Takshaka deceives and kills King Janamejaya
King Janamejaya, protected by powerful anti-venom mantras, knows the snake-king Takshaka is coming for him. When a tiny worm appears in a gift of fruit, Janamejaya recognizes it for what it is — and places it on his own neck, choosing to fulfill the curse rather than live in fear.
After turning the sage Kashyapa away with a bribe, Takshaka, the king of the snakes, sped towards Hastinapura. He had a curse to fulfill. But on the way, he heard that King Janamejaya was living with extreme caution, protected by mantras and medicinal herbs that could neutralize any poison. A direct attack would fail.
Takshaka stopped to think. "The king must be deceived through my powers of maya (illusion). But what is the best way?"
He settled on a disguise. He sent several of his snakes to the royal court, transformed by illusion to look like ascetics. They carried gifts of fruit, leaves, and water. Takshaka instructed them: "Go swiftly to the king, as if you have a rite to perform. Make the king a present of these things."
The snakes obeyed. They entered the court, presented their gifts to the valorous king, performed their rites, and were given leave to depart.
After they had gone, King Janamejaya addressed his ministers and well-wishers. "All of you," he said, "eat with me the succulent fruits presented by those ascetics."
As the king picked up a fruit to eat, a small worm appeared inside it. The creature was tiny, with black eyes and a coppery colour. Janamejaya picked it up and showed it to his advisers. "The sun is setting," he said. "Today, I no longer have any fear from poison." His words carried a strange, fatalistic calm. "Therefore, let this worm become Takshaka and bite me. Let the words of the hermit become true, and let a falsehood not be committed."
Driven by destiny, his advisers applauded this decision.
Smiling, the king of kings placed the small worm on his own throat. He was about to die, and his senses were already leaving him, but he was still laughing when the worm transformed. Takshaka, who had hidden himself within the gifted fruit, emerged, coiled around the king's neck, and bit him. The curse was complete.