“Sauti said, ‘Being thus addressed, and hearing that his sire was bearinga dead snake, the powerful Sringin burned with wrath. And looking atKrisa, and speaking softly, he asked him, ‘Pray, why doth my father beartoday a dead snake?’ And Krisa replied, ‘Even as king Parikshit wasroving, for purpose of hunting, O dear one, he placed the dead snake onthe shoulder of thy sire.’
“Sauti said, ‘And Sringin then replied to his father, saying, ‘Whetherthis be an act of rashness, O father, or an improper act that I havedone, whether thou likest it or dislikest it, the words spoken by meshall never be in vain. O father, I tell thee (a curse) can never beotherwise. I have never spoken a lie even in jest.’
“Sauti said, ‘And Takshaka, after this, answered, ‘If, indeed, thou artable to cure any creature bitten by me, then, O Kasyapa, revive thou thistree bit by me. O best of Brahmanas, I burn this banian in thy sight. Trythy best and show me that skill in mantras of which thou hast spoken.’
“Sauti said, ‘Then the councillors beholding the king in the coils ofTakshaka, became pale with fear and wept in exceeding grief. And hearingthe roar of Takshaka, the ministers all fled. And as they were flyingaway in great grief, they saw Takshaka, the king of snakes, thatwonderful serpent, coursing through the blue sky like a streak of the hueof the lotus, and looking very much like the vermilion-coloured line on awoman’s crown dividing the dark masses of her hair in the middle.
“Meanwhile the great ascetic Jaratkaru wandered over the whole earthmaking the place where evening fell his home for the night. And giftedwith ascetic power, he roamed, practising various vows difficult to bepractised by the immature, and bathing also in various sacred waters.
“Sauti said. ‘Jaratkaru, hearing all this, became excessively dejected.And from sorrow he spoke unto those Pitris in words obstructed by tears.’And Jaratkaru said, ‘Ye are even my fathers and grand-fathers gonebefore. Therefore, tell me what I must do for your welfare. I am thatsinful son of yours, Jaratkaru! Punish me for my sinful deeds, a wretchthat I am.’
“Sauti said, ‘Then Vasuki spake unto the Rishi Jaratkaru these words, ‘Obest of Brahmanas, this maiden is of the same name with thee. She is mysister and hath ascetic merit. I will maintain thy wife; accept her. Othou of ascetic wealth, I shall protect her with all my ability. And, Oforemost of the great Munis, she hath been reared by me for thee.’ Andthe Rishi replied, ‘This is agreed between us that I shall not maintainher; and she shall not do aught that I do not like. If she do, I leaveher!’
“Sauti said, ‘O thou of ascetic wealth, soon after her lord had left her,Jaratkaru went to her brother. And she told him everything that hadhappened. And the prince of snakes, hearing the calamitous news, spakeunto his miserable sister, himself more miserable still.’
“Saunaka said, ‘Tell me again, in detail,–all that king Janamejaya hadasked his ministers about his father’s ascension to heaven.’
‘Sauti continued, ‘The ministers said, ‘That king of kings then, spentwith hunger and exertion, and having placed the snake upon the shouldersof that Muni, came back to his capital.
