When the wise serpent Elāpatra spoke of a coming liberation that would appease the serpents’ fear—a deliverance to be brought about through a sage who lived by alms and observed noble vows—all the serpents were filled with hope. Hearing these words, they rejoiced greatly and praised Elāpatra, exclaiming, “Well done, well done!” From that moment, Vāsuki, lord of the serpents, took special care to protect his sister Jaratkāru, ensuring her safety and well-being, and found great joy in doing so. Not long after, as if only a brief time had passed, a momentous event occurred: the gods and asuras gathered to churn the ocean, the very abode of Varuṇa, seeking treasures and the nectar of immortality. In this grand endeavor, Vāsuki, the mightiest of serpents, was chosen as the churning rope. Once his task was complete, Vāsuki approached the Grandsire, Brahmā. The gods, together with Vāsuki, addressed Brahmā, saying, “O Lord, Vāsuki is greatly troubled, living in fear of a curse. We ask you, O god, to remove this thorn from his mind, a pain born from his mother’s curse, for he seeks only the welfare of his kin. He has always acted kindly toward us—please, be gracious and relieve his suffering.” Brahmā replied, “What you have heard from Elāpatra is indeed true and was spoken by me in thought long ago. Let Vāsuki himself now fulfill that timely prophecy. The unrighteous will perish, but those who follow dharma will be spared. The sage Jaratkāru, twice-born and devoted to severe austerities, will be born. At the proper time, let Vāsuki’s sister, also named Jaratkāru, be given to him as his wife. This is for the welfare of the serpents—let it be so, and not otherwise.” Hearing the command of Brahmā, Vāsuki, still troubled by the curse yet filled with hope, summoned all the serpents and gave instructions. He raised his sister Jaratkāru with special care, assigning many serpents to always attend upon her. He instructed them, “When the sage Jaratkāru seeks a wife, let us quickly inform him—for this will be our salvation.” At this point, Śaunaka, a learned sage, asked, “O Sūtanandana, tell me of the great sage Jaratkāru. Why is his name so renowned? Please explain its true meaning.” The reply came: “Jara means decay or destruction, and kāru means body. That sage, through intense austerity, gradually diminished his body—hence, he is called Jaratkāru. For the same reason, Vāsuki’s sister bears the name as well.” Pleased with this explanation, Śaunaka smiled and said it was fitting. Yet, eager to know more, he asked how Āstīka, the savior of the serpents, was born. In response, Sauti continued the tale: Vāsuki, having assembled all the serpents, devotedly raised his sister and presented her to the sage Jaratkāru when the time was right. However, for a long while, the sage Jaratkāru, steadfast in his vows and absorbed in severe austerities, had no desire for marriage. He controlled his seed, practiced self-restraint, and wandered the earth, learned in the scriptures and fearless, never even entertaining the thought of a wife. Meanwhile, in another part of the world, King Parikṣit, a descendant of the Kauravas, was renowned for his prowess in hunting, much like his ancestor Pāṇḍu, the mighty archer. Parikṣit, son of Abhimanyu, became famous throughout the land for his skill in striking deer, boars, tigers, buffaloes, and other wild beasts as he roamed the forests. One day, after wounding a deer with a barbless arrow, Parikṣit took up his bow and pursued it deep into the forest, just as Rudra once pursued the sacrificial beast in heaven. Yet, though struck, the deer did not die; instead, it swiftly vanished, its form ascending toward the heavens. The king, led far astray by the fleeing animal, grew weary and parched with thirst. In his exhaustion, Parikṣit came upon a sage in the forest, seated amidst grazing cows and their calves. The sage, observing a vow of silence, was drinking only the froth from the milk. Approaching with haste, Parikṣit, bow in hand, addressed him, “O Brāhmaṇa, I am King Parikṣit, son of Abhimanyu. Have you seen a deer, wounded by my arrow, pass this way?” But the sage, steadfast in his silence, made no reply. Frustrated and angry, Parikṣit lifted a dead snake with the tip of his bow and placed it on the sage’s shoulder, waiting to see his reaction. The sage, however, remained unmoved, neither speaking auspicious nor inauspicious words. Realizing his own anger and disturbed by his actions, the king departed for his city, while the sage continued as before, patient and devoted to his vows. This sage, great in forbearance, did not retaliate against Parikṣit, the tiger among kings, even though insulted. Parikṣit, for his part, did not recognize the sage’s true devotion to righteousness and thus committed this act. The sage’s son, Śṛṅgī, was still young but possessed fierce energy, great austerity, immense wrath, and unwavering discipline—he would soon play a fateful role in the unfolding events.