Astika stops the snake sacrifice and receives a boon

The fire roared. The mantras rose. King Janamejaya’s great snake sacrifice, the sarpasatra, had reached its final, terrible purpose: drawing every snake in the world into the flames to avenge his father Parikshit’s death by snakebite. The chief target was Takshaka, the king of the snakes, the one who had delivered the fatal bite. The priests had chanted him out of his refuge in Indra’s court. The god Indra himself, unable to protect his guest any longer, had thrown Takshaka toward the sacrificial fire. But the snake did not fall. He hung in the air above the pit, motionless, as if caught in an invisible hand. The offerings continued to pour into the fire according to ritual, but Takshaka, though terrified, did not descend. King Janamejaya watched, and became pensive. The mechanics of the sacrifice were flawless. Why did it stall? The answer stood among the spectators. Astika, the young Brahmin born of the snake-woman Jaratkaru and the sage Jaratkaru, had come to this sacrifice for one reason: to save his mother’s race. He had already won the king’s favor with his wisdom and eloquence, securing a promise of a boon. Now, as Takshaka hung suspended, Astika used his own power. Three times he spoke, not to the king or the priests, but to the snake in the air: “Stay! Stay! Stay!” Takshaka, his heart trembling, obeyed. He remained fixed in place, like a man trapped inside a magic circle. The priests — the ritvijas and the sadasyas — understood. The miracle was Astika’s. They turned to the king and urged him repeatedly: grant the boon. Fulfill your promise. Janamejaya looked at the suspended snake, at the expectant priests, and at the calm young Brahmin who had commanded the air itself. He made his decision. “Let it be done as Astika wishes,” the king declared. “Let the sacrifice be stopped. Let the snakes be saved. Let Astika be satisfied. And let the words of the suta come true.” He referred to the builder Lohitaksha, who had predicted at the very beginning that a Brahmin would end this sacrifice. The moment the boon was granted, a tumultuous roar of joy erupted in the sky. The sarpasatra, the great snake sacrifice of Parikshit’s son, was over. Janamejaya, his purpose transformed from vengeance to dharma (righteousness), was pleased. He gifted riches in hundreds and thousands to the assembled priests. He gave great wealth to Lohitaksha, the builder whose prophecy had been fulfilled. Then, following the prescribed rites, he formally concluded the sacrifice. He honored Astika with deep respect and sent him home, his objective achieved. As a final mark of esteem, the king invited the young sage: “You must come again and be a sadasya (ritual participant) in my great horse-sacrifice.” Astika agreed. Having performed his unparalleled deed, Astika returned swiftly to his uncle, the snake-king Vasuki, and to his mother, Jaratkaru. He touched their feet and told them everything that had transpired.