SRIMAD MAHABHARATA - AADI PARVA - AASTIKA (UPA) PARVA - PART 20

"Soota said, 'Thus have I recited to you the whole story of how Amrita was churned out of the Ocean, and the occasion on which the horse Uchchaihshravas of great beauty and incomparable skills was obtained. It was this horse (Uchchaihshravas) about which Kadru (daughter of Prajapati, sister of Vinata, wife of Maharishi Kaashyapa and mother of 1,000 snakes or Naagaas) asked Vinata (daughter of Prajapati, sister of Kadru, wife of Maharishi Kaashyapa and mother of Arunaa and Garuda), saying, 'Tell me, friendly sister (Vinata), without taking much time, of what colour Uchchaihshravas is.'

"Vinata answered, 'That prince of horses is certainly white. What dost you think, sister (Kadru)? You say what is its colour. Let us lay a bet upon it.' 

"Kadru replied, then, 'O you of sweet smiles (Vinata), I think that horse (Uchchaihshravas) is black in its tail. O beautiful one (Vinata), bet with me that she who loses will become the other's slave.'

"Soota continued, 'Thus betting with each other about unskilled service as a slave, the sisters went home, and resolved to satisfy themselves by examining the horse (Uchchaishravas) next day. Kadru, bent upon practising a trickery, ordered her thousand sons (snakes) to transform themselves into black hair and speedily cover the horse's tail in order that she might not become a slave.

"But her sons, the snakes, refusing to do her command, she cursed them, saying, 'During the Naga yajna of the wise king Janamejaya of the Pandava race, Agni shall consume you all.'

"The Pitamaha (Lord Brahma) Himself heard this exceedingly cruel curse pronounced by Kadru, driven by the fate. Seeing that the snakes had multiplied exceedingly, the Pitamaha, moved by kind consideration for his creatures, approved with all Devas this curse of Kadru (so a curse to materialise it needs to be approved by Lord Brahma along with all Devas). Indeed, as the snakes were of venomous poison, great skills and excess of strength, and ever bent on biting other creatures, their mother's conduct towards them -- those punisher of all creatures (snakes) -- was very proper for the good of all creatures.

"Fate always gives punishment of death on those who seek the death of other creatures. Devas, having exchanged such sentiments with one another, supported Kadru's action (and went away). (Lord) Brahma, calling (Maharishi) Kasahyapa to him, spoke to him these words, 'O you pure one who overcome all enemies, these snakes fathered by you, who are of venomous poison and huge bodies, and ever intent on biting other creatures, have been cursed by their mother. O son, do not grieve for it in the least. The destruction of the snakes in the yajna has, indeed, been ordained long ago.' Saying this, the divine Creator of the Universe (Lord Brahma), comforted (Maharishi) Kaashyapa and gave to that illustrious one (Maharishi Kaashyapa) the knowledge of neutralising poison."

And so ends the twentieth section in the Aastika Parva of the Aadi Parva.