Brahma and Vasuki

The snakes are doomed by a prophecy of Janamejaya's snake-sacrifice. In their terror, the snake Elapatra reveals a secret he overheard as a child: a divine plan for their salvation, hinging on a sage, a woman with the same name, and a son not yet born.

The snakes have a prophecy: a marriage can save them from a terrible sacrifice. After aiding the gods in churning the ocean, Vasuki, the serpent king, seeks Brahma's counsel to make it happen. Brahma confirms the plan and sets the wheels in motion.

Jaratkaru narrates the origin of the snakes' doom: their mother Kadru, enraged after losing a wager, cursed them to be consumed by fire in a future king's sacrifice. The gods appealed to Brahma, who decreed that only a Brahmin named Astika, born of a woman also named Jaratkaru, could break the curse.