Sacrifice begins

Janmajeya said What happened in the sacrifice? Where did Arjuna go along with the horse? Whom did he fight with?
The sage said - Listening to the story of the sacrifice removes all sins. Listen to me while I tell you more.
Vyasa said to Yudhistira Get the sages and start the sacrifice. Yudhistira asked Bhima to do that. Bhima went fetched the sages who all came and took their seats.
In the place where the sacrifice would take place, an eighty feet deep pit was dug. It was a hundred feet in circumference. As per the scriptures, the pit was decorated and pillars were erected at corners. Wearing clean clothes, Yudhistira and Draupadi sat around the pit. Chanting of the Vedas began. Yudhistira gave gifts to all the invited guests. The horse was fetched and decorated. The name tag of Yudhistira was added on. Along with the women of the household, Kunti and Gandhari worshiped the horse.
Yudhistira then called Arjuna. He said - I will be sit in prayer here. Go with the horse and guard it. Make sure it does not get stolen. Only Nakula will stay with me. Take whoever you need.
Arjuna said I do not need anyone. With the blessings of Krishna, I will be back safe, along with the horse.
Arjuna started.
Krishna called Bhima, Pradyumna, Satyaki and Kritavarma and asked them to go along with Arjuna.
Along with them, Yuvanashwa, Anusalva, Subeg and Vrishketu also accompanied Arjuna.

The horse was let free. It went southwards.

Rajsuya sacrifice starts

Yudhistira asked Sahadeva to ask Dhuamya, their priest, to provide a list of items needed for the Rajsuya sacrifice. Whatever Dhaumya said was to be noted carefully and the double of that quantity was to be purchased and kept. All people of all sects were to be invited for the sacrifice. All types of food was to be prepared.

Getting permission from Yudhistira, Sahadeva got ready. He started getting buildings constructed and temples decorated. Houses were constructed for people to stay. The houses were filled with food of every kind.

Yudhistira then asked Nakula to go to Hastinapura and invite all for the sacrifice. Nakula went and announced the same and all citizens of Hastinapura started their journey towards Indraprastha. Bhishma and Drona began overseeing what was to be done. Duryodhana took over the responsibility of looking over the kitchen and Dusshasana was given the responsibility of providing food to all. Aswatthama was asked to attend on the Brahmanas. Sanjaya was appointed to offer gifts to the kings who came. Kripa took over the task of giving gifts to the brahmanas. Krishna took the task of looking after all. Karna took the task of welfare of the people and giving gifts to them. The others took over the tasks of guarding the gates and making sure all was fine.

Many kings came and were taken care of well.

Janmajeya then asked who were the kings and who came. The sage said :


Yudhistira then asked Krishna who all should be inviting as guests. Krishna said starting with the Gods in the heaven to the Nagas in the nether world, all were to be invited. Yudhistira wanted to know who would go where, for inviting them. Krishna asked Yudhistira to send Arjuna to the heavens. Arjuna, happy to be of service, started on his journey.

