दिलीपः शङ्खशीर्षश्च ज्योतिष्कोऽथापराजितः । कौरव्यो धृतराष्ट्रश्च कुहुरः कृशकस्तथा
Dilīpa, Śaṅkhaśīrṣa, Jyotiṣka, Aparājita, Kauravya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Kuhura, and Kṛśaka;
विरजा धारणश्चैव सुबाहुर्मुखरो जयः । बधिरान्धौ विशुण्डिश्च विरसः सुरसस्तथा
Virajā, Dhāraṇa, Subāhu, Mukhara, Jaya, Badhira, Andha, Viśuṇḍi, Virasa, and Surasa;
एते चान्ये च बहवः कश्यपस्यात्मजाः स्मृताः । मातले पश्य यद्यत्र कश्चित्ते रोचते वरः
These and many others are remembered as the sons of Kaśyapa. Mātali, see if there is anyone among them whom you find agreeable.
मातलिस्त्वेकमव्यग्रः सततं संनिरीक्ष्य वै। पप्रच्छ नारदं तत्र प्रीतिमानिव चाभवत्
But Mātali, unhurried, after observing them all, asked Nārada there, and seemed to be pleased.
स्थितो य एष पुरतः कौरव्यस्यार्यकस्य तु। द्युतिमान्दर्शनीयश्च कस्यैष कुलनन्दनः
Who is this one standing before Āryaka, the Kaurava, radiant and handsome? Whose noble offspring is he?
कः पिता जननी चास्य कतमस्यैष भोगिनः। वंशस्य कस्यैष महान्केतुभूत इव स्थितः
Who is his father and who is his mother? To which of these serpents does he belong? Of what lineage is he, who stands as a great banner?
प्रणिधानेन धैर्येण रूपेण वयसा च मे। मनः प्रविष्टो देवर्षे गुणकेश्याः पतिर्वरः
By his attention, courage, appearance, and age, O divine sage, my mind is drawn to him, the excellent husband for Guṇakeśī.
मातलिं प्रीतमनसं दृष्ट्वा सुमुखदर्शनात्। निवेदयामास तदा माहात्म्यं जन्म कर्म च
Seeing Mātali pleased and with a cheerful face, Nārada then described his greatness, birth, and deeds.
ऐरावतकुले जातः सुमुखो नाम नागराट्। आर्यकस्य मतः पौत्रो दौहित्रो वामनस्य च
Born in the lineage of Airāvata is the serpent-king named Sumukha, considered the grandson of Āryaka and the daughter's son of Vāmana.
एतस्य हि पिता नागश्चिकुरो नाम मातले। नचिराद्वैतनेयेन पञ्चत्वमुपपादितः
His father is the serpent named Cikura, O Mātali, who not long ago was brought to death by Garuḍa.
ततोऽब्रवीत्प्रीतमना मातलिर्नारदं वचः । एष मे रुचितस्तात जामाता भुजगोत्तमः
Then Mātali, pleased at heart, spoke to Nārada: 'This noble serpent pleases me as a son-in-law, O revered one.'
क्रियतामत्र यत्नो वै प्रीतिमानस्म्यनेन वै। अस्मै नागाय वै दातुं प्रियां दुहितरं मुने
'Let every effort be made here, for I am pleased with him. O sage, let my dear daughter be given to this Nāga.'
मातलेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदो मुनिसत्तमः। अब्रवीद्देवराजं तमार्यकं कुरुनन्दन
Hearing Mātali's words, Nārada, the best of sages, spoke to that lord of the Devas, Āryaka, O descendant of the Kurus.
सूतोऽयं मातलिर्नाम शक्रस्य दयितः सुहृत्। शुचिः शीलगुणोपेतस्तेजस्वी वीर्यवान्बली
This charioteer is named Mātali, beloved friend of Śakra; pure, endowed with good character and virtues, radiant, powerful, and strong.
शक्रस्यायं सखा चैव मन्त्री सारथिरेव च । अल्पान्तरप्रभावश्च वासवेन रणे रणे
He is indeed the friend, counselor, and charioteer of Śakra, and his power is only slightly less than Vāsava's in every battle.
