Sarama curses Janamejaya for beating her innocent son
During a long sacrifice, Janamejaya's brothers beat a dog for no reason. The dog's mother, the divine Sarama, arrives in a fury to curse the king: since her innocent son was harmed, evil will befall him when he least expects it.
Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, attended a long sacrifice in Kurukshetra with his three brothers. As they sat there, a dog wandered into the sacrificial grounds. Janamejaya's brothers beat it. The dog ran off, weeping.
It went to its mother. Seeing him cry, she asked, "Why are you yelping? Who has beaten you?" The dog told her, "I have been beaten by Janamejaya's brothers." His mother said, "You must have committed some wrong that you were beaten."
He replied, "I did not commit any wrong. I did not lick the sacrificial ghee. I did not even look at it."
Hearing this, his mother Sarama — the divine dog of the gods — felt sorry for her son's misery. She went to the place of the sacrifice and angrily addressed Janamejaya.
"My son committed no wrong. He did not lick your sacrificial ghee. He did not even look at it. Why did you then beat him? Since you beat my son who committed no wrong, evil will befall you when you least expect it."
On hearing these words from Sarama, Janamejaya was saddened and miserable. The curse was now upon him, setting in motion his search for a way to counteract it.