Parikshit and the Snake King - What a King Did When He Had Seven Days to Live episode artwork

EPISODE · May 17, 2026 · 6 MIN

Parikshit and the Snake King - What a King Did When He Had Seven Days to Live

from The Long Thread - Ancient Stories For The Present Moment. · host Ashvee Kanwar

A king made a mistake.Exhausted and thirsty after a hunt, he came upon a sage deep in meditation and asked for water.The sage did not respond.In a moment of frustration the king draped a dead snake around the sage's neck and left.When the fog lifted he sat very still.What had he done? Before he could act, word arrived. The sage's son had pronounced a curse — in seven days the serpent king Takshaka would come for him.The king could have built a fortress. Surrounded himself with physicians and every snake-charmer in the land.Instead he handed his kingdom to his son and walked to the banks of the Ganges. And asked one question. "What is the best thing a person can do — when they know they are about to die?"This is Episode 50 of The Long Thread.New story every day.Follow so you never miss one.

A king made a mistake.Exhausted and thirsty after a hunt, he came upon a sage deep in meditation and asked for water.The sage did not respond.In a moment of frustration the king draped a dead snake around the sage's neck and left.When the fog lifted he sat very still.What had he done? Before he could act, word arrived. The sage's son had pronounced a curse — in seven days the serpent king Takshaka would come for him.The king could have built a fortress. Surrounded himself with physicians and every snake-charmer in the land.Instead he handed his kingdom to his son and walked to the banks of the Ganges. And asked one question. "What is the best thing a person can do — when they know they are about to die?"This is Episode 50 of The Long Thread.New story every day.Follow so you never miss one.

NOW PLAYING

Parikshit and the Snake King - What a King Did When He Had Seven Days to Live

0:00 6:05

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Long Thread - Ancient Stories For The Present Moment.?

This episode is 6 minutes long.

When was this The Long Thread - Ancient Stories For The Present Moment. episode published?

This episode was published on May 17, 2026.

What is this episode about?

A king made a mistake.Exhausted and thirsty after a hunt, he came upon a sage deep in meditation and asked for water.The sage did not respond.In a moment of frustration the king draped a dead snake around the sage's neck and left.When the fog lifted...

Can I download this The Long Thread - Ancient Stories For The Present Moment. episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!