His body being
disabled by your mantras, he is falling from heaven. Even now, rolling in
the skies, and deprived of consciousness, the prince of snakes cometh,
breathing loudly.'
"Sauti continued, 'While Takshaka, the prince of snakes was about to fall
into the sacrificial fire, during those few moments Astika spoke as
follows, 'O Janamejaya, if thou wouldst grant me a boon, let this
sacrifice of thine come to an end and let no more snakes fall into the
fire.'
"O Brahmana, the son of Parikshit, being thus addressed by Astika, became
exceedingly sorry and replied unto Astika thus, 'O illustrious one, gold,
silver, kine, whatever other possessions thou desirest I shall give unto
thee. But let not my sacrifice come to an end.'
"Astika thereupon replied, 'Gold, silver or kine, I do not ask of thee, O
monarch! But let thy sacrifice be ended so that my maternal relations be
relieved.'
"Sauti continued, 'The son of Parikshit, being thus addressed by Astika,
repeatedly said this unto that foremost of speakers, 'Best of the
Brahmanas, ask some other boon. O, blessed be thou!' But, O thou of
Bhrigu's race, he did not beg any other boon. Then all the Sadasyas
conversant with the Vedas told the king in one voice, 'Let the Brahmana
receive his boon!'"
SECTION LVII
(Astika Parva continued)
"Saunaka said, 'O son of a Suta, I desire to hear the names of all those
snakes that fell into the fire of this snake-sacrifice!'
"Sauti replied, 'Many thousands and tens of thousands and billions of
snakes fell into the fire.
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