Mahabharata episode 37 Sarpasatropakrama

 

The Suta said: “Having said this, the venerable king, approved by the ministers, took the vow of the sarpa-satra or sarpa yagna.

 

Brahmin! King, the son of Bharatashardula Parikshita, summoned the priests and the Ritvijas, skilled in sacrifices, and spoke these rich words:

 

“Tell me what I should do to take revenge on the evil spirit Takshaka, who tortured my father.

 

Tell me a plan by which I, along with my relatives, can drag Takshaka into the blazing fire, just as he burned my father in his poisonous fire before. I also want to burn that sinful Pannaga.”

 

Ritvijas said: “There is a great weapon created by the gods for you, king! This is described in the Puranas as the sarpa-satra.

 

King! The legends say that no one else can undertake this sacrifice except you, and we have the method to conduct it.”

 

The Suta said: “Hearing this, the king imagined that the serpent Takshaka was falling into a blazing fire.

 

Then addressing the Brahmins who were knowledgeable in mantras, the king said: “I will undertake that sacrifice. Gather the necessary materials for it.”

 

Then the Dwijasattama Rtvija, who knew the rituals, enthusiastically measured a rectangular area for the purpose of the sacrifice or yagna.

 

That pious area, which was beautifully decorated, was filled with Dwijaganas and beautifully decorated with wealth and gifts.

 

In this way, a sacrificial hall or yagna hall was built in a proper manner and there the king was given the initiation into the serpent sacrifice or sarpa yagna.

But before the Sarpasatra could take place, a great omen appeared indicating an obstacle to the sacrifice or yagna.

 

While the sacrificial altar was being measured, a wise architect, sage Suta Puranika, who was standing there, said: “The Sarpasatra will not be complete because of a Brahmin in the area where the measurements are being taken.”

 

Hearing this, the king, before taking initiation, said, “No one can enter this place without my permission!”

 

Then the rituals of the Sarpasatra began in a proper manner. Each priest began to perform his duties in a proper manner. Everyone was dressed in black clothes and their eyes were red from the smoke. They were chanting mantras and pouring the Samitta into the altar.

 

They created fear in the minds of all the snakes by putting all the snakes into the mouth of the fire as offerings.

 

Calling out to each other, the serpents, who had been coiled around each other, began to fall into the burning yagna altar one by one.

 

Snarling, puffing up, wrapping their heads or tails around each other, they began to fall into the burning fire head first or tail first.

 

White, black, blue, old, and hairless serpents, crying out and chanting Bhairava, began to fall into the blazing fire.

 

Dvijotama! In this way, millions and millions of serpents were exhausted and destroyed.

 

Some were as small as mice, while others were as big as elephants, and they became as mad as monkeys and became very strong and gigantic.

 

"Afflicted by the curse of their mother, many powerful serpents, of various colors, with fierce poisons and iron teeth, were burned to ashes."

 

This is the forty-seventh chapter of the Sarpasatropakrama in the Adiparva, Astikaparva, of the Sri Mahabharata.