Those who live in luxury, (soon) lose their
reason. So, I too, O Yudhishthira, overpowered by the infatuation of
prosperity, have fallen from my high state and having recovered my
self-consciousness, am enlightening thee thus! O victorious king, thou
hast done me a good turn. By conversing with thy pious self, my painful
curse has been expiated. In days of yore, while I used to sojourn in
heaven in a celestial chariot, reveling in my pride, I did not think of
anything else, I used to exact tribute from _Brahmarshis, Devas,
Yakshas, Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Pannagas_ and all other dwellers of the
three worlds. O lord of earth, such was the spell of my eyes, that on
whatever creature, I fixed them, I instantly destroyed his power.
Thousands of _Brahmarshis_ used to draw my chariot. The delinquency, O
king, was the cause of my fall from my high prosperity. Among them,
Agastya was one day drawing my conveyance, and my feet came in contact
with his body; Agastya then pronounced (this curse) on me, in anger,
"Ruin seize thee, do thou become a snake." So, losing my glory, I fell
down from that excellent car and while falling, I beheld myself turned
into a snake, with head downwards. I thus implored that Brahmana, "May
this curse be extinguished, O adorable one! You ought to forgive one who
has been so foolish from infatuation." Then he kindly told me this, as I
was being hurled down (from heaven), "The virtuous king Yudhishthira
will save thee from this curse, and when, O king, horrible sin of pride
will be extinguished in thee, thou shalt attain salvation.
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