Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/151

Rh their opinions to one another. One party of serpents said, 'we should assume the guise of Superior Brahmanas, and beseech Janamejaya, saying,—this (intended) sacrifice of yours ought not to take place—'. Other snakes thinking themselves wise, said, 'we should all become his favorite councellors. He shall then certainly ask for our advice in all projects. And we will then give him such advice that the sacrifice may be obstructed. The king, the foremost of wise men, thinking us of sterling worth shall certainly ask us about his sacrifice. and [sic] we shall say,—It must not be—. And pointing to many and serious evils in this and the next world with reasons and causes we should take care that the sacrifice may not take place. Or let one of the snakes approaching bite the person who intending the monarch's good, and well acquainted with the rites of the snake sacrifice, may be appointed as the sacrificial priest, so that he may die. And the sacrificial priest dying, the sacrifice shall not be completed. We shall also bite all those who, acquainted with the rites of snake sacrifice, may be appointed to Ritwijas of the sacrifice, and by that attain our object.' Other snakes, more virtuous and kind, said, 'O this counsel of yours is evil. It is not meet to kill Brahmanas. In danger, that remedy is proper which is based on the practices of the honest. Unrighteousness finally destroyeth the world.' Other serpents said, 'we shall extinguish the flaming sacrificial fire by ourselves becoming clouds luminous with lightning and pouring down showers.' Other snakes, the best of their kind proposed, 'Going by night, let us steal away the vessel of Soma juice; this will disturb the rite. Or in that sacrifice, let the snakes by hundreds and thousands bite the people, and spread terror around. Or let the serpents defile the pure food with their own food-defiling urine and dung.' Others said, 'let us become the king's Ritwijas, and obstruct his sacrifice by saying at the outset,—Give us the sacrificial fee—He (the king) being place in our power, shall do whatever we like.' Others there said, 'when the king will sport in the waters, we shall carry him to our home and bind him, so that the sacrifice may not take place.' Other serpents who conceived themselves wise, said, 'approaching him (king) let us bite the monarch,