the Earth with everything on her, even as I myself, or Valavit (), can.'
" continued, 'The snake, , the lord , of great prowess, lives underneath the Earth, alone supporting the world at the command of Brahman. And the illustrious , the best of the immortals, then gave unto to the bird of fair feathers, viz., the son of , for 's help.'"
So ends the thirty-sixth section in the Parva of the Adi Parva.
( Parva continued)
" said, 'That best of snakes, viz., , hearing the curse of his mother, reflected how to render it abortive. He held a consultation with all his brothers, Airavata and others, intent upon doing what they deemed best for themselves.'
"And said, 'O ye you sinless ones, the object of this curse is known to you. It behoveth behooves us to strive to neutralise it. Remedies certainly exist for all curses, but no remedy can avail those cursed by their mother. Hearing that this curse hath has been uttered in the presence of the Immutable, the Infinite, and the True one, my heart trembleth trembles. Surely, our annihilation hath has come. Otherwise why should not the Immutable Lord prevent our mother while uttering the curse? Therefore, let us consult today how we may secure the safety of the snakes. Let us not waste time. All of you are wise and discerning. We will consult together and find out the means of deliverance as (did) the gods of yore to regain lost who had concealed himself within a cave, so that 's sacrifice for the destruction of the snakes may not take place, and so that we may not meet with destruction.'
" continued, 'Thus addressed all the offspring of assembled together, and, wise in counsels, submitted their opinions to one another. One party of the serpents said, 'We should assume the guise of superior Brahmanas, and beseech , saying, 'This (intended) sacrifice of yours ought not to take place.' Other snakes thinking themselves wise, said, 'We should all become his favourite counsellors. He will then certainly ask for our advice in all projects. And we will then give him such advice that the sacrifice may be obstructed. The king, the foremost of wise men, thinking us of sterling worth will certainly ask us about his sacrifice. We will say, 'It must not be!' And pointing to many serious evils in this and the next worlds, we will take care that the sacrifice may not take place. Or, let one of the snakes, approaching, bite the person who, intending the monarch's good, and well-acquainted with the rites of the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed as the sacrificial priest, so that he will die. The sacrificial priest dying, the sacrifice will not be completed. We will also bite all those who, acquainted with the rites of the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed Ritwiks of the sacrifice, and by that means attain our object.' Other snakes, more virtuous and kind, said, 'O, this counsel of yours is evil. It is not meet to kill Brahmanas. In danger, that remedy is proper, which is blessed on the practices of the righteous. Unrighteousness finally destroyeth destroys the world.' Other serpents said, 'We will extinguish the blazing sacrificial fire by ourselves becoming clouds luminous with lightning and pouring down showers.' Other snakes, the best of their kind, proposed, 'Going, by night, let us steal away the vessel of juice. That will disturb the rite. Or, at that sacrifice, let the snakes, by hundreds and thousands, bite the people, and spread terror around. Or, let the serpents defile the pure food with their food-defiling urine and dung.' Others said, 'Let us become the king's Ritwiks, and obstruct his sacrifice by saying at the outset, 'Give us the sacrificial fee.' He (the king), being placed in our power, will do whatever we like.' Others there said, 'When the king will sport in the waters, we will carry him to our home and bind him, so that that sacrifice will not take place!' Other serpents who deemed themselves wise, said, 'Approaching the king, let us bite him, so that our object will be accomplished. By his death the root of all evil will be torn up. This is the final deliberation of us all, O thou you who hearest hear with thy your eyes! Then, do speedily what thou you deemest proper.' Having said this, they looked intently at , that best of snakes. And also, after reflecting, answered saying, 'Ye you snakes, this final determination of you doth does not seem worthy of adoption. The advice of you all is not to my liking. What shall I say which would be for your good? I think the grace of the illustrious (our father) can alone do us good. Ye you snakes, my heart doth does not know which of all your suggestions is to be adopted for the welfare of my race as also of me. That must be done by me which would be to your weal. It is this that makes me so anxious, for the credit or the discredit (of the measure) is mine alone.'"
So ends the thirty-seventh section in the Parva of the Adi Parva.