Mahabharata, Book 1, Section LVII: Astika Parvaआदिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 1.57.

57Sanskrit adhyāya 1.57 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

शौनक उवाच।
ये सर्पाः सर्पसत्रेऽस्मिन्पतिता हव्यवाहने।
तेषां नामानि सर्वेषां श्रोतुमिच्छामि सूतज।।
सौतिरुवाच।
सहस्राणि बहून्यस्मिन्प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च।
न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं बहुत्वाद्द्विजसत्तम।।
यथास्मृति तु नामानि पन्नगानां निबोध मे।
उच्यमानानि मुख्यानां हुतानां जातवेदसि।।
वासुकेः कुलजातांस्तु प्राधान्येन निबोध मे।
नीलरक्तान्सितान्घोरान्महाकायान्विषोल्बणान्।।
अवशान्मातृवाग्दण्डपीडितान्कृपणान्हूतान्।
कोटिशो मानसः पूर्णः शलः पालो हलीमकः।।
पिच्छलः कौणपश्चक्रः कालवेगः प्रकालनः।
हिरण्यबाहुः शरणः कक्षकः कालदन्तकः।।
एते वासुकिजा नागाः प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहने।
अन्ये च बहवो विप्र तथा वै कुलसंभवाः।
प्रदीप्ताग्नौ हुताःसर्वे घोररूपा महाबलाः।।
तक्षकस्य कुले जातान्प्रवक्ष्यामि निबोध तान्।
पुच्छाण्डको मण्डलकः पिण्डसेक्ता रभेणकः।।
उच्छिखः शरभो भङ्गो बिल्वतेजा विरोहणः।
शिली शलकरो मूकः सुकुमारः प्रवेपनः।।
मुद्गरः शिशुरोमा च सुरोमा च महाहनुः।
एते तक्षकजा नागाः प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम्।।
पारावतः पारियात्रः पाण्डरो हरिणः कृशः।
विहङ्गः शरभो मोदः प्रमोदः संहतापनः।।
ऐरावतकुलादेते प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम्।
कौरव्यकुलजान्नागाञ्शृणु मे त्वं द्विजोत्तम।।
एरकः कुण्डलो वेणी वेणीस्कन्धः कुमारकः।
बाहुकः शृङ्गबेरश्च धूर्तकः प्रातरातकौ।।
कौरव्यकुलजास्त्वेते प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम्।
धृतराष्ट्रकुले जाताञ्शृणु नागान्यथातथम्।।
कीर्त्यमानान्मया ब्रह्मन्वातवेगान्विषोल्बणान्।
शङ्कुकर्णः पिठरकः कुठारमुखसेचकौ।।
पूर्णाङ्गदः पूर्णमुखः प्रहासः शकुनिर्दरिः।
अमाहठः कामठकः सुषेणो मानसोऽव्ययः।।
`अष्टावक्रः कोमलकः श्वसनो मौनवेपगः।'
भैरवो मुण्डवेदाङ्गः पिशङ्गश्चोदपारकः।
ऋषभो वेगवान्नागः पिण्डारकमहाहनू।।
रक्ताङ्गः सर्वसारङ्गः समृद्धपटवासकौ।
वराहको वीरणकः सुचित्रश्चित्रवेगिकः।।
पराशरस्तरुणको मणिः स्कन्धस्तथाऽऽरुणिः।
इति नागा मया ब्रह्मन्कीर्तिताः कीर्तिवर्धनाः।।
प्राधान्येन बहुत्वात्तु न सर्वे परिकीर्तिताः।
एतेषां प्रसवो यश्च प्रसवस्य च सन्ततिः।।
न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं ये दीप्तं पावकं गताः।
`द्विशीर्षाः पञ्चशीर्षाश्च सप्तशीर्षास्तथाऽपरे।
दशशीर्षाः शतशीर्षास्तथान्ये बहुशीर्षकाः'।।
कालानलविषा घोरा हुताः शतसहस्रशः।
महाकाया महावेगाः शैलशृङ्गसमुच्छ्रयाः।।
योजनायामविस्तारा द्वियोजनसमायताः।
कामरूपाः कामबला दीप्तानलविषोल्बणाः।।
दग्धास्तत्र महासत्रे ब्रह्मदण्डनिपाडिताः।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि
आस्तीकपर्वणि सप्तपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः।। 57 ।।

English Ganguli

“Saunaka said, ‘O son of a Suta, I desire to hear the names of all those snakes that fell into the fire of this snake-sacrifice!’

“Sauti replied, ‘Many thousands and tens of thousands and billions of snakes fell into the fire. O most excellent Brahmana, so great is the number that I am unable to count them all. So far, however, as I remember, hear the names I mention of the principal snakes cast into the fire. Hear first the names of the principal ones of Vasuki’s race alone, of colour blue, red and white of terrible form and huge body and deadly poison. Helpless and miserable and afflicted with their mother’s curse, they fell into the sacrificial fire like libations of butter.

“Kotisa, Manasa, Purna, Cala, Pala Halmaka, Pichchala, Kaunapa, Cakra, Kalavega, Prakalana, Hiranyavahu, Carana, Kakshaka, Kaladantaka—these snakes born of Vasuki, fell into the fire. And, O Brahmana, numerous other snakes well-born, and of terrible form and great strength, were burnt in the blazing fire. I shall now mention those born in the race of Takshaka. Hear thou their names. Puchchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasektri, Ravenaka; Uchochikha, Carava, Bhangas, Vilwatejas, Virohana; Sili, Salakara, Muka, Sukumara, Pravepana, Mudgara and Sisuroman, Suroman and Mahahanu. These snakes born of Takshaka fell into the fire. And Paravata, Parijata, Pandara, Harina, Krisa, Vihanga, Sarabha, Meda, Pramoda, Sauhatapana—these born in the race of Airavata fell into the fire. Now hear, O best of Brahmanas, the names of the snakes I mention born in the race of Kauravya: Eraka, Kundala Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Vahuka, Sringavera, Dhurtaka, Pratara and Astaka. There born in the race of Kauravya fell into the fire. Now hear the names I mention, in order, of those snakes endued with the speed of the wind and with virulent poison, born in the race of Dhritarashtra: Sankukarna, Pitharaka, Kuthara, Sukhana, and Shechaka; Purnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Sakuni, Dari, Amahatha, Kumathaka, Sushena, Vyaya, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pisanga, Udraparaka, Rishabha, Vegavat, Pindaraka; Raktanga, Sarvasaranga, Samriddha, Patha and Vasaka; Varahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, Chitravegika, Parasara, Tarunaka, Maniskandha and Aruni.

“O Brahmana, thus I have recited the names of the principal snakes known widely for their achievements—I have not been able to name all, the number being countless. The sons of these snakes, the sons of those sons, that were burnt having fallen into the fire, I am unable to mention. They are so many! Some of three heads, some of seven, others of ten, of poison like unto the fire at the end of the yuga and terrible in form,—they were burnt by thousands!

“Many others, of huge bodies, of great speed, tall as mountain summits, of the length of a yama, of a yojana, and of two yojanas, capable of assuming at will any form and of mastering at will any degree of strength, of poison like unto blazing fire, afflicted by the curse of a mother, were burnt in that great ‘sacrifice.’”