Souti said: -
1. The best of snakes, Vasuki, bearing the curse of his mother, pondered over how to make it abortive.
2. He held a consultation with all his brothers, Airayata and others, who were virtuous.
Vasuki said: —
3. O sinless ones, the curse on us is well- known to you. We should try to neutralise it.
4. Remedies exist for all curses, but no remedy can avail those who are cursed by their mother.
5. Hearing that this curse was uttered before the immutable, the Infinite and the true one, my heart trembles.
6. Our annihilation has certainly come; otherwise the immutable Lord should have prevented our mother from uttering the curse.
7. Therefore, let us consult to-day how we may secure the safety of the snakes. Let us not waste time.
8. You are all wise and discerning. We shall all consult together, and find out a means of deliverance.
9. As did the celestials, m the days of yore, to regain the lost Agni who had conceal¬ ed himself within a cave, so that the sacrifice of Janamejaya for the destruction of the snakes may not take place, and so that we may not meet with our destruction.
Souti said: -
10. Thus addressed, all the offspring of Kadru assembled together; they were all wise in counsel, and they gave their opinions (one after the other.)
11. One party said, “We shall assume the guise of Brahmana Rishis and asked Janamejaya not to hold the sacrifice.”
12. Others, thinking themselves wise, said, “We shall all become his favourite counsellors.
13. He will then certainly ask our advice in all things, and we shall then give him such advice as may obstruct die sacrifice.
14. The king, thinking us wise, will certainly ask our advice about his sacrifice, and we shall say, “Don’t hold it.”
15. We shall point him out many serious evils in this world and the next, with reasons and causes, so that the sacrifice may not take place.
16-17. (We can do this also); let one of the snakes by biting kill the persons, who will try to do good to the king, and who will be well-acquainted with the rites of the Snake-sacrifice and who will be appointed as the sacrificial priest. And by their death, the sacrifice will not be completed.
18. We shall also bite those who are acquainted with the Snake-sacrifice and who may be appointed as the Ritwijas of the sacrifice. Thus we shall obtain our object.”
19. Some other snakes, who were kind-hearted and virtuous, said, on righteousness this advice is not good. It is not proper to kill Brahmanas.”
20. That remedy is proper in a danger which rests on righteousness. Unrighteousness finally destroys the world.”
21. Other snakes said:- “We shall extinguish the sacrificial fire by becoming clouds luminous with lightning, and pouring down showers.”
22. Other good snakes said, “Let us go in the night and steal away the vessel of the Soma. This will obstruct the sacrifice.
23. Or let the snakes go in hundreds and thousands to the sacrifice, bite everyone, and thus create a terror.
24. Or let the serpents defile the pure food with their urine and dung.”
25. Others said, “Let us become the Ritwijas of the king and obstruct the sacrifice by saying at the very outset, “Give us our Dakshina.”
26. The king, being placed in our power, will do whatever we will ask him to do. “Other said, “When the king will play in the waters.
27. Let us carry him to our home and kept him bound, so that the sacrifice may not take place. “Others, thinking themselves wise, said.
28. “Let us go to the king and bite him, so that our object may be accomplished. By his death the root of all evil will be destroyed.
29. O snake, that hears by the eyes, this is the final result of our deliberations. O king, do speedily what you think proper.
30. Having said this, they all eagerly looked at the best of the snakes, Vasuki. And Vasuki, after reflecting a while, told the snakes.
31. “O snakes, your this final determination does not seem worthy of adoption. The advice, that you all give, are not to my liking.
32. What can I suggest which would be for your good! I think the favour of (our father) the illustrious Kashyapa can alone do us good.
33. O snakes, my mind does not know which of your suggestions to adopt for the welfare of my race and mine.
34. It is this that makes me so anxious, for the credit and the discredit of the act will rest on me alone.
Thus ends the thirty-seventh chapter, Astika, in the Adi Parva.