The counselors said: 'Then the king, tormented by hunger, placed the snake upon that sage's shoulder and returned to his own city. Now that sage had a son, greatly renowned, born of a cow (?), named Shringi, of fierce power, extremely wrathful. Having come before Brahma, that sage paid homage and, having been given leave, was on his way back; and then he heard from a friend that his father had been insulted by your father, O Janamejaya — that he was carrying on his shoulder a dead snake placed there by your father, O tiger among the Kurus, upon him, though innocent: upon that ascetic, the best of sages, who had conquered his senses, pure, engaged in a wondrous practice; his self illumined by austerity, restrained in his limbs, of good conduct, gentle in speech, steadfast, free from greed, free from wrath, free from malice, an elder holding a vow of silence, the refuge of all beings — he who had been insulted by your father. Hearing this, the son of that sage, greatly radiant, though a child, yet surpassing elders, cursed your father in anger. Quickly touching water, in fury, invoking your father, blazing as if with light, he said: "He who placed a dead snake upon my innocent teacher — that sinner the wrathful naga Takshaka shall destroy with his fiery power within seven nights from now; behold the strength of my austerity." Having spoken thus, he went to where his father was, and, seeing his father, told him of that curse. And that tiger among sages sent word to your father: "You have been cursed by my son; be on your guard, O lord of the earth; Takshaka, O great king, shall destroy you with his fiery power."'