will consult together and find out
the means of deliverance as (did) the gods of yore to regain lost Agni
who had concealed himself within a cave, so that Janamejaya's sacrifice
for the destruction of the snakes may not take place, and so that we may
not meet with destruction.'

"Sauti continued, 'Thus addressed all the offspring of Kadru assembled
together, and, wise in counsels, submitted their opinions to one another.
One party of the serpents said, 'We should assume the guise of superior
Brahmanas, and beseech Janamejaya, saying, 'This (intended) sacrifice of
yours ought not to take place.' Other snakes thinking themselves wise,
said, 'We should all become his favourite counsellors. He will then
certainly ask for our advice in all projects. And we will then give him
such advice that the sacrifice may be obstructed. The king, the foremost
of wise men, thinking us of sterling worth will certainly ask us about
his sacrifice. We will say, 'It must not be!' And pointing to many
serious evils in this and the next worlds, we will take care that the
sacrifice may not take place. Or, let one of the snakes, approaching,
bite the person who, intending the monarch's good, and well-acquainted
with the rites of the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed as the
sacrificial priest, so that he will die. The sacrificial priest dying,
the sacrifice will not be completed. We will also bite all those who,
acquainted with the rites of the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed
Ritwiks of the sacrifice, and by that means attain our object.' Other
snakes, more virtuous and kind, said, 'O, this counsel of yours is evil.
It is not meet to kill Brahmanas. In danger, that remedy is proper, which
is blessed on the practices of the righteous. Unrighteousness finally
destroyeth the world.' Other serpents said, 'We will extinguish the
blazing sacrificial fire by ourselves becoming clouds luminous with
lightning and pouring down showers.' Other snakes, the best of their
kind, proposed, 'Going, by night, let us steal away the vessel of Soma
juice. That will disturb the rite. Or, at that sacrifice, let the snakes,
by hundreds and thousands, bite the people, and spread terror around. Or,
let the serpents defile the pure food with their food-defiling urine and
dung.' Others said, 'Let us become the king's Ritwiks, and obstruct his
sacrifice by saying at the outset, 'Give us the sacrificial fee.' He (the
king), being placed in our power, will do whatever we like.