Shloka 3

Nāga-prādhānya-nāma-kathana

Principal Nāga Names Enumerated

Devanagari script

कथं च कामचारी स कामवीर्यक्ष खेचर: । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं पुराणे यदि पठ्यते,उस पक्षीमें इच्छानुसार चलने तथा रुचिके अनुसार पराक्रम करनेकी शक्ति कैसे आ गयी? मैं यह सब सुनना चाहता हूँ। यदि पुराणमें कहीं इसका वर्णन हो तो सुनाइये

Transliteration

kathaṃ ca kāmacārī sa kāmavīryakṣa khecaraḥ | etad icchāmy ahaṃ śrotuṃ purāṇe yadi paṭhyate ||

Translation

وسأل شاونَكا: «وكيف نال ذلك الكائنُ السابحُ في السماء قدرةَ الحركةِ كيفما شاء، وإظهارَ البأسِ على قدر الرغبة؟ إني أودّ أن أسمع ذلك كاملاً—فإن كان مذكوراً في تقاليد البورانا فاقصصه عليّ.»

Word by Word

• {'katham': 'how?', 'ca': 'and', 'kāmacārī': 'moving/acting according to one’s will

• free to go as desired', 'saḥ': 'he

• that one', 'kāma-vīrya': 'prowess/strength that follows desire

• power exercised as one wishes', 'khecaraḥ': 'sky-goer

• one who moves in the air (often a bird or celestial being)', 'etat': 'this (matter)', 'icchāmi': 'I desire

• I wish', 'aham': 'I', 'śrotum': 'to hear', 'purāṇe': 'in the Purāṇa(s)

• in Purāṇic lore', 'yadi': 'if', 'paṭhyate': 'is read/recited

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• खेचर (khecaraḥ—sky-goer, likely a bird/winged being)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models the dharmic method of learning: a respectful inquiry into the source and legitimacy of extraordinary power, seeking confirmation through established tradition (Purāṇic testimony) rather than mere wonder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka, in a dialogic setting, asks the narrator to explain how a certain sky-moving being obtained the ability to act freely and display strength at will, requesting a traditional (Purāṇic) account if available.