When the Brahmin had departed, Takshaka, the serpent king, approached your righteous father, the foremost of kings, through cunning and deceit. Though your father was well-guarded within his palace, Takshaka managed to burn him with the fire of his venom. Thus, your father perished, and you, O tiger among men, were consecrated for victory. All these events, as they were seen and heard, have been fully and fearfully recounted to you by us. Now, having heard of your father’s defeat, O best of men, it is time to do what must be done for the sake of the sage Utanka. At that very moment, King Janamejaya, destroyer of foes, spoke to all his ministers, seeking counsel. He asked, “Who was it that told of that wondrous event, when the tree was reduced to a heap of ashes—a marvel that astonished the world? That tree, which Kashyapa revived after Takshaka had bitten it—surely, by the power of his mantras, the poison was destroyed, for nothing perishes in the presence of Kashyapa.” Takshaka, wicked-minded and base, had thought to himself, “If the Brahmin I have bitten revives the king, then Takshaka, whose venom is so potent, will become an object of ridicule in the world.” Thus, being satisfied with the Brahmin’s absence, Takshaka plotted, “By some means, I will inflict suffering upon him; but I wish to hear in detail what happened in that lonely forest. Who among those present then heard or saw the conversation between the lord of serpents and Kashyapa on the way? Having heard it, I will devise a plan for the destruction of the serpents.” Now, O King, hear how it was told to us—how the meeting of the best of Brahmins and the lord of serpents happened upon the road. A certain man, seeking firewood, had climbed a tree full of dry branches. Neither Takshaka nor the twice-born Kashyapa noticed the man in the tree, and when Takshaka unleashed his venom, both the tree and the man were reduced to ashes. Yet, by the power of Kashyapa, the tree was restored to life; and thus, O best of Brahmins, this was reported to us by a man who happened to be there. All that transpired between Takshaka and the Brahmin has now been told to you as it was seen and heard. Having listened, O tiger among kings, you must now act as is fitting. Hearing the words of his counselors, King Janamejaya was overcome with grief. Pressing his hand to his mouth, the lotus-eyed king let out many long, hot sighs, and tears welled up in his eyes. The ruler of the earth, tormented by pain and sorrow, released his tears with difficulty. After performing the prescribed purification by touching water, he spoke. After a moment’s reflection, having made up his mind, the king, filled with indignation, addressed his counselors: “Having heard your words about my father’s fate, my decision is now firm. Listen to what I intend: I think that Takshaka, that wicked one, must be dealt with next. He must be repaid, for he caused my father’s death—he who, making Shringin only the instrument, burned the king. It was his wickedness that turned Kashyapa away; had that Brahmin arrived, surely my father would have lived. What loss would there have been for Takshaka if the king had survived, thanks to Kashyapa’s favor and the counselors’ guidance? But out of delusion, he turned away the excellent Brahmin Kashyapa, who had come to revive the undefeated king. This is a great transgression of that wicked Takshaka—he gave wealth to the Brahmin so that the king would not be revived. To please Uttanka, to do a great service for myself, and for all of you, I will perform the funeral rites for my father.” Having spoken thus, the illustrious king, supported by his counselors, took a vow to perform the snake-sacrifice. Then, O Brahmin, O tiger among the Bharatas, King Parikshit’s son summoned his priest and the officiating priests. He, skilled in speech, addressed them: “That wicked Takshaka, who killed my father—tell me, how should I act toward him? Do you know by what means the serpent was responsible? I wish to cast Takshaka, along with his kin, into blazing fire—just as my father was formerly burned by the serpent’s venomous fire, so too do I desire to burn that wicked serpent.” The priests replied, “O King, there is a great sacrificial rite, created by the gods for your sake, known in the Purāṇas as the ‘universal sacrifice.’ According to ancient tradition, you alone among men are qualified to perform this sacrifice; that rite exists for us.” Hearing this, the royal sage believed that Takshaka would indeed be consumed, having entered the mouth of the blazing fire. The king, skilled in mantras, spoke to the Brahmins, “I will undertake that sacrifice—let the necessary materials be gathered for me.” Then the officiating priests, learned in the scriptures, measured out the place for the sacrifice, establishing the sacrificial ground as prescribed. All the learned Vedic scholars, accomplished in wisdom and prosperity, assembled there, along with groups of Brahmins. Abundant with wealth and grain, well-served by priests, they properly constructed the desired sacrificial altar according to the rites. Finally, they initiated the king for the completion of the serpent-sacrifice, and thus began the first event of that great and fateful rite.