their limbs, perished on that occasion. And amongst those that perished, there were some that were like horses, others like trunks of elephants, and others of huge bodies and strength like maddened elephants, Of various colours and virulent poison, terrible and looking like maces furnished with iron-spikes, of great strength, ever inclined to bite the snakes, afflicted with their mother's curse, fell into the fire."
So ends the fifty-second section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION LII
(Astika Parva continued)
Saunaka asked, "What great Rishis became the Ritwikas at the snake-sacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the Pandava line? Who also became the Sadasyas in that terrible snake-sacrifice, so frightful to the snakes, and begetting such sorrow in them? It behoveth thee. to describe all these in detail, so that, O son of Suta, we may know who were acquainted with the rituals of the snake-sacrifice "
Sauti answered,"I will recite the names of those wise ones who became monarch's Ritwikas and Sadasyas. The Brahmana Chandavargava became the Hotri in that sacrifice. He was of great reputation, and was born in the race of Chiyavana and was the foremost of those acquainted with the Vedas. The learned old Brahmana, Kautsa, became the Udgatri, the chanter of the Vedic hymns. Jaimini became the Brahmana, and Sarngarva and Pingala the Adhvaryus, Vyasa with his son and disciples, and Uddalaka, Pramataka. Swetaketu. Pingala, Asita, Devala, Narada, Parvata, Atreya, Kundajathara, the Brahmana Kalaghata, Vatsya, old Srutasravas ever engaged in japa and the study of the Vedas, Kohala Devasarman, Maudgalya. Samasa urava, and many other Brahmanas who had got through the Vedas became the Sadasyas at that sacrifice of the son of Parikshit."
"When the Ritwikas in that spake sacrifice began to pour clarified butter into the fire, terrible snakes, striking fear into every creature, began to fall into it. And the fat and the marrow of the snakes thus falling into the fire began to flow in rivers. And the atmosphere was filled with an insufferable stench owning to the incessant burning of the snakes. And incessant also were the cries of the snakes fallen into the fire and those in the air about to fall into it."
"Meanwhile, Taksbaka, that prince of snakes, as soon as he heard that king Janamejaya was engaged in the sacrifice, went to the palace of Purandara (Indra). And that best of spakes, having represented
