Suta said: "Having heard the words of all of them—one thing, then another—and having heard the speech of Vasuki, Elapatra spoke thus: 'That sacrifice will still take place; there is no means to prevent that king Janamejaya, descendant of Pandu, from whom comes our great fear. Whomever fate has struck, O king, turns only to fate—he has no other refuge. Such is this fear of ours too, O best of serpents, sent by fate; let us turn to fate here—listen to my word. When that curse was being pronounced, I, small, sitting on my mother's lap out of fear, then heard a word, O best of serpents. The gods, coming to the Grandsire, distressed with grief, asked, O most radiant one: "Who, having borne beloved sons, would curse them so, O Grandsire, except fierce-natured Kadru, before your very face, O god of gods? And you too said to her, ‘so be it,’ O Grandsire; this we wish to know—for what reason did you not stop her?"'"