The death of Parikshit by Takshaka's bite (ss_adi_40) is the direct cause of his son Janamejaya's desire for revenge, which motivates him to initiate the snake-sacrifice (ss_adi_47). The causal agent is Takshaka's act of killing Parikshit, and the process is the son's filial duty to avenge his father.
Adi Parva
Will King Janamejaya succeed in avenging his father Parikshit's death by snake-bite?
Janamejaya learns the details of his father Parikshit's death: a curse by a sage's son and the snake-king Takshaka's orchestration of the fatal bite. Enraged, Janamejaya vows revenge and initiates a great snake-sacrifice, which begins to draw snakes, including Takshaka, to their doom.
10 stories · 0 pivotal · Chapters 45–47
Begin readingCausal position
How this arc sits in the story chain
Born from
Kadru's curse, sanctioned by Brahma, directly causes the snakes to be drawn into and perish in Janamejaya's Sarpa Satra (snake-sacrifice).
This Arc
The Death of Parikshit and Janamejaya's Vengeance
Leads into
The mass perishing of snakes in the sacrificial fire (ss_adi_47) causes great distress among the surviving snakes, specifically their king Vasuki, who then urgently pleads with his sister to send Astika to intervene (ss_adi_48). The causal agent is the ongoing destruction of the snake race, and the process is Vasuki's desperate appeal for the prophesied savior.
Janamejaya's initiation of the snake sacrifice is the event that Vyasa hears about, which directly causes him to travel to the sacrificial assembly, leading to his arrival and honor.
The ministers' narration to Janamejaya is the recounting of the event where Parikshit, angry after a hunt, places a dead snake on the silent sage Shamika. This is the same event described in ss_adi_36.
Stories
Showing essential stories
Spine stories carry the arc's main thread. Essential adds key turning points. Supporting covers depth and backstory.
Major
The Ministers Narrate King Parikshit's Death to Janamejaya
King Janamejaya's ministers recount the full, terrible story of his father's death: a king's insult, a sage's curse, a snake's bribery, and a final, fatal bite. They urge the young king to decide what must be done.
Chapter 46 · ~3 min
Major
Shringi Curses Parikshit for Insulting His Father
Shringi, the formidable son of an insulted sage, returns home to learn a king hung a dead snake on his meditating father. His instant, blazing anger crystallizes into a curse: death by snakebite in seven days.
Chapter 46 · ~2 min
Major
Janamejaya Resolves to Avenge His Father's Death
After hearing the meticulous account of his father's murder, King Janamejaya is consumed by grief and rage. He declares his firm decision: no time will be lost in taking action against the snake Takshaka.
Chapter 46 · ~1 min
Major
Janamejaya Vows and Initiates the Snake-Sacrifice
King Janamejaya, burning for revenge after the snake Takshaka killed his father Parikshit, asks his priests for a way to destroy the serpent and all his kin. The priests recommend the ancient and terrible snake-sacrifice. Janamejaya orders it to begin, convinced his enemy is already as good as dead.
Chapter 47 · ~1 min