King Janamejaya, of Vidarba

RULED INDRAPRASTHA FOR 84 YEARS 7 MONTHS AND 23 DAYS

Janamejaya, a Kuru king in Arjuna's line, conquered Takshasila, probably then ruled by the Naga Takshaka. He conducted a massacre called Sarpa Satra meaning the slaughter of the snakes, in which the Naga race was nearly exterminated. This massacre was stopped by a Brahmin named Astika, whose mother was a Naga. Nagas were considered as a super human tribe, in Puranas. Naga literally means a Serpent or a serpent-god. The Nagas could be a group of people who inhabited India during epic periods who worshiped snakes. Janamejaya, Raajaa Janamejaya is not a witness of Mahaabhaarat, but in fact what we read as Mahaabhaarat is that only which Vaishampaayan Jee told him. Thus he is a listener and Vaishampaayan Jee is the orator of Mahaabhaarat.

Janamejaya was the one of the four sons of Pareekshit. According to Bhaagvat Puraan their names were - Janamejaya, Shrutsen, Bheemsen, and Ugrasen. Janamejaya had two sons - Shataaneek and Shankukarn. When Janamejaya knew that his father died by the bite of Takshak Naag, he decided to do a Yagya, called Sarp Yagya (Snake Yagya) in which he decided to sacrifice all Naag including Takshak. As the Yagya started, and the Aahuti was given to call Naag, small and big, old and young, male and female, all kinds of Naag started falling in the Yagya fire. Seeing this all Naag got very upset. Takshak immediately went to Indra to ask for his shelter. He said - "You may cling to the legs of my throne, you should be safe there." So Takshak clung there with the legs of Indra's throne.

When for some time many Naag fell in the sacrificial fire and Takshak did not appear, Janamejaya asked - "Where is Takshak? I want him to fall here. I am not interested in these ones." Purohit said - "He has clung to the throne of Indra." Janamejaya said angrily - "Then invoke Indra. He has given him shelter, lt him also die with him." So Purohit started giving Aahuti to call Indra. Now Indra's throne started shaking and falling towards Janamejaya's Yagya Kund. Seeing this Indra got worried.

Two Versions to Stop Yagya Now there are two versions as how that Yagya was stopped. (1) According to Bhaagvat Puraan, 12/3, Dev Guru Brihaspati Jee advised Janamejaya - "Killing Takshak is not your job, because Takshak has taken Amrit and is immortal. Hey Raajan, All living beings pass their lives according to their Karm. Many people die from snake bite, or thunder, or fire, but this is only for saying sake, because in reality everybody gets his death according to his Karm. By doing this Yagya, you are not going to achieve anything good except killing innocent snakes, so stop doing this, because everybody enjoys the results of his own Karm." Then he stopped that Yagya and Indra's throne got stopped from falling.

(2) By second version, according to MBH, G-0-Prolog/11, Aasteek Muni went to Janamejaya's Yagya and praised about Janamejaya's Yagya. Janamejaya liked his talks and wished to bestow him a boon. Although King's Purohit etc stopped him bestowing it at that time saying that he could do that after Takshak had fallen in the Yagya, but, by Destiny, Janamejaya did not listen to him and asked the boy to ask for the boon and instructed his Purohit to call Takshak to be fallen in the Yagya fire. Now when Takshak was called Indra threw Takshak and he himself ran away. Takshak started falling down. Indra had given him a boon that till he was living with him, Agni would not burn him.

Aasteek said - "If you wish to give me a boon, then please end this sacrifice, no more Naag sacrifice." Janamejaya said - "You can ask me anything but stopping this sacrifice." Aasteek said - "I do not want anything else. I want to save my maternal relations." Braahman said - "Let this Braahman receive the boon." And thus the Takshak was saved.

After his father was bit by a snake and died, he conducted a sarpa yagna to kill all snakes. One snake, Hastika said it is half man and half-snake and mentioned that his grand father's father had burnt down a forest due to which lot of snakes had died. So, Janame Jaya was interested to know the story and then Vaishnampaya who is the disciple of Vyasa narrated the Mahabharatha story to Janame jaya

Janamejaya (Sanskrit: जनमेजय) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th or 11th century BCE).[1] Along with his predecessor Parikshit, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic hymns into collections, and the development of the orthodox srauta ritual, transforming the Kuru realm into the dominant political and cultural center of northern Iron Age India.[2][3]

He also appears as an important figure in many later legends and traditions, such as the Mahabharata, where he appears as the listener of the first narration of the great epic (see below).

In Vedic literature

Kuru and other kingdoms of the Vedic period Janamejaya is mentioned as a great king and conqueror in a number of late Vedic texts. The Aitareya Brahmana (VIII.21) informs us that his priest Tura Kavasheya anointed him with the great anointing of Indra, and hence his descendants are called Tur. The Shatapatha Brahmana mentions that he performed an ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) at a place named Āsandīvat[note 1] and the priest who performed it for him was Indrota Daivapa Shaunaka.[6] Janamejaya was a son of King Parikshit and had several brothers: Bhimasena, Ugrasena and Śrutasena.

