An incomplete sacrifice

The Adi Parva mentions the episode of one Uttanka, who,

after completing his studies under his preceptor Sage Veda,

expresses his desire to offer guru dakshina, a practice prevalent in the guru sishya tradition. The significance of this

episode is the encouragement for the performance of the

serpent sacrifice, which is the starting point for the Mahabharata, pointed out Sri Sankararama Dikshitar in a discourse.

In Uttanka’s case, the guru asks the disciple to fulfil the

wishes of the guru patni, who desires to possess the earrings

worn by the wife of one king Paushya. Uttanka faces many

hurdles in this quest and finally receives the earrings from

the queen herself. But she warns him to be careful, since the

serpent Takshaka had always coveted these.

On the way back, Takshaka steals the earrings and Uttanka

undergoes many unpleasant experiences while trying

to retrieve them. Finally, through his sincerity and divine

grace, he gets back the prized earrings which he hands over

to the preceptor’s wife on time.

But he begins to hold a grudge against Takshaka and approaches Janamejaya to persuade him to conduct a snake

sacrifice. Is it not a fact that the cunning Takshaka had intercepted all the measures by which his father king Parikshit could have been saved, he argues. Janamejaya then consents for a serpent sacrifice to avenge Takshaka. During this sacrifice, the snakes that are addressed by their names through mantras begin to fall into the fire. One Sage Astika intervenes and impresses on Janamejaya the pointlessness in the destruction of all snakes. The righteous king listens to the advice and stops further killing. Though the sacrifice is not completed, it provides the venue for the narration of the Mahabharata by sage Vaisampayana in the august presence of the learned sages who had assembled there