y everything
as it happened between Takshaka and the Brahmana. Thus have we told thee,
O king, all that we have seen and heard. And having heard it, O tiger
among kings, ordain that which should follow.'

"Sauti continued, 'King Janamejaya, having listened to the words of his
ministers, was sorely afflicted with grief, and began to weep. And the
monarch began to squeeze his hands. And the lotus-eyed king began to
breathe a long and hot breath, shed tears, and shrieked aloud. And
possessed with grief and sorrow, and shedding copious tears, and touching
water according to the form, the monarch spake. And reflecting for a
moment, as if settling something in his mind, the angry monarch,
addressing all ministers, said these words.

'I have heard your account of my father's ascension to heaven. Know ye
now what my fixed resolve is. I think no time must be lost in avenging
this injury upon the wretch Takshaka that killed my father. He burnt my
father making Sringin only a secondary cause. From malignity alone he
made Kasyapa return. If that Brahmana had arrived, my father assuredly
would have lived. What would he have lost if the king had revived by the
grace of Kasyapa and the precautionary measures of his ministers? From
ignorance of the effects of my wrath, he prevented Kasyapa--that
excellent of Brahmanas--whom he could not defeat, from coming to my
father with the desire of reviving him. The act of aggression is great on
the part of the wretch Takshaka who gave wealth unto that Brahmana in
order that he might not revive the king. I must now avenge myself on my
father's enemy to please myself, the Rishi Utanka and you all.'"

SECTION LI

(Astika Parva continued)

'Sauti said, 'King Janamejaya having said so, his ministers expressed
their approbation. And the monarch then expressed his determination to
perform a snake-sacrifice. And that lord of the Earth--that tiger of the
Bharata race--the son of Parikshit, then called his priest and Ritwiks.
And accomplished in speech, he spake unto them these words relating to
the accomplishment of his great task. 'I must avenge myself on the wretch
Takshaka who killed my father. Tell me what I must do. Do you know any
act by which I may cast into the blazing fire the snake Takshaka with his
relatives? I desire to burn that wretch even as he burnt, of yore, by the
fire of his poison, my father.'

'The chief priest answered, 'There is, O king, a great sacrifice for thee
devise