Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3088

c9.3088

From that day onwards Uttaṅka waited for an opportunity to take vengeance on Takṣaka. It was at that time that Janamejaya, son of Parīkṣit, became the king. Janamejaya was only eleven years old when he became king and he was not then aware of the details of the death of his father. Uttaṅka went to him and told him how Takṣaka killed his father. Janamejaya became furious and asked him how to wreak vengeance on him. Uttaṅka suggested the performance of a Sarpasatra to which all the serpents should be attracted by mantras and burnt to death there. The young king agreed and Uttaṅka with other ṛṣis commenced the Sarpasatra. One by one all the serpents came and fell into the sacrificial fire but Takṣaka was not to be found. Where is Takṣaka? This question was heard from many lips. Takṣaka was specially invoked by Uttaṅka. Takṣaka could not bear the power of Uttaṅka and he ran and prostrated before Indra. Indra not only did give refuge but gave him half of his seat in the throne and Takṣaka sat on it fully confident of security. Uttaṅka was enraged, when after repeated calls by mantra, Takṣaka did not appear and so he sat in meditation for some time to know the cause. He then saw Takṣaka sitting on the throne of Indra and the sight threw him into fury and he invoked Takṣaka, Indra and the throne and all. Lo! in an instant Indra, Takṣaka, the throne and all started moving towards the sacrificial fire! Within seconds all would have been burnt to death but for the timely intervention of a brahmin boy named Āstika, son of the sage Jaratkāru. (See under Āstika, Takṣaka escaped death that time).