इमां कथां यः शृणुयान्नरः सदा पठेत वा द्विजगणमुख्यसंसदि। असंशयं त्रिदिवमियात्स पुण्यभा- ङ्महात्मनः पतगपतेः प्रकीर्तनात्
Whoever always hears or recites this story in the assembly of foremost Brahmins will, without doubt, attain heaven, gaining merit through the praise of the great-souled lord of birds.
भुजङ्गमानां शापस्य मात्रा चैव सुतेन च। विनतायास्त्वया प्रोक्तं कारणं सूतनन्दन
O Sutanandana, you have told the cause of the curse upon the serpents, as well as the story of Vinata and her son.
वरप्रदानं भर्त्रा च कद्रूविनतयोस्तथा। नामनी चैव ते प्रोक्ते पक्षिणोर्वैनतेययोः
You have also spoken of the granting of boons by their husband to Kadru and Vinata, and the names of the two bird sons of Vinata.
पन्नगानां तु नामानि न कीतर्यसि सूतज। प्राधान्येनापि नामानि श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम्
But, O son of Suta, you have not recounted the names of the serpents; we wish to hear their principal names.
बहुत्वान्नामधेयानि पन्नगानां तपोधन। न कीर्तयिष्ये सर्वेषां प्राधान्येन तु मे शृणु
O ascetic, because the names of the serpents are many, I will not recite them all; but hear from me their chief names.
शेषः प्रथमतो जातो वासुकिस्तदनन्तरम्। ऐरावतस्तक्षकश्च कर्कोटकधनञ्जयौ
First was born Shesha, then Vasuki; after them came Airavata, Takshaka, Karkotaka, and Dhananjaya.
कालियो मणिनागश्च नागश्चापूरणस्तथा। नागस्तथा पिञ्जरक एलापत्रोऽथ वामनः
Kaliya, Maninaga, Apurana, Pinjaraka, Elapatra, and Vamana were also born as serpents.
नीलानीलौ तथा नागौ कल्माषशबलौ तथा। आर्यकश्चोग्रकश्चैव नागः कलशपोतकः
Nilā and Anila, Kalmasha and Shabala, Aryaka and Ugraka, and the serpent Kalashapotaka.
सुमनाख्यो दधिमुखस्तथा विमलपिण्डकः। आप्तः कोटरकश्चैव शङ्खो वालिशिखस्तथा
Sumanakhya, Dadhimukha, Vimalapindaka, Apta, Kotaraka, Shankha, and Valishikha.
निष्टानको हेमगुहो नहुषः पिङ्गलस्तथा। बाह्यकर्णो हस्तिपदस्तथा मुद्गरपिण्डकः
Nishtanaka, Hemaguha, Nahusha, Pingala, Bahyakarna, Hastipada, and Mudgarapindaka.
कम्बलाश्वतरौ चापि नागः कालीयकस्तथा। वृत्तसंवर्तकौ नागौ द्वौ च पद्माविति श्रुतौ
Kambala and Ashvatara, Kalikeya, the two serpents Vrttasamvartaka, and the two known as Padma.
नागः शङ्खमुखश्चैव तथा कूष्माण्डकोऽपरः। क्षेमकश्च तथा नागो नागः पिण्डारकस्तथा
Shankhamukha, Kushmandaka, Kshema, and Pindaraka were also serpents.
