“And Krisa said, ’Be not proud, O Sringin, for ascetic as thou art and possessed of energy, thy father bears on his shoulders a dead snake.  Henceforth speak not a word to sons of Rishis like ourselves who have knowledge of the truth, are deep in ascetic penances, and have attained success.  Where is that manliness of thine, those high words of thine begotten of pride, when thou must have to behold thy father bearing a dead snake?  O best of all the Munis, thy father too had done nothing to deserve this treatment, and it is for this that I am particularly sorry as if the punishment were mine.’”

SECTION XLI

(Astika Parva continued)

“Sauti said, ’Being thus addressed, and hearing that his sire was bearing a dead snake, the powerful Sringin burned with wrath.  And looking at Krisa, and speaking softly, he asked him, ’Pray, why doth my father bear today a dead snake?’ And Krisa replied, ’Even as king Parikshit was roving, for purpose of hunting, O dear one, he placed the dead snake on the shoulder of thy sire.’

“And Sringin asked, ’What wrong was done to that wicked monarch by my father?  O Krisa, tell me this, and witness the power of my asceticism.’

“And Krisa answered, ’King Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu, while hunting, had wounded a fleet stag with an arrow and chased it alone.  And the king lost sight of the animal in that extensive wilderness.  Seeing then thy sire, he immediately accosted him.  Thy sire was then observing the vow of silence.  Oppressed by hunger, thirst and labour, the prince again and again asked thy sire sitting motionless, about the missing deer.  The sage, being under the vow of silence, returned no reply.  The king thereupon placed the snake on thy sire’s shoulder with the end of his bow.  O Sringin, thy sire engaged in devotion is in the same posture still.  And the king also hath gone to his capital which is named after the elephant!’

“Sauti continued, ’Having heard of a dead snake placed upon his (father’s) shoulders, the son of the Rishi, his eyes reddened with anger, blazed up with rage.  And possessed by anger, the puissant Rishi then cursed the king, touching water and overcome with wrath.’

“And Sringin said, ’That sinful wretch of a monarch who hath placed a dead snake on the shoulders of my lean and old parent, that insulter of Brahmanas and tarnisher of the fame of the Kurus, shall be taken within seven nights hence to the regions of Yama (Death) by the snake Takshaka, the powerful king of serpents, stimulated thereto by the strength of my words!’