Chapter 6.7 - Janamejaya-upakhyana

Parikshit and Janamejaya are historical personalities. They are kings belonging the Candra Dynasty. The death of Parikshit by snake bite and the nagayajna conducted through Janamejaya are real incidents. In the literature of those times the influence of this incident can be seen. More over it has gone into the hearts of people. Popular Priests using the 4^th Veda carry out rituals like Nagayajna achieving great fame. They also persuade others to do it. This is another important subject because Takshaka and nagas belong to the KshatriyaVamsha which is hostile to Kuruvamsha. Enough material is available about the ruling of Kshatriyas belonging to Nagavamsha. However other Mahabharata sub-stories which are the imaginary stories of Sutans are in conformity with this Upakhyana.

In the Mahabharata there are vivid descriptions about the potency of the venom of serpents. The Priests call the serpents by their separate names. We see them convulsing and panting and using their tail and head push one another into the fire.^[1]

In the 57^th chapter the names of all serpents burnt in the sarpayajna are mentioned. Getting burnt comes under the emotion of Bhibhatsa. The foul smell that comes when the fat of the snakes is burnt in the fire and their moans and groans produce the emotion of jugupsa.^[2]

The story of the sarpasatra of Janamejaya is also described briefly in Bhagavata purana. There are many variations between the sarpasatra stories in Bhagavata and Mahabharata.

In Bhagavata, there is no description about Astika. But in Mahabharata Astika has a prominent place. According to Bhagavata, the sarpayajna of Janamejaya is stopped by Brihaspati.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mahabharata , Adiparva 52.5

[2]:

Ibid., 53.22-23