A few days after the king’s death, the vacant throne was taken over by his young son, Janamejaya.
Years passed.
As an adult, Janamejaya began to wonder what were the real reasons for the strange death of his father, who seemed to know what would happen to him. So, thanks to in-depth research carried out among the elders of the court, he soon came to the head of the whole affair.
For days he mulled over what he had learned and eventually came to conclusions.
“My father was innocent. He was thirsty and did not realize that the sage was meditating. Therefore he behaved in that way. But revenge is not admissible upon a Brahmana who represents the supreme Lord on Earth, therefore, the only thing I have left to do is kill the horrid snake that poisoned my father, along with all his lineage. I will exterminate the entire race of snakes. I will cleanse this world of their evil presence.”
Then, he gathered the more experienced priests, who after having held council among them said:
“Oh, king, in the Vedas there are innumerable sacrifices, including those destined for the destruction of some species considered harmful. Among them are also those of the Nagas. But we warn you that it is an expensive and dangerous sacrifice. To carry it out you must have an unshakable determination.”
“I’ve already made up my mind,” Janamejaya retorted. “My father’s death calls for revenge. Snakes are an evil race that harass men, women, and children. It is my opinion that they must be exterminated. Since this is technically possible, I want the preparations to begin immediately.”
A few days later, Janamejaya’s reign was shaken by feverish and intense activity.
This is a section of the book “Maha-bharata, Vol. 1”.
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