And hundreds and thousands
and tens of thousands of snakes, deprived of all control over their limbs,
perished on that occasion. And amongst those that perished, there were
some that were like horses, other like trunks of elephants, and others of
huge bodies and strength like maddened elephants Of various colours and
virulent poison, terrible and looking like maces furnished with iron-
spikes, of great strength, ever inclined to bite, the snakes, afflicted
with their mother's curse, fell into the fire.'"
SECTION LIII
(Astika Parva continued)
"Saunaka asked, 'What great Rishis became the Ritwiks at the snake-
sacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the Pandava line? Who also became
the Sadasyas in that terrible snake-sacrifice, so frightful to the snakes,
and begetting such sorrow in them? It behoveth thee to describe all these
in detail, so that, O son of Suta, we may know who were acquainted with
the rituals of the snake-sacrifice.'
"Sauti replied, 'I will recite the names of those wise ones who became the
monarch's Ritwiks and Sadasyas. The Brahmana Chandabhargava became the
Hotri in that sacrifice. He was of great reputation, and was born in the
race of Chyavana and was the foremost of those acquainted with the Vedas.
The learned old Brahmana, Kautsa, became the Udgatri, the chanter of the
Vedic hymns. Jaimini became the Brahmana, and Sarngarva and Pingala the
Adhvaryus, Vyasa with his son and disciples, and Uddalaka, Pramataka,
Swetaketu, Pingala, Asita, Devala, Narada, Parvata, Atreya, Kundajathara,
the Brahmana Kalaghata, Vatsya, old Srutasravas ever engaged in japa and
the study of the Vedas.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219