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.
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