**"HOLD ON A MINUTE!"**
The voice cut through my storytelling momentum like a thunderbolt. I looked up to see Saunaka himself interrupting with the most enthusiastic expression I'd ever seen on his dignified face.
*Oh no. Did I mess something up? Is the big boss about to correct my storytelling?*
"Sauti!" he continued, practically vibrating with excitement. "Before you continue with Pramati's tale, I need to know MORE about this Astika story! Why did King Janamejaya want to exterminate all snakes? And why did Astika save them?"
*Wait... he's not correcting me. He's asking for MORE story! This is the best possible interruption!*
"And another thing," Saunaka added, his scholarly curiosity fully engaged, "whose son was Janamejaya? And whose son was Astika? I want the complete backstory, the full genealogies, everything!"
I couldn't help but grin. *This is it. This is the moment every storyteller dreams of—when your audience is so hooked they demand more details!*
"O revered sir," I said, bowing respectfully, "this story of Astika is indeed long and intricate. But I will gladly tell it in complete detail!"
"I am absolutely dying to hear the full story of that illustrious Brahmana Astika!" Saunaka declared, settling back into his seat like someone preparing for a marathon storytelling session.
*He wants the FULL version. This is like getting permission to tell the director's cut of the ultimate epic!*
"Well," I said, taking a deep breath and settling into my most formal storytelling posture, "this history was first told by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa himself. My own father, Lomaharshana—who was Vyasa's direct disciple—recited it here in these very woods to the assembled sages."
"I was present for that recital, learning every word, every nuance, every detail. So what I'm about to tell you is the authentic, unabridged, sin-destroying story of Astika, exactly as I heard it from the ultimate source!"
"The story begins," I announced, "with a man named Jaratkaru—and yes, that name is going to be very important later, so remember it!"
"This Jaratkaru was the definition of an extreme ascetic. We're talking about someone so dedicated to spiritual practice that he made other sages look casual!"
"He had taken the vow of celibacy, lived on AIR alone—not even food—had completely conquered all desires, and never slept. He was basically running on pure spiritual energy like some kind of divine battery!"
"So this spiritual powerhouse is wandering the world," I continued, "visiting holy sites, bathing in sacred rivers, sleeping wherever nightfall caught him. Just living the ultimate nomadic sage lifestyle."
"One day, during his travels, he comes across the most shocking sight of his entire life!"
I paused for dramatic effect.
"He sees a group of people hanging upside down in a deep pit, suspended by a rope that's being slowly gnawed away by a rat!"
"And these aren't just any people—these are sages! Powerful Rishis, hanging there looking absolutely miserable!"
"Naturally, Jaratkaru is like, 'EXCUSE ME, what is happening here?! Who are you and why are you hanging upside down while a rat destroys your only lifeline?'"
"And these hanging sages reply with the most heartbreaking explanation:"
I took on their collective voice: "'We are the Yayavaras, Rishis of rigid vows! We're sinking deeper into the earth because we lack offspring to perform our funeral rites and continue our lineage!'"
"'We have ONE son—named Jaratkaru—but that wretch has become so obsessed with austerities that he refuses to get married and have children! Because of his selfishness, our entire ancestral line is going extinct!'"
"And then," I said, building to the crucial moment, "comes the most awkward family reunion in mythological history!"
"Jaratkaru realizes: 'Oh no. OH NO. These suffering ancestors... are MY ancestors! I'M the son they're talking about!'"
"So he has to confess: 'Um... hi, dads and granddads. I'm that Jaratkaru you mentioned. The one who's apparently destroying our family line. So... how can I help?'"
*Can you imagine that conversation?!*
"And his ancestors don't hold back!" I continued gleefully. "They deliver what might be the most effective guilt trip in history!"
"'Listen, son, we know you think your spiritual practices are super important, but here's the thing: NO AMOUNT of virtue or ascetic penances gives you as much spiritual merit as BECOMING A FATHER!'"
"'Your meditation is nice and all, but if you don't have kids, our entire lineage dies with you! So quit being selfish and GET MARRIED!'"
"It's like every family gathering ever, but with literal eternal consequences!"
"Now, Jaratkaru is caught between his spiritual vows and his family obligations," I explained. "So he comes up with the most specific set of marriage conditions in history!"
"He says: 'Fine, I'll get married, but ONLY under these exact circumstances: The bride must have the same name as me—Jaratkaru. Her family must give her to me as a charitable gift, not as a business transaction. And I'm not earning any money for this, so whoever gives her to me has to accept that I'm basically broke!'"
"Essentially, he's saying: 'I'll get married, but only if the universe provides me with the perfect wife under perfect circumstances without me having to change anything about my lifestyle!'"
"But then he makes the commitment that sets everything in motion," I said, my voice taking on a more serious tone.
"'I promise that if such a bride is provided, I will marry her and have children to redeem you all. You'll attain eternal bliss, and I'll fulfill my family duty!'"
"It's a beautiful moment of a son choosing family love over personal preference. But also," I added with a grin, "it sets up what's going to be one of the most unusual courtship stories ever told!"
"And THAT," I concluded with satisfaction, "is how family pressure, ancestral guilt, and very specific marriage requirements set in motion the chain of events that will eventually produce Astika—the sage who saves all serpents!"
"Because remember, we need Jaratkaru to get married and have a son named Astika, who will grow up to be the hero of Janamejaya's snake sacrifice!"
Saunaka was absolutely delighted. "Wonderful! You've shown how individual spiritual choices affect entire family lines, and how duty to ancestors can redirect even the most dedicated ascetic's life path!"
"Exactly!" I beamed. "And wait until you hear WHO provides this perfect bride with the perfect name under perfect circumstances! Because the universe has a sense of humor, and the solution to Jaratkaru's marriage problem is going to come from the most unexpected source!"