As the great serpent-sacrifice was underway, Purandara—Indra himself—arrived at the ritual, accompanied by Takshaka, the king of serpents. But seeing the power of the ceremony, Indra abandoned the frightened Takshaka and departed to his own abode, leaving Takshaka alone and vulnerable. Bereft of Indra’s protection, Takshaka was overwhelmed by terror and confusion. Helpless against the force of the mantra, he was irresistibly drawn toward the roaring flames of the sacrificial fire. Witnessing this, the officiating priests announced to King Janamejaya, “Takshaka is coming swiftly under your control, O king. His terrible, fearsome cry echoes as he approaches.” They observed that Takshaka, abandoned by the wielder of the thunderbolt, had been cast down from the heavens. Terrified by the mantra, the lord of serpents reeled through the sky, his senses lost, breathing heavily in distress as he neared the sacrificial fire. The priests assured the king, “Your sacrifice proceeds properly, O king. Now you should grant a boon to this foremost of Brahmins.” Turning to Astika, Janamejaya spoke with generosity, “To you, who are youthful and of immeasurable form, I shall grant a suitable boon. Choose whatever you desire that is in your heart, and if it is possible, I shall give it to you.” As Takshaka was about to fall into the fire, Astika intervened, addressing the king, “If you grant me a boon, O Janamejaya, I choose this: let your sacrifice cease, and let no more serpents fall here.” Though Janamejaya was not pleased in his heart, he replied to Astika, “Gold, silver, cows, and whatever else you desire, O illustrious one, I shall give you as a boon, O Brahmin, but let my sacrifice not be stopped.” Astika answered, “Gold, silver, cows—I do not ask these from you, O king. Let your sacrifice cease—may there be well-being for my mother's lineage.” Janamejaya, still unwilling, repeatedly urged Astika, “Choose another boon, good sir, O best of twice-born.” But Astika, son of Bhrigu, would not accept any other boon. Then, all the learned Vedic scholars present spoke together to the king, “Let the Brahmin obtain his boon.” Thus, the king was compelled to grant Astika’s request, and the serpent-sacrifice was brought to an end. Curious about the events, a sage asked, “Of the serpents who fell into the sacrificial fire at this serpent-sacrifice, I wish to hear the names of them all, O son of Suta.” The reply came, “Thousands, tens of thousands, and crores perished here; it is not possible to enumerate them all because of their great number, O best of Brahmins. But listen as I recite the names of the principal serpents, as remembered, who were offered into the fire.” He began with the noble-born serpents of Vasuki’s line—dark, red, white, fierce, massive, and brimming with venom. Helpless, tormented by their mothers’ words and the rod, pitiable, they were summoned: Shala, Pala, Halimaka, Picchala, Manasa, and countless others. Among them were Picchala, Kaunapa, Chakra, Kalavega, Prakalana, Hiranyabahu, Sharana, Kakshaka, and Kaladantaka. These serpents of Vasuki’s line entered the sacrificial fire, along with many others born in that family, all fierce in form and great in might, offered into the blazing flames. Next came the names of those born in Takshaka’s line: Pucchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasekta, and Rabhenaka; Ucchikha, Sharabha, Bhanga, Bilvateja, Virohana, Shili, Shalakar, Muka, Sukumara, and Pravepana; Mudgara, Shishuroma, Suroma, and Mahahanu—all these serpents of Takshaka’s line entered the sacrificial fire. Then followed the serpents born in the line of Airavata: Paravata, Pariyatra, Pandara, Harina, Krisha, Vihanga, Sharabha, Moda, Pramoda, and Samhatapana. And then those born in the Kauravya line: Eraka, Kundala, Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Bahuka, Shringabera, Dhurtaka, and Pratarataka—all entered the sacrificial fire. The narrator continued with the serpents born in the Dhritarashtra line: Shankukarna, Pitharaka, and Kutharamukhasechaka; Purnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Shakuni, Dari, Amahattha, Kamathaka, Sushena, Manasa, and Avyaya; Ashtavakra, Komalaka, Shvasana, Maunavepaga, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pishanga, Udaparaka, Rishabha, Vegavan, Pindaraka, and Mahahanu; Raktanga, Sarvasaranga, Samriddhapatavasa, Varahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, and Citravegika; Parashara, Tarunaka, Mani, Skandha, and Aruni. These serpents, renowned and swift as the wind, filled with venom, entered the sacrificial fire, increasing fame. Because of their vast numbers, not all could be named. These were the principal ones, along with their offspring and descendants. It was impossible to count those who entered the blazing fire—some with two heads, some with five, others with seven, ten, a hundred, and many with countless heads. Terrible beings, like the fires of destruction and deadly poison, were offered by the hundreds of thousands—great in size, swift in force, towering like mountain peaks. Their bodies stretched a yojana in length and two yojanas in breadth; they could assume forms at will, possessed strength as they wished, and blazed with fierce fire and poison. All those were burned there at the great sacrifice, struck down by the rod of Brahma. At this point, another wondrous tale about Astika was recalled: when King Parikshit was granting boons as he pleased, the serpent, slipping from Indra’s hand, remained suspended in the sky. Seeing this, King Janamejaya was filled with anxious thoughts, pondering the outcome of the sacrifice and the fate of the serpents. Thus, the tale of the serpent-sacrifice and Astika’s intervention unfolded, marking a moment of mercy and the end of a terrible destruction.