सुवर्णं रजतं गाश्च न त्वां राजन्वृणोम्यहम्। सत्रं ते विरमत्वेतत्स्वस्ति मातृकुलस्य नः
Gold, silver, cows—I do not ask these from you, O king; let your sacrifice cease—may there be well-being for my mother's lineage.
आस्तीकेनैवमुक्तस्तु राजा पारिक्षितस्तदा। पुनःपुनरुवाचेदमास्तीकं वदतां वरः
Thus addressed by Astika, King Parikshita repeatedly said to Astika, the best of speakers:
अन्यं वरय भद्रं ते वरं द्विज्वरोत्तम। अयाचत न चाप्यन्यं वरं स भृगुनन्दन
Choose another boon, good sir, O best of twice-born; but Astika, son of Bhrigu, did not ask for any other boon.
ततो वेदविदस्तात सदस्याः सर्व एव तम्। राजानमूचुः सहिता लभतां ब्राह्मणो वरम्
Then, O dear one, all the learned Vedic scholars present there said together to the king: 'Let the Brahmin obtain his boon.'
ये सर्पाः सर्पसत्रेऽस्मिन्पतिता हव्यवाहने। तेषां नामानि सर्वेषां श्रोतुमिच्छामि सूतज
Of the serpents who fell into the sacrificial fire at this serpent-sacrifice, I wish to hear the names of them all, O son of Suta.
सहस्राणि बहून्यस्मिन्प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च। न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं बहुत्वाद्द्विजसत्तम
Thousands, tens of thousands, and crores perished here; it is not possible to enumerate them all because of their great number, O best of Brahmins.
यथास्मृति तु नामानि पन्नगानां निबोध मे। उच्यमानानि मुख्यानां हुतानां जातवेदसि
Now, listen as I recite the names of the principal serpents, as remembered, who were offered into the fire.
वासुकेः कुलजातांस्तु प्राधान्येन निबोध मे। नीलरक्तान्सितान्घोरान्महाकायान्विषोल्बणान्
Hear from me, in order of prominence, the noble-born serpents of Vasuki’s line—dark, red, white, fierce, massive, and brimming with venom.
अवशान्मातृवाग्दण्डपीडितान्कृपणान्हूतान्। कोटिशो मानसः पूर्णः शलः पालो हलीमकः
Helpless, tormented by their mothers’ words and the rod, pitiable, they were summoned—Shala, Pala, Halimaka, Picchala, Manasa, and countless others.
पिच्छलः कौणपश्चक्रः कालवेगः प्रकालनः। हिरण्यबाहुः शरणः कक्षकः कालदन्तकः
Picchala, Kaunapa, Chakra, Kalavega, Prakalana, Hiranyabahu, Sharana, Kakshaka, and Kaladantaka.
एते वासुकिजा नागाः प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहने। अन्ये च बहवो विप्र तथा वै कुलसंभवाः। प्रदीप्ताग्नौ हुताःसर्वे घोररूपा महाबलाः
These serpents of Vasuki’s line entered the sacrificial fire; and many others, O Brahmin, born in that family, all fierce in form and great in might, were offered into the blazing flames.
तक्षकस्य कुले जातान्प्रवक्ष्यामि निबोध तान्। पुच्छाण्डको मण्डलकः पिण्डसेक्ता रभेणकः
Now I will tell you the names of those born in Takshaka’s line—listen: Pucchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasekta, and Rabhenaka.
उच्छिखः शरभो भङ्गो बिल्वतेजा विरोहणः। शिली शलकरो मूकः सुकुमारः प्रवेपनः
Ucchikha, Sharabha, Bhanga, Bilvateja, Virohana, Shili, Shalakar, Muka, Sukumara, and Pravepana.
मुद्गरः शिशुरोमा च सुरोमा च महाहनुः। एते तक्षकजा नागाः प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम्
Mudgara, Shishuroma, Suroma, and Mahahanu—these serpents of Takshaka’s line entered the sacrificial fire.
पारावतः पारियात्रः पाण्डरो हरिणः कृशः। विहङ्गः शरभो मोदः प्रमोदः संहतापनः
Paravata, Pariyatra, Pandara, Harina, Krisha, Vihanga, Sharabha, Moda, Pramoda, and Samhatapana.
