Takshak

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Takshak / तक्षक

Takshak was a serpent, son of Kashyap by his wife Kadru. Gokarna was the wife of Takshak and they had a son named Ashvasen and a daughter named Jvala.
Once Kadru had a bet with Vinta and in order to ensure her victory, Kadru asked her sons to help her in deceiving Vinta.
Takshak and some others refused and were thrown out of their home. He then resided in the Khandav forest.
When sage Uttank was returning to his preceptor with the earrings for his teacher's wife, Takshak, who also coveted them, snatched them away from him, but was forced to return them to Uttank.
In this process, Takshak became a friend of Indra. It was the latter who saved his son Ashvasen during the burning down of the Khandav forest, but Gokarna, Takshak's wife was burnt in this fire.
Takshak killed king Parikshit as a result of a curse upon this latter. When Janmejay, son of Parikshit heard how his father died, he decided to wreck his vengeance on the serpent race and with the help of sage Uttank performed the famous serpent sacrifice.
Takshak, fearing Uttank's power, ran to Indra for help, who seated Takshak along side him on his throne. When Takshak did not appear after repeated tries, Uttank meditated and saw Takshak sitting on Indra's throne.
Furious, Uttank summoned Indra, Takshak and the throne and they would have all been burnt, but for the timely intervention of the sage Astik.