In Post-Vedic Literature He was the son of King Parikshit and Queen Madravati according to the Mahabharata (I.95.85), but according to the Bhagavata Purana (I.xvi.2), his mother was Iravati, daughter of Uttara.[7] He was the grandson of Abhimanyu and the great-grandson of Arjuna, the valiant warrior hero of the Mahābhārata. He ascended to the Kuru throne following the death of his father. His significance comes as the listener of the first narration of the Mahābhārata, narrated by Vaishampayana, pupil of Vyasa. According to the Vayu Purana and the Matsya Purana, there was a dispute between him and Vaishampayana. Possibly, as its aftermath, he abdicated and his son Shatanika succeeded him.[8] According to the Puranas, Janamejaya was succeeded by Ashvamedhadatta. Ashvamedhadatta was succeeded by Adhisima Krishna.[citation needed]

In Mahabharata In Mahabharata, Janmejaya was mentioned as having six able brothers viz, Kakshasena, Ugrasena, Chitrasena, Indrasena, Sushena and Nakhaysena.[9] The initial chapters of the epic narrates various aspects of his life including his conquest of Takshasila and about his encounter with Naga Takshaka. He wanted to exterminate the race of Nagas, since Takshaka was responsible for the death of his father Parikshit. Emperor Janmejay was responsible for the retelling of the famous epic Mahābhārata a story of Janmejay's ancestors from the time of Bharata up to the great Kurukshetra war between his great grandfathers the Pandavas and their paternal cousins the Kauravas. The Mahabharata states that it was recited to Janmejay at the sarpa satra (snake sacrifice) by the sage Vaishampayana to whom it had been imparted by his perceptor Vedavyasa,[10] after he asked Vaishampayana about his ancestors.

Sarpa satra (snake sacrifice)

The snake sacrifice of Janmejay, as Astika tries to stop it. Emperor Janmejay ascended to the throne of Hastinapura upon the death of his father Parikshit. According to legend, Parikshit, the lone descendant of the House of Pandu, had died of snakebite. He had been cursed by a sage to die so, the curse having been consummated by the serpent-chieftain Takshak.

Janmejay bore a deep grudge against the serpents for this act, and thus decided to wipe them out altogether. He attempted this by performing a great Sarpa satra - a sacrifice that would destroy all living serpents.

At that time, a learned sage named Astika, a boy in age, came and interfered. His mother Manasa was a Naga and father was a Brahmin. Janmejay had to listen to the words of the learned Astika and set Takshaka free. He also stopped the massacre of the Nagas and ended all the enmity with them (1,56). From then onwards the Nagas and Kurus lived in peace.

The mass sacrifice was started on the banks of the river Arind at Bardan, now Known as Parham, a corrupt form of Parikshitgarh.[citation needed] A masonry tank said to have been built by Emperor Janmejay to mark the site of the sacrificial pit, known as Parikshit kund, still exists in Mainpuri district. This is known as Gowdvana. Close to this village a very large and high khera containing the ruins of a fort and some stone sculptures has been found . It is said to date back to the time of Emperor Parikshit. A popular local legend is that as a consequence of the virtues of that sacrifice snakes are still harmless in this place and its neighborhood.

Dynasty after Satanika (according to Puranas) The son of Janamejaya will be Śatáníka, who will study the Vedas under Yájnyawalkya, and military science with Kripa; but becoming dissatisfied with sensual enjoyments, he will acquire spiritual knowledge from the instructions of Śaunaka, and ultimately obtain salvation. His son will be Aswamedhadatta (a son given by the gods in reward for the sacrifice of a horse 5); his son will be Asíma-krishńa 6; his son will be Nichakra 7, who will remove the capital to Kauśámbí, in consequence of Hastinápura being washed away by the Ganges; his son will be Ushńa 8; his son will be Chitraratha; his son will be Vrishńimat 9; his son will be Susheńa; his son will be Sunítha 10; his son will be Richa 11; his son will be Nrichakshu 12; his son will be Sukhíhala 13; his son will be Pariplava; his son will be Sunaya 14; his son will be Medhávin; his son will be Nripanjaya 15; his son will be Mridu 16; his son will be Tigma 17; his son will be Vrihadratha; his son will be Vasudána 18; and his son will be another Śatáníka; his son will be Udayana 19; his son will be Ahínara 20; his son will be Khańd́apáni 21; his son will be Niramitra 22; his son will be Kshemaka 23: of him this verse is recited; "The race which gave origin to Brahmans and Kshatriyas, and which was purified by regal sages, terminated with Kshemaka; in the Kali age.