( Parva continued)
said, 'Though this one is but a boy, he speaks yet like a wise old man. He is not a boy but one wise and old. I think, I desire to bestow on him a boon. Therefore, ye you Brahmanas, give me the necessary permission.'
"The Sadasyas said, 'A Brahmana, though a boy, deserves the respect of kings. The learned ones do more so. This boy deserves every desire of his being fulfilled by thee you, but not before comes with speed.'
" continued, 'The king, being inclined to grant the Brahmana a boon, said 'Ask thou you a boon.' The Hotri, however, being rather displeased, said, ' hath has not come as yet into this sacrifice.'
" replied, 'Exert ye you to the best of your might, so that this sacrifice of mine may attain completion, and also may soon come here. He is my enemy.'
"The Ritwiks replied, 'As the scriptures declare unto to us, and as the fire also saith says, O monarch, (it seems that) is now staying in the abode of , afflicted with fear.'
" continued, 'The illustrious Suta named Lohitaksha also, conversant with the Puranas, had said so before.
"Asked by the king on the present occasion he again told the monarch, 'Sire, it is even so as the Brahmanas have said--Knowing the Puranas, I say, O monarch, that hath has granted him this boon, saying, 'Dwell with me in concealment, and shall not burn thee you.'
' continued, 'Hearing this, the king installed in the sacrifice became very sorry and urged the Hotri to do his duty. And as the Hotri, with mantras, began to pour clarified butter into the fire himself appeared on the scene. And the illustrious one came in his car, adorned by all the gods standing around, followed by masses of clouds, celestial singers, and the several bevies of celestial dancing girls. And anxious with fear, hid himself in the upper garment of and was not visible. Then the king in his anger again said unto to his mantra-knowing Brahmanas these words, bent upon the destruction of , 'If the snake be in the abode of , cast him into the fire with himself.'
' continued, 'Urged thus by the king about , the Hotri poured libations, naming that snake then staying there. And even as the libations were poured, , with himself, anxious and afflicted, became visible in a moment in the skies. Then , seeing that sacrifice, became much alarmed, and quickly casting off, went back to his own abode. After had gone away, , the prince of snakes, insensible with fear, was by virtue of the mantras, brought near enough the flames of the sacrificial fire.'
"The Ritwiks then said, 'O king of kings, the sacrifice of thine yours is being performed duly. It behoveth behooves thee you, O Lord, to grant a boon now to this first of Brahmanas.'
" then said, 'Thou you immeasurable one of such handsome and child-like features, I desire to grant thee you a worthy boon. Therefore, ask thou you that which thou you desirest in thy your heart. I promise thee you, that I will grant it even if it be ungrantable.'
'The Ritwiks said, 'O monarch, behold, is soon coming under thy your control! His terrible cries, and loud roar is being heard. Assuredly, the snake hath has been forsaken by the wielder of thunder. His body being disabled by your mantras, he is falling from heaven. Even now, rolling in the skies, and deprived of consciousness, the prince of snakes cometh comes, breathing loudly.'
' continued, 'While , the prince of snakes was about to fall into the sacrificial fire, during those few moments spoke as follows, 'O , if thou you wouldst would grant me a boon, let this sacrifice of thine yours come to an end and let no more snakes fall into the fire.'
'O Brahmana, the son of , being thus addressed by , became exceedingly sorry and replied unto to thus, 'O illustrious one, gold, silver, kine, whatever other possessions thou you desirest I shall give unto to thee you. But let not my sacrifice come to an end.'
" thereupon then replied, 'Gold, silver or kine, I do not ask of thee you, O monarch! But let thy your sacrifice be ended so that my maternal relations be relieved.'
" continued, 'The son of , being thus addressed by , repeatedly said this unto to that foremost of speakers, 'Best of the Brahmanas, ask some other boon. O, blessed be thou you!' But, O thou you of 's race, he did not beg any other boon. Then all the Sadasyas conversant with the Vedas told the king in one voice, 'Let the Brahmana receive his boon!'"
( Parva continued)
" said, 'O son of a Suta, I desire to hear the names of all those snakes that fell into the fire of this snake-sacrifice!'
" replied, 'Many thousands and tens of thousands and billions of snakes fell into the fire. O most excellent Brahmana, so great is the number that I am unable to count them all. So far, however, as I remember, hear the names I mention of the principal snakes cast into the fire. Hear first the names of the principal ones of 's race alone, of colour blue, red and white of terrible form and huge body and deadly poison. Helpless and miserable and afflicted with their mother's curse, they fell into the sacrificial fire like libations of butter.
"Kotisa, Manasa, Purna, Cala, Pala Halmaka, Pichchala, Kaunapa, Cakra, Kalavega, Prakalana, Hiranyavahu, Carana, Kakshaka, Kaladantaka--these snakes born of , fell into the fire. And, O Brahmana, numerous other snakes well-born, and of terrible form and great strength, were burnt in the blazing fire. I shall now mention those born in the race of . Hear thou you their names. Puchchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasektri, Ravenaka; Uchochikha, Carava, Bhangas, Vilwatejas, Virohana; Sili, Salakara, Muka, Sukumara, Pravepana, Mudgara and Sisuroman, Suroman and Mahahanu. These snakes born of fell into the fire. And Paravata, Parijata, Pandara, Harina, Krisa, Vihanga, Sarabha, Meda, Pramoda, Sauhatapana--these born in the race of Airavata fell into the fire. Now hear, O best of Brahmanas, the names of the snakes I mention born in the race of Kauravya: Eraka, Kundala Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Vahuka, Sringavera, Dhurtaka, Pratara and Astaka. There born in the race of Kauravya fell into the fire. Now hear the names I mention, in order, of those snakes endued with the speed of the wind and with virulent poison, born in the race of Dhritarashtra: Sankukarna, Pitharaka, Kuthara, Sukhana, and Shechaka; Purnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Sakuni, Dari, Amahatha, Kumathaka, Sushena, Vyaya, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pisanga, Udraparaka, Rishabha, Vegavat, Pindaraka; Raktanga, Sarvasaranga, Samriddha, Patha and Vasaka; Varahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, Chitravegika, Parasara, Tarunaka, Maniskandha and Aruni.
