King Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara, and grandson of Arjuna, ruled the kingdom for sixty years before being killed by a curse after being bitten by the serpent Takshaka.
Janamejaya, the great-grandson of the Pandavas and son of Parikshit in the Mahabharata, decided to take revenge. He arranged to perform the famous yajna, known as the Sarpa Satra, or serpent sacrifice. The incantations chanted during the yajna summoned thousands of snakes, aiming to eradicate all serpents on Earth.
While these preparations were underway, a Shudra named Lohitaksha, who was skilled in the art of sacrificial construction, examined the hall's measurements and the type of soil on which its foundation was laid. He then said, "O King, I see from these signs that your sacrifice will not be completed. The omens indicate that this sacrifice will be halted due to the interference of a Brahmana."
A puppy suddenly appeared in the yagna hall. Janamejaya's three brothers—Shrutasena, Ugrasena, and Bhimasena—unjustly beat the puppy and chased it away. In distress, the puppy ran to its mother, Sarama, the celestial she-dog, crying in pain.
When Sarama saw that her child couldn’t stop crying, she asked her little one: “Why are you crying so much? Who has beaten you?”
The little dog replied, “I have been harassed and beaten by the brothers of Janamejaya.”
“Surely, you must have done something wrong. That is why they beat you,” Sarama told her child.
“I have not done anything wrong. I have not touched the sacrificial butter with my tongue. I have not even cast a glance at it.” The little dog replied.
Sarama was filled with distress when she heard that her child had been beaten for no reason. Enraged, she went to the place of the sacrifice and confronted Janamejaya, saying, “My son did nothing wrong. He didn’t touch the sacrificial butter with his tongue, nor did he even look at it. So why did you beat him?”
Why did you hit my child, who had done nothing wrong? Did he violate any offering? Or did he do something wrong somewhere?
'A dog!' laughed Srutasena, Janamejaya's brother.
"No dogs, regardless of size, are allowed in the yagya halls." They have no values. No ritual results. The king of gods thinks that his canine is of a high caste. Then why should he stand? Removing individuals who do not meet certain standards from specific places is justified. Janamejaya stopped Srutasena with a look, and when all the assembled priests remained silent, why was he in vain?
The angry Sarama raised her ears sharply. Her hair stood on end. She growled so that her front teeth were visible.
'Let alone the yajna phala. You decide who can enter the yajña hall. Those involved must feel the consequences of the action they have just taken. They can interpret it as karma or a curse in any way they want. The Swami himself is responsible for the mistake that the devotees make. The king cannot fail to know that. Especially the son of Parikshit?
Realising the danger, Janamejaya suddenly stood up, and his brothers and servants followed suit.
'How big a crime was it to chase a small dog that had come into the middle of the inn?'
No one said anything.
He looked at the priests in turn, as if afraid of Janamejaya.
'Essence, smallness and entitlement are all relative, Janamejaya,' Sarama hissed without laughing.
'Any dog, be it ordinary or extraordinary, is mine. You have frightened and hurt my beloved. Do you know? The greatest fear of a living being is fear itself. Therefore, may you be rich in unexpected fears for the rest of your life!'
The seemingly trivial curse of Sarama was relentlessly pursuing Janamejaya.
When Sarama went back, Shrutasena sighed with relief.
‘Fortunately, that's it. I expected her to react to the destruction of the clan in some way. Janamejaya was upset. 'You don't know the depth of the curse, Shrutasena. It's not that trivial. Especially since we have a childhood where we lived in fear of even shadows, we haven't forgotten anything.'
Sarama's curse haunted Jayamejaya.
After an incomprehensible sacrifice was over, he wandered around looking for ways to atone for his sins. Whenever he closed his eyes, the poisoned seals from all directions disturbed the king's sleep. He jumped away, afraid of the shadows that trembled when he stepped on them. The doors and windows that opened became crevices filled with fear. Overcome by fear, he remained silent for a long time. Janamejaya was filled with disbelief and struggled to understand what was happening. The attendees of the sacrifice, along with those seeking virtue, gradually lost their faith in the truth. They became prisoners of their fear of loss.
This story inspires many others and is crucial to explaining why King Janamejaya ultimately ended with the snake sacrifice.
