"Soota said, 'O best of Dwijas (Dwija means twice-born; while the first birth is natural, the second birth occurs upon the realisation of the Supreme Soul) (Here Soota refers to Rishi Shaunaka as Dwija), hearing these words of Elapatra, all snakes (Naagaas in Sanskrit), in great delight, exclaimed, 'Well said, well said!' From that time Vaasuki set about carefully bringing up that lady, viz., his sister Jaratkaaru. He took great delight in bringing her up.
"Much time did not pass from this (event of Elapatra's revealation), when Devas and Asuras, assembling together, churned the abode of Varuna (Samudra Manthan). Vaasuki, the foremost of all gifted with strength, became the churning-cord. Directly the work was over, the king of the snakes (Vaasuki) presented himself before the Pitamaha (Lord Brahma). Devas, accompanied by Vaasuki, addressed the Pitamaha, saying, 'O lord, Vaasuki is suffering great pained from fear of (his mother's curse). It is your duty to remove the sorrow, begotten of the curse of his mother, that has pierced the heart of Vaasuki desirous of the well-being of his (snake) race. The king of the snakes (Vaasuki) is ever our friend and supporter. O Lord of Devas (Lord Brahma), be gracious to him (Vaasuki) and relieve his mind's fever.'
"(Lord) Brahma replied, 'O you immortals (Devas), I have thought, in my mind, of what you have said. Let the king of the snakes (Vaasuki) do that which hath been communicated to him before by (the snake) Elapatra. The time has arrived. Only those that are wicked (snakes) shall be destroyed, not those that are Dharmic. Jaratkaaru (Vaasuki's sister) has been born, and that Brahmana (Rishi Jaratkaaru) is engaged in hard ascetic Tapas. Let Vaasuki, at the proper time, bestow on him (Rishi Jaratkaaru) his sister. O Devas, what has been spoken by the snake Elapatra for the welfare of the snakes is true and not otherwise.'
"Soota continued, 'Then the king of the snakes, Vaasuki, pained with the curse of his mother, hearing these words of the Pitamaha (Lord Brahma), and intending to bestow his sister (Jaratkaaru) of the Rishi Jaratkaru, commanded all snakes, a large numbers of whom were ever attentive to their duties, to watch the Rishi Jaratkaru, saying, 'When the lord Jaratkaaru will ask for a wife, come immediately and inform me of it. The well-being of our (snake or Naagaa) race depends upon it.'"
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