How Astika Stopped Janamejaya's Sarpa Yajna

Janamejaya's Sarpa-yajna is going on.
Astika has entered the yaga-vedi with the intention of stopping the yajna and thus saving his mother's vamsha, the Naga-vamsha from extermination.
He praised Janamejaya and his yajna.
Janamejaya was pleased.
He wanted to grant any wish that Astika had.
This is a usual practice.
If a scholar arrives at a yaga-vedi and he has any wish, then the yajamana is obliged to fulfill it.
You should remember what happened during the yajna of Bali-chakravarthy.
Janamejaya asked the purohitas and scholars seated in the yaga vedi whether he can go ahead and grant Astika's wish.
Astika was a young boy.
They said: yes of course.
Age doesn't matter.
If he is a scholar then he deserves it.
But they also said: our main task is not yet achieved.
Takshaka is not yet here.
Janamejaya asked Astika: what wish do you have?
Please tell me.
I will fulfill it, whatever it may be.
Then he told the purohitas: get Takshaka here somehow.
He is my main enemy.
The ritwiks, the purohitas said: our shastras and Agni, they say that Indra has given protection to Takshaka, he is hiding in Indra's palace, in Swargaloka.
Suta was present there.
Suta is the one who is knowledgeable in the Puranas.
He was asked; is that true?
How would Suta know?
He knows Puranas.
Even Purana from the previous kalpa.
What is happening now is just a replay of what happened in the previous kalpa.
There is nothing new.
He said: yes, they are correct.
This is what happened in the previous kalpa also.
Even in the previous kalpa this is what had happened.
Indra had given protection to Takshaka even in the previous kalpa.
Then why is Suta not cautioning Janamejaya, that this boy Astika is going to stop the yajna?
Maybe he doesn't have the mandate to do that, then the storyline will change, he doesn't have the mandate to do that.
Or maybe, the future is hidden from him.
What is yet to unfold is hidden from him.
We don't know for sure.
But something like that.
Even in Ramayana if you see, Sumantra the minister tells Dasharatha that long back Sanatkumara had predicted that Dasharatha will conduct Ashwamedha-yaga to beget children.
He will get four sons as a result of that and Rishyashringa will officiate that yaga.
It is not that everything is known.
Some glimpses they get, even about the future.
Or they reveal only some part of it.
Otherwise, there is no fun.
Janamejaya said, if that is the case, then get Indra also here along with Takshaka.
The ritwiks invoked Indra.
Indra mounted on a vimana was visible in the sky in all his pomp and glory along with his retinue.
Takshaka was hiding under Indra's uttareeya.
Janamejaya angrily told the purohitas: if Indra is hiding Takshaka, then pull Indra also along with Takshaka into the fire.
Indra must have thought that the invocation could be to honor him and give offerings but when he realized what was going on he just abandoned Takshaka and rushed away.
By this time already ahuti had been offered in aAgni taking Takshaka's name.
He was being pulled into Agni.
Takshaka was huge.
He was falling into Agni making all kinds of horrific sounds and screams.
Seeing this the purohitas said: this task is about to be fulfilled.
You can grant the boy's wish if you want, now.
Janamejaya again turned towards Astika.
You are such a great scholar, please tell me your wish.
Stop this yajna.
Janamejaya was shocked.
Please don't do this.
This entire yajna was conducted to take revenge on Takshaka.
He is still alive.
Ask for whatever else do you want; gold, silver, diamonds.
No, I don't want any of that.
Just stop this yajna here and now so that my mother's vamsha is saved.
Janamejaya kept on pleading.
Astika did not relent.
Then the scholars of the yaga-vedi said: you have no option but to grant his wish.
You have already made a promise.