Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/150

116 portest this Earth taking everything with her, even as I myself or Valavit (Indra) can'."

Sauti continued, "And the snake, the lord Ananta, of great prowess, lives underneath the Earth, alone supporting the world at the command of Brahma. And the illustrious Grand-father, the best of the immortals, then gave unto Ananta the bird of fair feathers—the son of Vinata, for Ananta's help."

And so ends the thirty-sixth Section in the Astika of the Adi Parva.

 

( Astika Parva continued. )

Sauti said, "That best of snakes, Vasuki, on hearing the curse of his mother, reflected how to render it abortive. Then he held a consultation with all his brothers, Airavata and all others, intent upon doing what they deemed best for themselves.

And Vasuki said, 'O ye sinless one! The object of this curse is known to ye. It behoveth us to strive to neutralise it. Remedies certainly exist for all curses, but no remedy is available to those cursed by their mother. Hearing that this curse hath been uttered in the presence of the immutable, the infinite, and the true one, my heart trembleth! Surely, this our annihilation hath come; otherwise they should no the immutable god prevent her (our mother) while uttering the curse? Therefore will we consult to-day how we may secure the safety of the snakes. Let us not waste time. All of ye are wise and discerning. We will consult together and find out the means of deliverance,—as (did) the gods of yore to regain lost Agni who had concealed himself within a cave;—so that the sacrifice of Janamejaya for the destruction of the snakes may not take place, and so that also we may not meet with discomfiture.

Sauti continued, "Thus addressed, all the offspring of Kadru assembled together, and wise in counsels, submitted 