"O Brahmana, thus I have recited the names of the principal snakes known widely for their achievements--I have not been able to name all, the number being countless. The sons of these snakes, the sons of those sons, that were burnt having fallen into the fire, I am unable to mention. They are so many! Some of three heads, some of seven, others of ten, of poison like unto to the fire at the end of the yuga and terrible in form,--they were burnt by thousands!
"Many others, of huge bodies, of great speed, tall as mountain summits, of the length of a yama, of a yojana, and of two yojanas, capable of assuming at will any form and of mastering at will any degree of strength, of poison like unto to blazing fire, afflicted by the curse of a mother, were burnt in that great 'sacrifice.'"
( Parva, continued)
" said, 'Listen now to another very wonderful incident in connection with . When king was about to gratify by granting the boon, the snake (), thrown off 's hands, remained in mid air without actually falling. King thereupon then became curious, for , afflicted with fear, did not at once fall into the fire although libations were poured in proper form into the blazing sacrificial in his name.'
" said, 'Was it, O Suta, that the mantras of those wise Brahmanas were not potent; since did not fall into the fire?'
" replied, 'Unto to the unconscious , that best of snakes, after he had been cast off 's hands, had thrice said, 'Stay,' 'Stay,' 'Stay.' And he succeeded in staying in the skies, with afflicted heart, like a person somehow staying between the welkin and the earth.
"The king then, on being repeatedly urged by his Sadasyas, said, 'Let it be done as hath has said. Let the sacrifice be ended, let the snakes be safe, let this also be gratified, O Suta, thy your words also be true.' When the boon was granted to , plaudits expressive of joy rang through the air. Thus the sacrifice of the son of --that king of the Pandava race--came to an end. The king of the Bharata race was himself pleased, and on the Ritwiks with the Sadasyas, and on all who had come there, the king, bestowed money by hundreds and thousands. And unto to Suta Lohitaksha--conversant with the rules of building and foundations--who had at the commencement said that a Brahmana would be the cause of the interruption of the snake-sacrifice, the king gave much wealth. The king, of uncommon kindness, also gave him various things, with food and wearing apparel, according to his desire, and became very much pleased. Then he concluded his sacrifice according to the prescribed rites, and after treating him with every respect, the king in joy sent home the wise exceedingly gratified, for he had attained his object. And the king said unto to him, 'Thou you must come again to become a Sadasya in my great Horse-sacrifice.' And said, 'yes' and then returned home in great joy, having achieved his great end after gratifying the monarch. And returning in joy to his uncle and mother and touching their feet, he recounted to them everything as it had happened.'
" continued, 'Hearing all he had said, the snakes that had come thither there became very much delighted, and their fears were allayed. They were much pleased with and asked him to solicit a boon, saying, 'O learned one, what good shall we do unto to thee you? We have been very much gratified, having been all saved by thee you. What shall we accomplish for thee you, O child!'
" said, 'Let those Brahmanas, and other men, who shall, in the morning or in the evening, cheerfully and with attention, read the sacred account of this my act, have no fear from any of you.' And the snakes in joy thereupon then said, 'O nephew, in the nature of thy your boon, let it be exactly as thou you sayest say. That which thou you askest ask we all shall cheerfully do, O nephew! And those also that call to mind , Artiman and Sunitha, in the day or in the night, shall have no fear of snakes. He again shall have no fear of snakes who will say, 'I call to mind the famous born of , that who saved the snakes from the snake-sacrifice. Therefore, ye you snakes of great good fortune, it behoveth behooves you not to bite me. But go ye you away, blessed be ye you, or go away thou you snake of virulent poison, and remember the words of after the snake sacrifice of . That snake who does not cease from biting after hearing such mention of , shall have his hood divided a hundredfold like the fruit of Sinsa tree.'
" continued, 'That first of Brahmanas, thus addressed by the foremost of the chief snakes assembled together, was very much gratified. And the high-souled one then set his heart upon going away.
"And that best of Brahmanas, having saved the snakes from the snake-sacrifice, ascended to heaven when his time came, leaving sons and grandsons behind him.
'Thus have I recited to thee you this history of exactly as it happened. Indeed, the recitation of this history dispelleth dispels all fear of snakes'
' continued, 'O Brahmanas, O foremost one of 's race, as thy your ancestor Pramati had cheerfully narrated unto to his inquiring son , and as I had heard it, thus have I recited this blessed history, from the beginning, of the learned . And, O Brahmana, O oppressor of all enemies, having heard this holy history of that increaseth increases virtue, and which thou you hadst had asked me about after hearing the story of the Dundubha, let thy your ardent curiosity be satisfied.'"