Astika (sage)

Astika
Astika
	The snake sacrifice of Janamejaya, as Astika (boy in red) stops the king
Information
Family	Jaratkaru (father); Manasa (mother)

Astika was an ancient Hindu rishi (sage), and he was a son of Jaratkaru by the serpent goddess Manasa - a sister of the great serpent king Vasuki. According to the Mahabharata, he saved the life of a serpent Takshaka, the king of snakes, when the king Janamejaya organized a snake sacrifice known as Sarpa Satra, where he made great sacrifices of serpents, to avenge for the death of his father Parikshit^[1] due to snakebite of Takshaka. Ultimately, he induced and prevailed upon the king to end his persecution of the serpent race.^[2] That day was Shukla Paksha Panchami in Shravan and is since celebrated as the festival of Nag Panchami.^[3]

References[edit]

Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna L. Dallapiccola

↑ Son of Abhimanyu, who in turn was a son of Arjuna.
↑ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 72.
↑ Garg 1992, p. 743.

Bibliography[edit]

Garg, Gaṅgā Rām (1992). Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-7022-376-4.

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[1] Son of Abhimanyu, who in turn was a son of Arjuna.

[2] Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 72.

[FOOTNOTEGarg1992743-3] Garg 1992, p. 743.

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