‘Then the action of the rite began in the snake sacrifice, according to due order, and the priests moved, as prescribed, each in his own service. Clad in black garments, with eyes reddened by smoke, they poured offerings by mantras into the kindled fire that bore the sacrifice to the gods. And, shaking the minds of all the serpents, they then poured all the serpents into the mouth of the fire. Then the serpents fell into the blazing fire that bore the sacrifice — writhing, pitiful, calling to one another. Trembling, and gasping, and writhing, one after another, with tails and heads they entered in multitudes into the many-rayed fire. White, and black, and blue, old and young, uttering terrible cries, they fell into the blazing flame. Thus hundreds of thousands, millions, and hundreds of millions of serpents perished helplessly, O best of the twice-born. Some there were like mice, others like elephants' trunks, others like maddened elephants, huge-bodied and mighty. Tall and small, many, of many colors, brimming with venom, fearsome, like iron clubs, stinging, mighty serpents fell into the fire, tormented by the rod of their mother's curse [— the curse of Kadru].’