ऐरावतकुलादेते प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम्। कौरव्यकुलजान्नागाञ्शृणु मे त्वं द्विजोत्तम
These, born in the line of Airavata, entered the sacrificial fire. Now hear from me, O best of Brahmins, the serpents born in the Kauravya line.
एरकः कुण्डलो वेणी वेणीस्कन्धः कुमारकः। बाहुकः शृङ्गबेरश्च धूर्तकः प्रातरातकौ
Eraka, Kundala, Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Bahuka, Shringabera, Dhurtaka, and Pratarataka.
कौरव्यकुलजास्त्वेते प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम्। धृतराष्ट्रकुले जाताञ्शृणु नागान्यथातथम्
These, born in the Kauravya line, entered the sacrificial fire. Now hear, as is proper, the serpents born in the Dhritarashtra line.
कीर्त्यमानान्मया ब्रह्मन्वातवेगान्विषोल्बणान्। शङ्कुकर्णः पिठरकः कुठारमुखसेचकौ
I will name, O Brahmin, those renowned, swift as the wind and filled with venom: Shankukarna, Pitharaka, and Kutharamukhasechaka.
पूर्णाङ्गदः पूर्णमुखः प्रहासः शकुनिर्दरिः। अमाहठः कामठकः सुषेणो मानसोऽव्ययः
Purnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Shakuni, Dari, Amahattha, Kamathaka, Sushena, Manasa, and Avyaya.
अष्टावक्रः कोमलकः श्वसनो मौनवेपगः।' भैरवो मुण्डवेदाङ्गः पिशङ्गश्चोदपारकः। ऋषभो वेगवान्नागः पिण्डारकमहाहनू
Ashtavakra, Komalaka, Shvasana, Maunavepaga, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pishanga, Udaparaka, Rishabha, Vegavan, Pindaraka, and Mahahanu.
रक्ताङ्गः सर्वसारङ्गः समृद्धपटवासकौ। वराहको वीरणकः सुचित्रश्चित्रवेगिकः
Raktanga, Sarvasaranga, Samriddhapatavasa, Varahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, and Citravegika.
पराशरस्तरुणको मणिः स्कन्धस्तथाऽऽरुणिः। इति नागा मया ब्रह्मन्कीर्तिताः कीर्तिवर्धनाः
Parashara, Tarunaka, Mani, Skandha, and Aruni—thus have I named, O Brahmin, the serpents who increase fame.
प्राधान्येन बहुत्वात्तु न सर्वे परिकीर्तिताः। एतेषां प्रसवो यश्च प्रसवस्य च सन्ततिः
Because of their great number, not all have been named here; these are the principal ones, along with their offspring and descendants.
न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं ये दीप्तं पावकं गताः। `द्विशीर्षाः पञ्चशीर्षाश्च सप्तशीर्षास्तथाऽपरे। दशशीर्षाः शतशीर्षास्तथान्ये बहुशीर्षकाः
It is not possible to count those who entered the blazing fire—some with two heads, some with five, others with seven, ten, a hundred, and many with countless heads.
कालानलविषा घोरा हुताः शतसहस्रशः। महाकाया महावेगाः शैलशृङ्गसमुच्छ्रयाः
Terrible beings, like the fires of destruction and deadly poison, were offered by the hundreds of thousands—great in size, swift in force, towering like mountain peaks.
योजनायामविस्तारा द्वियोजनसमायताः। कामरूपाः कामबला दीप्तानलविषोल्बणाः
Their bodies stretched a yojana in length and two yojanas in breadth; they could assume forms at will, possessed strength as they wished, and blazed with fierce fire and poison.
दग्धास्तत्र महासत्रे ब्रह्मदण्डनिपाडिताः
All those were burned there at the great sacrifice, struck down by the rod of Brahma.
इदमत्यद्भुतं चान्यदास्तीकस्यानुशुश्रुम। तथा वरैश्छन्द्यमाने राज्ञा पारिक्षितेन हि
We have also heard this other most wondrous tale about Astika: when the king Parikshit was granting boons as he pleased.
इन्द्रहस्ताच्च्युतो नागः ख एव यदतिष्ठत। ततश्चिन्तापरो राजा बभूव जनमेजयः
The serpent, slipping from Indra’s hand, remained suspended in the sky; then King Janamejaya became filled with anxious thought.