He first went north and invited Kubera to come along with all the kings in his area. Kubera accepted the invite. Arjuna asked Kubera what was the way to go to Indra. Kubera asked Chitrasen, to accompany Arjuna and take him where he wanted to go.
On his chariot with Chitrasen, they started their journey. On their way, Arjuna saw the abode of Shiva. Arjuna stopped there and prayed to Shiva and asked him to attend the sacrifice. Shiva and Parvati both agreed to attend the sacrifice along with the kings they knew.
Chitrasen took Arjuna then to Indra. Arjuna asked Indra to come and attend the sacrifice along the celestial sages, kings and all the people he knew. Indra said he had already started preparing himself for the journey.
Arjuna then went southwards. At the end the world, was the land of Yama. Arjuna  Arjuna reached that land and was welcomed by Yama, who wanted to know the purpose of his visit. Arjuna said he had come to invite Yama for Rajsuya sacrifice. Yama accepted the invite and said he would bring along with him all he knew. Arjuna then said he had from Narada about Yama's assembly hall and then dead people resided there. If that was the case, could he meet his father? Yama said that would not be possible for a living mortal to see the dead.
Arjuna, from the land of Yama, went to the land of Varuna, which was on the west. Arjuan went and told Varuna the reason for his arrival and invited him. Varuna  said he would come with all the kings he knew. From there he went to meet, Maya, the demon. He invited him to come and attend the sacrifice. Maya said he would come along with the kings he knew.
From there, Arjuna went south towards Lanka, Vibhishana ruled, Vibhishana was happy to hear of the sacrifice of Yudhistira. He said he could come to attend the sacrifice and also to see Narayana there.
Taking leave, Arjuna started back for Indraprastha.
Arjuna came and told Krishna who all he had invited. Krishna then told him to go to the nether world and invite the Nagas.
Arjuna went to the nether world and met Vasuki, the king of the Nagas who had a thousand hoods. Arjuna with folded hands requested Vasuki to attend the sacrifice.
Vasuki said why he being invited when Krishna was there. Krishna was everything in this world and with Krishna being there, no one else was needed. Arjuna still requested him to come. Vasuki said he held the earth on his head. If he went off from there, the earth would collapse.. Arjuna said Krishna had specifically asked for Vasuki, and if that was the case, he Arjuna would hold the earth till Vasuki returned.
Vasuki laughed and said he would like to see that. Arjuna then lifted his Gandiva. He took the name of Shiva, Krishna and remembered Dronacharya, his Guru.  He then took a wonderful weapon and fitted that on his bow. The weapon, when released, took the entire weight of the earth. Amazed, Vasuki, Shesha and the other nagas left for attending the sacrifice.

In the heavens, on his elephant, Indra arrived with many kings and celestial beings. Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Apsaras all came to the sacrifice. All mountains and rivers also went to attend along with Varuna and the kings Varuna knew. Shiva, with his matted hair along with Parvati came. Thousands of kings and millions of Gods and celestial beings came and attend the sacrifice. 

Astika interferes with the sacrifice

Seeing Janmejeya angry, Indra told Takshaka to leave as he did not to invite trouble. As soon as he did so, by the power of the sacrifice, Takshaka found himself being pulled into the sacrifice.

Astika saw his relative being pulled, and utter the mantra Tishta (Stop). Takshaka stopped in the mid air.

Astika then turned to the king and said he wanted something from the king. The king said he would happily give what the young sage wished for. He further said, let Takshaka burn and then all the wealth that was needed, would be given.

Astika said, if Takshaka burned, then there was nothing else for him to ask for. Parikshita dies because of a curse. Takshaka did not deliberately go and attack Parikshita. 

Hearing Astika speak, the sages and priests found this reasonable and decided to stop the sacrifice.

Vasuki and Takshaka and the other nagas blessed Astika.

Janmajeya's sacrifice

Tons of clarified butter, clothes and grains were ordered to get the snake sacrifice ready. All great rishis were invited for the event. With the chanting of the vedic mantras, the holy fire was lit.
The sages presiding over the sacrifice started by taking the names of nagas. Pulled by the power of the mantras, they got pulled into the fire. Soon the air was full of the stench from burning snakes.
Takshaka seeing this, along his followers ran and hid in Indra's abode.
Vasuki, the king of Nagas saw this. He asked his sister to send for Astika.
When Astika came, his mother told him, 'Our mother had cursed us to be destroyed in the snake sacrifice of Janmajeya. It had had also been said that you, Astika, will be the one who will save teh nagas from their destruction. Please go and stop this destruction'.

Astika left for the place where the sacrifice was happening. He was not allowed inside the sacrificial hall. Astika got angry and told the guards stopping him, were they not aware that stopping a brahman was not proper. The guards not knowing what to say,allowed him to go inside.