Takshaka

### Affiliation

The OtherworldCouncil of Guardians
Naga-Loka

## Appearance

###  Appears in

*Aru Shah and the Song of Death*

**Takshaka** is an antagonist in *Aru Shah and the Song of Death*. He was the keeper of the naga treasury in Naga Loka, and was Queen Uloopi's most valued advisor until his crimes were revealed and he was sentenced to jail - he has, however, since escaped.

## History

### Early Life

Takshaka was king of the naga tribe in the Khandava Forest. He was a good friend of Indra’s and was granted a boon so that no weapon of Indra could harm him.

### Death of His Family

Arjuna, on the advice of Krishna and Brahma, burned down Khandava Forest, shooting down any creatures that tried to escape. Takshaka lived, but his family did not, and he swore vengeance on the Pandavas.

### Working with Meenakshi

Takshaka frames Brynne Rao and the other Pandavas for stealing a god's weapon by dropping Kamadeva's bow and arrow in front of Brynne's house.

## The Pandava Quintet

### Aru Shah and the Song of Death

Takshaka first appears in *Aru Shah and the Song of Death* when the Pandavas are falsely accused of stealing Kamadeva's bow and arrow, where he seems very happy at the thought of the Pandavas being unable to prove themselves innocent. When Aru Shah, Brynne and Aiden Acharya visit the naga treasury to find the thief of the arrow's soul song, Takshaka ambushes them. They fight until Takshaka's grandson, Rudy, appears, and puts Takshaka in a trance using bhangra music.

Takshaka later engages the Pandavas in battle alongside Meenakshi at the Ocean of Milk. He leaves once Meenakshi is killed.

Later, he appears with the Council of Guardians and tries to persuade them the Pandavas are liars, but Aiden provides video evidence of Takshaka's betrayal, and Queen Uloopi is convinced of his treason. He is taken away by a few guards, but manages to escape his jailers later.

## Appearance

Takshaka is immortally youthful, with an ancient and powerful aura. His brown face and chest are roped over with burn scars, and his eyes are milky-white from blindness. He has a shining dark blue jewel at the center of his forehead. He has a huge scaly jet-black tail and a forked tongue.

In his full-cobra form, Takshaka has a diamond-shaped forehead striped with ancient scars, a hooded face, a fanged grin, and is so large it seems like he could blot out the sun at one point.

He dresses in the “full regalia of the naga court” at the end of *Aru Shah and the Song of Death*. When agitated, the scales on his tail flash vivid red.

## Personality

Takshaka is very bitter, harboring a hatred for Arjuna and his reincarnations after Arjuna murdered his family. Takshaka is also rather cruel; he often made unnecessary mean-spirited remarks to the Pandavas, and disparaged his grandson, Rudy, simply for being colorblind.

## Relationships

### **ARJUNA/ARU SHAH** (enemy)

Arjuna killed Takshaka’s family, which caused Takshaka to swear to take revenge on Arjuna and his reincarnations, including Aru. He and Aru fight twice - once for Meenakshi's soul song and another in the battle wherein Meenakshi dies. However, Takshaka does not emerge victorious either times. Throughout *Aru Shah and the Song of Death* Takshaka shows himself to get easily riled up by Aru.

### **ULOOPI** (former friend)

Uloopi trusted Takshaka as her advisor, and the two were close. However, Takshaka betrayed her because he believed her judgement was flawed, justifying his betrayal by saying it had to be done. At the end of *Aru Shah and the Song of Death*, Takshaka's betrayal is revealed to Uloopi and she sends him to jail, although he later escapes.

### **SURPANAKHA/MEENAKSHI** (boss/friend)

Meenakshi recruited Takshaka to her side, empathizing with him as he had been slighted by the Otherworld, the same as she. Takshaka followed Meenakshi's orders, and there seemed to be a mutual respect between the two.

### **RUDY** (grandson, antagonistic)

Takshaka dislikes Rudy, mostly because he is colorblind, and calls him a disgrace. Rudy does not seem to like Takshaka much either.

## Powers

### **Sensing his surroundings**

Takshaka can sense the locations of things around him despite his blindness.

### **Shapeshifting**

Like all nagas, Takshaka can shapeshift from snake, to half-snake, to human.

### **Boon from Indra**

Takshaka was granted a boon from Indra that rendered him immune to any of the thunder god's weapons, including Vajra, Aru's lightning bolt.