Sarpasatram 3- Janamejaya Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

Emperor Parikshith
Had married many a maiden.
Born to queen Iravati
Was his heir apparent, Janamejaya.

Just a young boy he was
When Parikshith was killed
The queen ruled over
Indraprastha until he came of age.

Right from childhood
His heart burned of an unstinted
Desire to avenge
His father's death by the snake king.

He knew how the rishi
Wanted to forgive his father
But Takshaka would not budge
He was at his wits edge.

'Just a venomous hiss
Could burn the world down,
What chance do I have? '
The king had thin grown.

Seeing his plight
His mother and her advisors
Thought, she might
Take on the enemy.

But, for her son
One was not enough
To eradicate the snakes
Was his resolve.

Someone vile
In his coterie suggested
A Sarpasatram
A yajna, for the very end.

Before the holy fire
Rishis'd chant the sarpamantra
So falling prey to the ire
But, the snakes can't resist.

They'd be drawn
By the powerful hymns
To the holy deadly fire
And die a fearful death.

His mother Queen Iravati
Advised him, 'Never get
Carried away by anger,
Anger brings disaster.

'Your father, the best
Example, is no more
Aswathamah lives on
But, a living example.

'Pray Lord Maheswara
To take away your anger
Let the snakes live, and
You live too, in peace.'

But young ears listen to
No advice. Sarpasatram it was.
Designed to eradicate snakes
Cruelty extreme it was.