O Sauti, tell us in full the true story. Why did the best of the twice-born Astika, the foremost of ascetics, rescue the snakes from the blazing fire?
निखिलेन यथातत्त्वं सौते सर्वमशेषतः। आस्तीकश्च द्विजश्रेष्ठः किमर्थं जयतां वरः॥