The Mahabharata
Book 1: Adi Parva
Kisari Mohan Ganguli, tr.
[1883-1896]
SECTION XXXV
(Astika Parva continued)
"Saunaka said, 'O son of Suta, thou hast told us the reason why the snakes
were cursed by their mother, and why Vinata also was cursed by her son. Thou hast
also told us about the bestowal of boons, by their husband, on Kadru and Vinata.
Thou hast likewise told us the names of Vinata's sons. But thou hast not yet recited
to us the names of the snakes. We are anxious to hear the names of the principal
ones.'
"Sauti said, O thou whose wealth is asceticism, from fear of being lengthy,
I shall not mention the names of all the snakes. But I will recite the names of
the chief ones. Listen to me!
"Sesha was born first, and then Vasuki. (Then were born) Airavata, Takshaka,
Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Kalakeya, the serpent Mani, Purana, Pinjaraka, and Elapatra,
Vamana, Nila, Anila, Kalmasha, Savala, Aryaka, Ugra, Kalasapotaka, Suramukha,
Dadhimukha, Vimalapindaka, Apta, Karotaka, Samkha, Valisikha, Nisthanaka, Hemaguha,
Nahusha, Pingala, Vahyakarna, Hastipada, Mudgarapindaka, Kamvala Aswatara, Kaliyaka,
Vritta, Samvartaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Sankhamukha, Kushmandaka, Kshemaka, Pindaraka,
Karavira, Pushpadanshtraka, Vilwaka, Vilwapandara, Mushikada, Sankhasiras, Purnabhadra,
Haridraka, Aparajita, Jyotika, Srivaha, Kauravya, Dhritarashtra, Sankhapinda,
Virajas, Suvahu, Salipinda, Prabhakara, Hastipinda, Pitharaka, Sumuksha, Kaunapashana,
Kuthara, Kunjara, Kumuda, Kumudaksha, Tittri, Halika, Kardama, Vahumulaka, Karkara,
Akarkara, Kundodara, and Mahodara.
"Thus, O best of regenerate ones, have I said the names of the principal serpents.
From fear of being tedious I do not give names of the rest. O thou whose wealth
is asceticism, the sons of these snakes, with their grandsons, are innumerable.
Reflecting upon this, I shall not name them to thee. O best ascetics, in this
world the number of snakes baffles calculation, there being many thousands and
millions of them.'"
So ends the thirty-fifth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.
