The Story of the Nagas

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

 देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Snake sacrifice of Janamejaya

And with this, Taksaka, the king of the snakes began to fear for his very life. He went to Indra, the king of the gods, and sought his protection in terror. Indra, the king of gods, told him, “O prince of snakes, have no fear. This snake sacrifice shall not continue. Abide with me here in my palace. Be not alarmed.”

Indra, King of Heaven

But the crafty Takshaka was not so easily assuaged. “Why do you say that the sacrifice will  not continue?” he asked.

ASTIKA

And Indra explained to him the story of Astika, and Takshaka was relieved. He took shelter of the king of heaven and lived under his protection until the end of the sacrifice.

At the same time,  another important Naga king, Vasuki, was distressed. His sister was  Jaratkaru. Vasuki called her and said, “Sister! My body is on fire. I feel myself being called into the flames. I cannot last much longer. I feel drawn. 

If we do not stop the sacrifice, I feel as if any moment will be pulled into the sky where I shall fall into the sacrifical flames. Remember your son. Astika. Only he can stop this fire. Remember how you were married to your husband, the great sage Jaratkaru. Your son was born to protect us from the  the curse and stop the flames. Help me now, or I am lost.  He is only a child, but all the sages and gods revere him. Explain to him that he was born to protect us.”

            Upon hearing this, Jaratkaru went to her son,  Astik. Astik was a humble brahman, well-versed in the Vedas, an ascetic monk who knew only meditation and peace.  His father had been a great saint. But he was born to Jaratkaru to put an end to an ancient curse and stop the snake sacrifice.

Jaratkaru told her son, “It is time that you fulfill your purpose in life.”

And Astika said, “Mother, I fulfill my purpose in life by meditating on the truth.”

But with this, Jaratkaru told her son, “Well and good, but you were born to end an ancient curse.”

And Astika said, “O Mother, please explain the nature of this curse. Why was I born, and what is this curse?”

And Jaratkaru told Astika the story of the Nagas.