Many serpents were fierce and terrifying in form, their bodies laden with abundant poison. Yet, desiring the welfare of all creatures, I did not restrain her then. Among the snakes, those who are small, wicked in conduct, and filled with poison will perish; but those who follow righteousness shall not meet such a fate. Now listen, for when the proper time arrives, there will be a cause by which the serpents will find liberation from their great fear. In the lineage of wandering ascetics, a great sage will be born, renowned as Jaratkaru, devoted to austerity and self-restraint. His son, also named Jaratkaru, rich in austerity, will be called Astika. At that time, Astika will halt the sacrificial fire, and the righteous serpents will be freed. O Brahman, that foremost sage, Jaratkaru, renowned for his austerity, will beget a mighty son—but whose daughter will he marry? A beautiful maiden, the sister of Vasuki, has been born; Vasuki, chief of the serpents, will give her to Jaratkaru. In her, he will beget a son accomplished in the Vedas and their branches. That maiden, named Sanama, will bear the illustrious twice-born child. “Let it be so,” the gods declared to the grandsire, and after speaking thus, Virinchi ascended to heaven. Thus I see it, O Vasuki: your sister, renowned as Jaratkaru, should be given to him. For the appeasement of the serpents’ fear, to the sage who lives by alms and keeps good vows, I have heard that liberation will come. Hearing the words of Elapatra, all the serpents rejoiced and praised him, saying, “Well done, well done!” From that day onward, Vasuki protected his sister Jaratkaru and felt great joy. Then, not long after, as if a brief time had passed, the gods and asuras together churned the abode of Varuna. There, Vasuki, strongest among serpents, became the rope for the churning. Having completed his task, he approached the Grandsire. The gods, along with Vasuki, addressed the Grandsire: “Lord, Vasuki is greatly afflicted, fearful of a curse. You ought to remove this thorn from his mind, O god, which arose from his mother’s curse, for he desires the welfare of his kin. He is always beneficial to us and acts kindly, O king of the gods; be gracious, O lord, and relieve his anguish.” The Grandsire replied, “That statement was indeed uttered by me in thought, O immortals, as was spoken to him by the serpent Elapatra. Let this lord of serpents now fulfill that timely word himself; those who are wicked will perish, but not those who follow righteousness. Jaratkaru, the twice-born sage, has been born and devotes himself to severe austerities; at the proper time, let him be given Jaratkaru, the sister, as his wife. What was spoken by Elapatra is for the welfare of the serpents, O gods; let it be so, and not otherwise.” Hearing the Grandsire’s command, Vasuki, bewildered by the curse, instructed all the serpents. Then, raising his sister for the sage Jaratkaru, Vasuki assigned many serpents to always attend upon her. “When Jaratkaru, the sage, wishes to choose a wife, let us quickly inform him; that will be for our welfare.” “O Sūtanandana, he who is known as Jaratkaru—I wish to hear about that great sage,” asked the listener. “What is the reason the name Jaratkaru became renowned on earth? You ought to explain its true derivation.” “Decay (jara) means destruction, and kāru means body; his body was kāru, and that wise one gradually diminished it. He reduced it through intense austerity; therefore he is called Jaratkaru, O brāhmaṇa, and so also is Vasuki’s sister.” Thus addressed, the righteous Śaunaka smiled and, turning to Ugraśravas, said, “It is fitting. I have heard all that was previously spoken; but I wish to know how Āstīka was born.” Hearing this request, Sauti replied according to tradition. Vasuki, having summoned all the serpents, earnestly raised his sister and presented her to the sage Jaratkaru. Yet, after a long time, that sage, steadfast in his vows and devoted to austerities, did not desire a wife. He, whose seed was held upward, absorbed in ascetic practice, learned in the scriptures, fearless, and self-controlled, wandered across the whole earth, and did not even mentally desire a wife. Then, at another time, a king named Parikṣit, descendant of the Kauravas, became exhausted, O Brāhmaṇa. Just as mighty-armed Pāṇḍu, the foremost archer in battle, was fond of hunting, so was his ancestor in former times. Similarly, Parikṣit, son of Abhimanyu, became renowned in the world; striking deer, boars, tigers, buffaloes, and various other wild animals, the king roamed the earth. Once, after striking a deer with a barbless arrow, he took up his bow and pursued it into the dense forest. Just as the revered Rudra, after striking the sacrificial beast in heaven, pursued it with bow in hand, searching all around, so did Parikṣit. But the deer, though struck, did not die in the forest; its previous form quickly moved toward heaven.