Shesha, the eldest and strongest among the serpents, was always hated by his brothers, though he possessed immense power thanks to a boon from his father, the great-souled Kashyapa. Troubled by their hostility, Shesha resolved to undertake austerities and relinquish his body, seeking a way to ensure that even after death he would not have to associate with them. As Shesha voiced his concerns, the Grandsire Brahma addressed him with understanding, saying, “I know all that your brothers have done, Shesha. Because of your mother’s offense, your brothers are in great danger, but a remedy has already been prepared here beforehand. Do not grieve for any of your brothers. Now, Shesha, ask a boon of me—whatever you desire.” Moved by Brahma’s affection, Shesha replied, “May my mind always delight in righteousness, tranquility, and austerity. This is the boon I desire, O Lord, O Grandsire.” Brahma was pleased by Shesha’s self-restraint and tranquility, and said, “By my command, you must now perform an act for the welfare of the world. This earth, adorned with mountains and forests, seas, villages, pleasure-grounds, and cities—support it well, O Shesha, holding it firmly so that it remains unmoving.” Shesha humbly replied, “As the boon-giving Lord, Prajapati, the king of the earth, the lord of beings, has said, so shall I uphold the earth immovably, if you grant me a dwelling place.” Brahma instructed, “Descend beneath the earth, O best of serpents; she herself will give you a place. By supporting this earth, Shesha, you will do me a great favor.” With Brahma’s blessing, Shesha made an opening and entered beneath the earth. There, as lord of the earth and eldest of the noble serpents, he encircled the goddess earth completely with his coils, supporting her upon his head. Brahma proclaimed, “You are Shesha, best of serpents, god of righteousness, for you alone uphold this earth, encircling her entirely with your endless coils, just as I do, or even with greater strength.” Thus, the mighty Ananta—Shesha—dwells beneath the earth, supporting the world alone by Brahma’s command. To honor him further, the blessed Grandsire gave Ananta the divine Suparna, Garuda, the best of immortals, as his companion. After Ananta’s departure, Vasuki, renowned for his strength, was anointed king by the serpents, just as the gods had anointed Indra. Hearing the curse from his mother, Vasuki, the best among serpents, began to ponder how the curse might be avoided. He consulted with his brothers, including Airavata and others devoted to righteousness. Vasuki said, “This curse has been pronounced as described, and you know it, O blameless ones. We strive, consulting together, for release from this curse. There is indeed a counteraction for all curses; but for those cursed by their mother, release is nowhere to be found. Hearing that even the eternal, immeasurable, and truthful ones have been cursed, my heart trembles. Surely, total destruction has come upon us; a terrible curse has been cast by our unruly mother. Even the eternal god did not restrain her from cursing. Therefore, let us today consult for the welfare of the serpents, so that all may be well and time may not pass us by. All of us are intelligent and discerning; even as we deliberate, let us seek a means for release.” The serpents gathered and discussed various plans. Some recalled how the gods once lost the hidden fire concealed in a cave, suggesting that perhaps the sacrifice meant to destroy them might not occur, or defeat might come to Janamejaya, the king who would perform it. Agreeing to seek a solution, the descendants of Kadru assembled and made an agreement, skilled in wisdom and counsel. Some proposed, “Let us become eminent Brahmins and beg Janamejaya so that his sacrifice may not take place.” Others suggested, “We shall all become his counselors, well-accepted. He will ask us for decisions in all matters; there we shall give advice so that the sacrifice will be stopped. That king, who values us highly and is foremost among the wise, will ask us openly about the sacrifice; we shall say ‘no.’ Pointing out many severe faults, both here and after death, with reasons and causes, we shall ensure that the sacrifice does not happen.” Another group suggested, “If there is a teacher who will conduct the sacrifice, skilled in serpent-sacrifice rites and devoted to the king’s welfare, let one serpent go and bite him; that serpent will die, and with his death, the sacrifice will not be performed. And any others who are knowledgeable in serpent-sacrifice and will serve as priests, we shall bite them all; thus it will be accomplished.” But some virtuous and compassionate serpents objected, saying, “This is ignorance among you; killing Brahmins is not proper. Indeed, the highest peace in adversity is rooted in true dharma; acting contrary to dharma would destroy the whole world.” Others among the serpents offered alternative plans: “We will extinguish the blazing sacrificial fire by becoming clouds with lightning and pouring rain upon it.” Some distinguished serpents said, “By going at night to the vessels and ladles, we will swiftly steal them while the people are careless; thus, the sacrifice will be obstructed.” Another suggestion was, “During the sacrifice, let the serpents bite the people by the hundreds and thousands; then there will be no fear for us.” And yet another idea arose: “Let the serpents defile the prepared food with their own urine and excrement, destroying all the offerings.” Thus, the serpents deliberated various strategies, seeking a way to avert their destruction and preserve their lineage, each plan reflecting their desperation, wisdom, and commitment to dharma.