Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/207

 for nothing. What but ridicule can ever be the portion of the over-greedy? Then the snakes did not obtain the nectar of immortality, and their enemy Garuda, on the strength of Vishnu's boon, began to swoop down and" devour them. And this he did again and again. And while he was thus attacking them, the snakes* in Pátála were dead with fear, the females miscarried, and the whole serpent race was well-nigh destroyed. And Vásuki the king of the snakes, seeing him there every day, considered that the serpent world was ruined at one blow: then, after reflecting, he preferred a petition to that Garuda of irresistible might, and made this agreement with him " I will send you every day one snake to eat, O king of birds, on the hill that rises out of the sand of the sea. But you must not act so foolishly as to enter Pátála, for by the destruction of the serpent world your own object will be baffled." When Vásuki said this to him, Garuda consented, and began to eat every day in this place one snake sent by him: and in this way innumerable serpents have met their death here. But I am a snake called Śankachúda,† and it is my turn to-day: for that reason I have to-day, by the command of the king of the snakes, in order to furnish a meal to Garuda, come to this rock of execution, and to be lamented by my mother."

When Jímútaváhana heard this speech of Śankachúda's, he was grieved, and felt sorrow in his heart and said to him, " Alas ! Vásuki exercises his kingly power in a very cowardly fashion, in that with his own hand he conducts his subjects to serve as food for his enemy. Why did he not first offer himself to Garuda? To think of this effeminate creature choosing to witness the destruction of his race ! And how great a sin does Garuda, though the son of Kaśyapa, commit ! How great folly do even great ones commit for the sake of the body only ! So I will to-day deliver you alone from Garuda by surrendering my body. Do not be despondent, my friend." When Śankachúda heard this, he out of his firm patience said to him, " This be far from thee, great-hearted one, do not say so again. The destruction of a jewel for the sake of a piece of glass is never becoming. And I will never incur the reproach of having disgraced my race." In these words the good snake Śankachúda tried to dissuade Jímútaváhana, and thinking that the time of Garuda's arrival would come in a moment, he went to worship in his last hour an image of Śiva under the name of Gokarna, that