Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/165

 ( Astika Parva continued. )

Sauti said, "And the councillors beholding the king in the coils of Takshaka, became pale with fear, and they all wept in exceeding grief. And hearing the roar of Takshaka, the ministers all fled. And as they were flying away in great grief they saw Takshaka, the king of snakes, that wonderful of serpents, coursing through the blue sky like a lotus-colored streak, very much looking like the vermeil-colored line on a woman's crown dividing in the middle the dark masses of her hair.

"And the mansion in which the king was, blazed up with Takshaka's poison. And the king's counicillorscouncillors [sic] on beholding it fled away in all directions. And the king himself fell down as if struck with lightning.

"And when the king was fairly laid low by Takshaka's poison, the councillors of the monarch, with the king's priest—a holy Brahmana, performed all his last rites. And all the citizens assembling together made the minor son of the deceased monarch their king. And the people called their new king, that slayer of all enemies, that hero of the Kuru race, by the name of Janamejaya. And that excellent of monarchs, Janamejaya, though a child, was wise in mind. And with his councillors and priest; the eldest son of that bull amongst the Kurus, ruled his kingdom like his heroic great-grand-father (Yudhish-thira.) And then the ministers of the youthful monarch beholding that he could now keep his enemies in check, went to Savarnavarmana, the king of Kasi (Beneras) and asked him his daughter Vapushtama for a bride. And the king of Kasi, after due inquiries bestowed with ordained rites his daughter Vapushtama on the mighty hero of the Kuru race. And the latter receiving his bride became exceedingly glad. And he gave not his heart at any time to any other woman. And gifted with great energy, he wandered in pursuit of pleasure, with a cheerful heart, on expanses of water and amid woods and flowery fields. And that first of monarchs