करवीरः पुष्पदंष्ट्रो बिल्वको बिल्वपाण्डुरः। मूषकादः शङ्खशिराः पूर्णभद्रो हरिद्रकः
Karavira, Pushpadamshtra, Bilvaka, Bilvapandura, Mushakada, Shankhashira, Purnabhadra, and Haridraka;
अपराजितो ज्योतिकश्च पन्नगः श्रीवहस्तथा। कौरव्यो धृतराष्ट्रश्च शङ्खपिण्डश्च वीर्यवान्
Aparajita, Jyotika, Pannaga, Shrivaha, Kauravya, Dhritarashtra, and the mighty Shankhapinda;
विरजाश्च सुबाहुश्च शालिपिण्डश्च वीर्यवान्। हस्तिपिण्डः पिठरकः सुमुखः कौणपाशनः
Viraja, Subahu, the mighty Shalipinda, Hastipinda, Pitharaka, Sumukha, and Kaunapashana;
कुठऱः कुञ्जरश्चैव तथा नागः प्रभाकरः। कुमुदः कुमुदाक्षश्च तित्तिरिर्हलिकस्तथा
Kuthara, Kunjara, as well as Naga, Prabhakara, Kumuda, Kumudaksha, Tittiri, and Halika;
कर्दमश्च महानागो नागश्च बहुमूलकः। कर्कराकर्करौ नागौ कुण्डोदरमहोदरौ
Kardama, the great Naga, Naga Bahumulaka, the Nagas Karkara and Akarkara, and Kundodara and Mahodara;
एते प्राधान्यतो नागाः कीर्तिता द्विजसत्तम। बहुत्वान्नामधेयानामितरे नानुकीर्तिताः
These, O best of twice-born, are the principal Nagas named; the rest, being many, are not mentioned by name.
एतेषां प्रसवो यश्च प्रसवस्य च संततिः। असङ्ख्येयेति मत्त्वा तान्न ब्रवीमि तपोधन
The offspring of these, and the descendants of their offspring, are countless; knowing this, I do not recount them, O ascetic.
बहूनीह सहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च। अशक्यान्येव सङ्ख्यातुं पन्नगानां तपोधन
There are here many thousands, tens of thousands, and crores of serpents, O ascetic, impossible to enumerate.
आख्याता भुजगास्तात वीर्यवन्तो दुरासदाः। शापं तं तेऽभिविज्ञाय कृतवन्तः किमुत्तरम्
The valorous and formidable serpents have been named, O father; having recognized that curse, what reply did they make?
तेषां तु भगवाञ्छेषः कद्रूं त्यक्त्वा महायशाः। उग्रं तपः समातस्थे वायुभक्षो यतव्रतः
Among them, the illustrious Shesha, abandoning Kadru, undertook severe austerities, subsisting on air, firm in his vows.
गन्धमादनमासाद्य बदर्यां च तपोरतः। गोकर्णे पुष्करारण्ये तथा हिमवतस्तटे
Engaged in austerity at Gandhamadana, at Badari, at Gokarna, in the Pushkara forest, and on the slopes of the Himalaya;
तेषु तेषु च पुण्येषु तीर्थेष्वायतनेषु च। एकान्तशीलो नियतः सततं विजितेन्द्रियः
In those various sacred places and shrines, always solitary, disciplined, ever self-controlled;
तप्यमानं तपो घोरं तं ददर्श पितामहः। संशुष्कमांसत्वक्स्नायुं जटाचीरधरं मुनिम्
As he was performing fierce austerity, the Grandsire beheld that sage, emaciated in flesh, skin, sinew, wearing matted hair and bark garments.
तमब्रवीत्सत्यधृतिं तप्यमानं पितामहः। किमिदं कुरुषे शेष प्रजानां स्वस्ति वै कुरु
The Grandsire spoke to that steadfast ascetic, engaged in austerity: 'What is this you are doing, Shesha? Bring welfare to beings.'
त्वं हि तीव्रेण तपसा प्रजास्तापयसेऽनघ। ब्रूहि कामं च मे शेष यस्ते हृदि व्यवस्थितः
'By your intense austerity, O sinless one, you are afflicting the beings; tell me, Shesha, what desire is established in your heart.'
सोदर्या मम सर्वे हि भ्रातरो मन्दचेतसः। सह तैर्नोत्सहे वस्तुं तद्भवाननुमन्यताम्
'All my brothers, born of the same mother, are of dull minds; I cannot bear to dwell with them—let your honor permit this.'
अभ्यसूयन्ति सततं परस्परममित्रवत्। ततोऽहं तप आतिष्ठे नैतन्पश्येयमित्युत
'They constantly envy one another like enemies; therefore I undertake austerity, so that I may not witness this.'
न मर्षयन्ति ससुतां सततं विनतां च ते। अस्माकं चापरो भ्राता वैनतेयोऽन्तरिक्षगः
'They never tolerate Vinata and her son; and our other brother, Vainateya, moves in the sky.'