When those disguised as Brahmins, along with the guards, had departed, King Parikshit took the fruits they had brought and addressed his ministers. He said, “Let my friends partake of all these fruits today; as for myself, I will eat this one great fruit offered by the Brahmins.” With these words, the son of Uttarā distributed the fruits among his companions. Taking the ripe fruit in his own hand, the king split it open. As he did so, he discovered within the fruit a tiny worm—black-eyed and reddish in hue—which he himself saw. Astonished by the sight, the king turned to his ministers and said, “The sun is about to set; today I have no fear of poison.” He then declared, “I accept the curse—let this worm bite me.” With calm resolve, the king placed the worm upon his neck. When the lord of day had set, the worm clung tightly to his throat. In that moment, it transformed into Takṣaka, the dreadful serpent, terrifying and manifest as death itself. Takṣaka entwined the king and bit him, leaving the ministers in awe and grief. Overwhelmed, they wept, while others fled in terror. The guards cried out in alarm, and a great clamor filled the palace. Bound in the serpent’s coils, his strength utterly destroyed, Parikshit neither spoke nor moved. From Takṣaka’s mouth, a fierce, fiery flame erupted, burning and consuming the king, taking his life in an instant. After swiftly ending the king’s life, Takṣaka ascended into the sky, appearing to those who saw him as if he were burning up the whole world. The king fell lifeless, like a tree consumed by fire, and all the people wailed upon seeing their lord dead. Sūta continued: Seeing the king lifeless and his young son, the ministers performed the proper rites for his journey to the next world. On the banks of the Ganges, the king’s body, now reduced to ashes, was placed upon a pyre prepared with fragrant aloeswood. For him, whose death had been so difficult, the priests conducted the funeral rites according to the prescribed Vedic mantras. Gifts were given to the Brahmins—cows, gold as appropriate, abundant food, and many kinds of garments. At an auspicious hour, the ministers seated the young son, who brought joy to the people, upon the splendid throne. The townspeople, villagers, and all the subjects proclaimed the child Janamejaya, endowed with royal marks, as king. The nurse taught him all the royal insignia, and day by day, Janamejaya grew, becoming a person of great intelligence. When he reached his eleventh year, the family priest gave him proper education, and Janamejaya received it as was fitting. Kripa then imparted to him the complete and well-prepared science of archery, just as Drona had done for Arjuna and Bhargava for Karna. Having acquired knowledge, Janamejaya became strong and unconquerable; in archery and the Vedas, he became accomplished and a knower of the highest truth. Skilled in the meaning of the scriptures of dharma, truthful and self-controlled, he ruled the kingdom righteously, as the son of Dharma once did. In time, the king of Kashi, Suvarnavarma, gave his beautiful daughter, radiant in form, to Parikshit’s son. Janamejaya rejoiced upon receiving her, the dark-eyed daughter of the king of Kashi, just as kings of old rejoiced upon gaining their beloved. Like Vichitravirya rejoiced in Subhadra and Arjuna in her, the king wandered in forests and groves. With his lotus-eyed wife, just as Shachi was with Indra, his subjects became very content and were cherished in happiness. The ministers, skilled in their duties, accomplished all tasks. At that very time, a sage named Uttanka arrived in Hastinapura, afflicted by Takṣaka and pondering who might avenge his enmity. Thinking of the king as Parikshit’s son, Uttanka approached him and said, “O best of kings, you do not know what should or should not be done at the proper time. Today you do what should not be done, and you do not do what should be done; why should I entreat you now, who are devoid of anger and effort?” Janamejaya replied, “I do not know of any enmity, nor have I done anything in return; tell me, O most fortunate one, what enmity or cause there is.” Uttanka said, “Your father, O king, was killed by the wicked Takṣaka. Call your ministers together and ask them about the destruction of your father.” The ministers explained, “He was bitten by a snake and died due to the curse of a Brahmin.” Janamejaya then asked, “The curse of the sage is said to be the cause for the king; but tell me, O best of sages, what fault lies with Takṣaka?” Uttanka replied, “Takṣaka bribed Kasyapa and turned him back; so is Takṣaka truly your enemy or your father’s killer, O king? Long ago, Ruru’s wife was bitten by a snake and died; but the sage did not marry her, and his beloved was brought back to life. There, Ruru made a terrible vow: ‘Whichever snake I see, I will kill with a weapon.’” Thus, Uttanka revealed the enmity and the history of serpents, sowing the seeds of vengeance in Janamejaya’s heart.