अयं हरिसहस्रेण युक्तं जैत्रं रथोत्तमम् । देवासुरेषु युद्धेषु मनसैव नियच्छति
With this, harnessed to a thousand steeds, he controls the supreme victorious chariot in battles between gods and demons, by his very will.
अनेन विजितानश्वैर्दोर्भ्यां जयति वासवः । अनेन बलभित्पूर्वं प्रहृते प्रहरत्युत
With this, Vāsava triumphs over enemies whose horses are subdued, by his own arms; with this, he strikes first before the foe can strike.
अस्य कन्या वरारोहा रूपेणासदृशी भुवि । सत्यशीलगुणोपेता गुणकेशीति विश्रुता
His daughter, of excellent form, is unmatched in beauty on earth, endowed with truthfulness and noble qualities, and is renowned as Guṇakeśī.
तस्यास्य यत्नाच्चरतस्त्रैलोक्यममरद्युते। सुमुखो भवतः पौत्रो रोचते दुहितुः पतिः
By his effort, as he moves throughout the three worlds, O radiant one among immortals, Sumukha, your grandson, pleases as a husband for his daughter.
यदि ते रोचते सम्यग्भुजगोत्तम मा चिरम् । क्रियतामार्यक क्षिप्रं बुद्धिः कन्यापरिग्रहे
If this pleases you, O best of serpents, do not delay; let the decision to accept the maiden be made quickly, noble one.
यथा विष्णुकुले लक्ष्मीर्यथा स्वाहा विभावसोः । कुले तव तथैवास्तु गुणकेशी सुमध्यमा
As Lakṣmī abides in the lineage of Viṣṇu, as Svāhā with the Fire-god, so may Guṇakeśī, of lovely waist, dwell in your line.
पौत्रस्यार्थे भवांस्तस्माद्गुणकेशीं प्रतीच्छतु । सदृशीं प्रतिरूपस्य वासवस्य शचीमिव
Therefore, for the sake of your grandson, let Guṇakeśī be accepted—one worthy of him, just as Śacī is for Vāsava.
पितृहीनमपि ह्येनं गुणतो वरयामहे। बहुमानाच्च भवतस्तथैवैरावतस्य च
Though he is fatherless, we choose him for his virtues, and out of great respect for you and also for Airāvata.
सुमुखस्य गुणैश्चैव शीलशौचदमादिभिः । अभिगम्य स्वयं कन्यामयं दातुं समुद्यतः । मातलिस्तस्य संमानं कर्तुमर्हो भवानपि
Because of Sumukha's virtues—his character, purity, self-control, and more—I myself am ready to give him my daughter; you too, Mātali, ought to honor him.
स तु दीनः प्रहृष्टश्च प्राह नारदमार्यकः । व्रियमाणे तथा पौत्रे पुत्रे च निधनं गते
Then, both sorrowful and gladdened, the noble one replied to Nārada: 'When my grandson is thus chosen, though my son has perished...'
मन्ये नैतद्बहुमतं महर्षे वचनं तव। सखा शक्रस्य संयुक्तः कस्यायं नेप्सितो भवेत्। कारणस्य तु दौर्बल्याच्चिन्तयामि महामुने
'I think, O great sage, your words are not highly regarded; being a friend of Śakra, who would not desire him? Yet, because of a certain misfortune, I am troubled, O great sage.'
अस्य देहकरस्तात मम पुत्रो महाद्युते। भक्षितो वैनतेयेन दुःखार्तास्तेन वै वयम्
'O father, my son, the creator of his body and of great splendor, was devoured by Vainateya; because of that, we are afflicted with grief.'
पुनरेव च तेनोक्तं वैनतेयेन गच्छता । मासेनान्येन सुमुखं भक्षयिष्य इति प्रभो
'And again, as Vainateya departed, he said: In another month, I will devour Sumukha as well, O lord.'
ध्रुवं तथा तद्भविता जानीमस्तस्य निश्चयम्। तेन हर्षः प्रनष्टो मे सुपर्णवचनेन वै
'Surely it will be so; we know his resolve. Because of Suparṇa's words, my joy has vanished.'
मातलिस्त्वब्रवीदेनं बुद्धिरत्र कृता मया। जामातृभावेन वृतः सुमुखस्तव पुत्रजः
But Mātali said to him: 'I have made arrangements in this matter; Sumukha, your grandson, has been chosen as a son-in-law.'