सौतिरुवाच एवमुक्त्वा ततः श्रीमान्मन्त्रिभिश्चानुमोदितः। आरुरोह प्रतिज्ञां स सर्पसत्राय पार्थिवः॥
Sauti said : The illustrious king having said so, the ministers expressed their approbation. The king expressed his determination of performing a Snake-sacrifice.
ब्रह्मन्भरतशार्दूलो राजा पारिक्षितस्तदा। पुरोहितमथाहूय ऋत्विजो वसुधाधिपः॥
The Lord of the earth, the best of the Kurus, king (Janamejaya) the son of Parikshit, then called his priest and Ritvijas.
अब्रवीद्वाक्यसंपन्नः कार्यसंपत्करं वचः। यो मे हिंसितवांस्तातं तक्षकः स दुरात्मवान्॥
And that accomplished speaker spoke on the accomplishment of his great task. (He said), “I must avenge on that wretch Takshaka.
प्रतिकुर्यां तथा तस्य तद्भवन्तो ब्रुवन्तु मे। अपि तत्कर्म विदितं भवतां येन पन्नगम्॥ तक्षकं संप्रऽग्नौ प्रक्षिपेयं सबान्धवम्। यथा तेन पिता मह्यं पूर्वं दग्धो विषाग्निना। तथाऽहमपि तं पापं दग्धुमिच्छामि पन्नगम्॥
Tell me what I must do. Do you know any act by which I can throw Takshaka with all his friends and relatives in the blazing fire? I want to burn the wretch of a snake as he burnt my father with his poison.
ऋत्विज ऊचुः अस्ति राजन्महत्सत्रं त्वदर्थं देवनिर्मितम्। सर्पसत्रमितिख्यातं पुराणे परिपठ्यते॥
The Ritwijas said : O king, there is a sacrifice advised by the celestials for you. It is known as the Snakesacrifice and is spoken of in the Puranas.
आहर्ता तस्य सत्रस्य त्वन्नान्योऽस्ति नराधिप। इति पौराणिकाः प्राहुरस्माकं चास्ति स ऋतुः॥
O king, you alone can accomplish it and no one else. The men, learned in the Puranas, have told us that there is such a sacrifice.
सौतिरुवाच एवमुक्तः स राजर्षिर्मन दग्धं हि तक्षकम्। हुताशनमुखे दीप्ते प्रविष्टमिति सत्तम॥
Sauti said : O excellent one, thus addressed, that royal sage thought Takshaka already thrown into the blazing fire and burnt to ashes.
ततोऽब्रवीन्मन्त्रविदस्तानराजा ब्राह्मणांस्तदा। आहरिष्यामि तत्सत्रं संभारा: संभ्रियन्तु मे॥
The king then told these Brahmanas, learned in Mantras, “I shall perform that sacrifice. Tell me the things that are necessary.
ततस्ते ऋत्विजस्तस्य शास्त्रतो द्विजसत्तम। तं देशं मापयामासुर्यज्ञायतनकारणात्॥
O best of Biahmanas, thereupon his wise Ritwijas, learned in the Shastras, measured, according to the ordinances, a piece of land for the sacrificial platform.
यथावद्वेदविद्वांसः सर्वे बुद्धेः परंगताः। ऋद्ध्या परमया युक्तमिष्टं द्विजगणैर्युतम्॥ प्रभूतधनधान्याढ्यमृत्विग्भिः सुनिषेवितम्। निर्माय चापि विधिवद्यज्ञायतनमीप्सितम्॥ राजानं दीक्षयामासुः सर्पसत्राप्तये तदा। इदं चासीस्त्रार्वं सर्पसत्रे भविष्यति॥
It was graced by the presence of holy Brahmanas; it was decked with much valuable wealth; it was full of wealth and paddy. On this sacrificial platform they according to rites installed the king in the Snake-sacrifice. But before the commencement of the sacrifice happened.
निमित्तं महदुत्पन्नं यज्ञविघ्नकरं तदा। यज्ञस्यायतने तस्मिन्क्रियमाणे वचोऽब्रवीत्॥ स्थपतिर्बुद्धिसंपन्नो वास्तुविद्याविशारदः। इत्यब्रवीत्सूत्रधारः सूतः पौराणिकस्तदा॥
An incident which foreboded a hindrance to it. For when the sacrificial platform was being built, a man, Suta by caste, well acquainted with the Puranas and learned in the art of masonry and of laying foundations, said,
यस्मिन्देशे च काले च मापनेयं प्रवर्तिता। ब्राह्मणं कारणं कृत्वा नायं संस्थास्यते क्रतुः॥
“The land in which the platform was made and the time when it was measured indicate that this sacrifice will not be completed. A Brahmana will be its cause."
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु राजाऽसौ प्राग्दीक्षाकालमब्रवीत्। क्षत्तारं न हि मे कश्चिदज्ञातः प्रविशेदिति॥
Having heard this, the king, before he was installed in the sacrifice, ordered the gate keepers, saying, “None must be allowed to enter here without my permission."