Souti said: -
1. Thus have I narrated to you how the Ambrosia was churned out of the Ocean in which the beautiful and powerful horse (Uchaisrava) was produced.
2. Respecting this horse Kadru Asked Vinata, saying, “Tell me, sister, without delay, what is the colour of Uchaisrava?”
Vinata said: -
3. This king of the horses Is of white colour. What color do you think, sister? Say what is its color; let us lay a wager on it.
4. Kadru said: O sweet lady of smiles, I think the horse is black in its tail. Let us lay this wager that she, whose words will be untrue, will become the slave of the other.
Souti said: -
5. Tus wagering that one will be the slave of the other, they Went home, saying “We shall see the horse tomorrow”.
6. Wishing to play a deception. Kadru ordered heir thousand sons to be black hair;
7. And speedily cover the horse’s tail to that she might not become a slave. But on their refusal to do her bidding, she cursed the snakes, saying,
8. “In the Snake-Sacrifice of the royal sage, wise Janamejaya of the Pandava race, Agni will consume you all.”
9. The Grandsire (Brahma) himself heard this exceedingly cruel curse, denounced by Kadru, impelled by Fate.
10. And he (Brahma), out of kindness for creatures, and seeing that the snakes had enormously multiplied, approved of this curse with all the deities.
11-12. “Considering their virulent prison, excessive strength, great prowess, biting propensity, their mother’s curse had been very proper for the good of all creatures.”
13. “Fate always inflicts death on those who seek the death of others.” Talking thus, the celestials much praised Kadru.
14-15. Then calling Kashyapa, the Deity said. “O sinless one, O powerful one, the snakes of virulent poison, of huge bodies, and of biting propensity whom you, have begotten have been cursed by their mother. O child, you should not be least sorry for it.
16. The destruction of the snakes in the sacrifice (of Janamejaya) has been told in the Purana.” Saying this, the Divine creator of the Universe propitiated Kashyapa and bestowed on that great man the knowledge of neutralising poison.
Thus ends the twentieth chapter Sauparna, in the Adi Parva.