(Astika Parva continued)
Sauti said, "Thus have I recited to you the whole story of how Amrita was
churned out of the Ocean, and the occasion on which the horse
Uchchaihsravas of great beauty and incomparable prowess was obtained. It
was this horse about which Kadru asked Vinata, saying, 'Tell me, amiable
sister, without taking much time, of what colour Uchchaishravas is.' And
Vinata answered, 'That prince of steeds is certainly white. What dost thou
think, sister? Say thou what is its colour. Let us lay a wager upon it.'
Kadru replied, then, 'O thou of sweet smiles, I think that horse is black
in its tail. Beauteous one, bet with me that she who loseth will become
the other's slave.'"
Sauti continued, "Thus wagering with each other about menial service as a
slave, the sisters went home, and resolved to satisfy themselves by
examining the horse next day. And Kadru, bent upon practising a deception,
ordered her thousand sons to transform themselves into black hair and
speedily cover the horse's tail in order that she might not become a slave.
But her sons, the snakes, refusing to do her bidding, she cursed them,
saying, 'During the snake-sacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the
Pandava race, Agni shall consume you all.' And the Grandsire (Brahman)
himself heard this exceedingly cruel curse pronounced by Kadru, impelled
by the fates. And seeing that the snakes had multiplied exceedingly, the
Grandsire, moved by kind consideration for his creatures, sanctioned with
all the gods this curse of Kadru. Indeed, as the snakes were of virulent
poison, great prowess and excess of strength, and ever bent on biting
other creatures, their mother's conduct towards them--those persecutors of
all creatures,--was very proper for the good of all creatures. Fate always
inflicts punishment of death on those who seek the death of other
creatures. The gods, having exchanged such sentiments with one another,
supported Kadru's action (and went away). And Brahman, calling Kasyapa to
him, spake unto him these words, 'O thou pure one who overcomest all
enemies, these snakes begotten by you, who are of virulent poison and huge
bodies, and ever intent on biting other creatures, have been cursed by
their mother. O son, do not grieve for it in the least. The destruction of
the snakes in the sacrifice hath, indeed, been ordained long ago.' Saying
this, the divine Creator of the Universe comforted Kasyapa and imparted to
that illustrious one the knowledge of neutralising poison."
And so ends the twentieth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.