He was afraid of dying became he had not earned the merit of drinking Soma juice. Greatly wise as he was he began to think with the help of his intelligence as to how he could succeed in drinking Soma cven there.
सोमः कथं तु पातव्य इहस्थेन मया भवेत्॥ स एवमभिनिश्चित्य तस्मिन् कूपे महातपाः।