Tribes in Ancient India c7.61

c7.61

Parīkṣit’s son, Janamejaya, now ascended the throne, and resolved to avenge his father’s death by holding a snake sacrifice. Ṛṣis by the force of their mantras caused the snakes in their thousands to fall into the sacrificial fire. However, Takṣaka’s nephew, Āstīka, son of a snake princess and the ṛṣi Jaratkāru, won the king’s favour, caused him to suspend the sacrifice, and saved the snakes from total destruction.