Utanka

Utanka has served his teacher faithfully and refuses an improper request from the women of the household while his teacher is away. When the teacher returns, he offers Utanka a gift in return for his service. Utanka asks to give his preceptor something first. The teacher sends him to his wife, who requests Queen Poushya’s earrings so she can wear them while serving Brahmanas on a holy day four days later. The queen gives Utanka the pair and warns that Takshaka, king of the nagas, desires them.

On the road, Utanka accepts food from a man riding a huge bull, then reaches Poushya’s court. After a dispute about the food offered there, he leaves with the earrings. A naked mendicant steals them while Utanka fetches water. Utanka pursues him, discovers that he is Takshaka, and follows him into the naga realm. His praise does not immediately return the earrings. He sees two women weaving with black and white threads, a turning wheel and a man beside a horse. After Utanka addresses the man, flames and smoke pour from the horse, and the frightened Takshaka returns the earrings.

The horse carries Utanka back to his teacher’s home, where he arrives in time to give the earrings to the teacher’s wife. His teacher explains that the weavers represent Dhata and Vidhata, the threads are night and day, the wheel represents the year, the man is Parjanya, and the horse is Agni. He also explains that the bull and rider were Airavata and Indra, whose help kept Utanka alive in the naga realm. Utanka then travels to Hastinapura and urges Janamejaya to avenge Parikshit’s death by beginning a snake sacrifice, partly because Takshaka had obstructed his errand.