Mahabharata (English)
by Kisari Mohan Ganguli | 2,566,952 words | ISBN-10: 8121505933
The English translation of the Mahabharata is a large text describing ancient India. It is authored by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa and contains the records of ancient humans. Also, it documents the fate of the Kauravas and the Pandavas family. Another part of the large contents, deal with many philosophical dialogues such as the goals of life. Book...
Section XXXV
"Saunaka said, 'O son of Suta, you have told us the reason why the snakes were cursed by their mother, and why Vinata also was cursed by her son. You have also told us about the bestowal of boons, by their husband, on Kadru and Vinata. You have likewise told us the names of Vinata’s sons. But you have not yet recited to us the names of the snakes. We are anxious to hear the names of the principal ones.'
"Sauti said, O you 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
- Asvatara,
- Kaliyaka,
- Vritta,
- Samvartaka,
- Padma,
- Mahapadma,
- Sankhamukha,
- Kushmandaka,
- Kshemaka,
- Pindaraka,
- Karavira,
- Pushpadanshtraka,
- Vilvaka,
- Vilvapandara,
- 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 you whose wealth is asceticism, the sons of these snakes, with their grandsons, are innumerable. Reflecting upon this, I shall not name them to you.
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.
Conclusion:
This concludes Section XXXV of Book 1 (Adi Parva) of the Mahabharata, of which an English translation is presented on this page. This book is famous as one of the Itihasa, similair in content to the eighteen Puranas. Book 1 is one of the eighteen books comprising roughly 100,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.