Jaratkaru narrates Kadru's curse and Brahma's prophecy
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.
Jaratkaru told her son the ancient story. The mother of all snakes was Kadru. Hear how she came to curse her sons in anger. She said to them, "O sons! You have refused to change the colour of Ucchaihshrava, the king of horses, despite my asking and because of the wager, have made me a slave to Vinata. Therefore, the god of fire will burn you in Janamejaya’s sacrifice. Thus being reduced to the five elements, you will go to the land of the dead."
The great god, the grandfather of all the worlds — Brahma — himself heard this curse being uttered and approved it.
On hearing this curse and Brahma's sanction, Vasuki, the king of snakes, sought refuge with the gods. After the churning of the ocean was over and the gods had obtained the supreme amrita (nectar of immortality), they went to Prajapati Brahma with Vasuki leading the way. All the gods and King Vasuki sought to placate the grandfather so that the curse might have no effect. The gods pleaded, "O lord! Vasuki, the king of snakes, feels sorry for his relatives. How can his mother’s curse be rendered ineffective?"
Brahma's reply was specific and prophetic. "Jaratkaru will marry a wife named Jaratkaru. The Brahmana who will be born will save the snakes from the curse."
When Vasuki, the lord of the snakes, heard this, he gave Jaratkaru to the great-souled sage Jaratkaru, long before the present crisis. From that union, Astika was born. The time foretold had now arrived.