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

Śaunaka fragte: „Und wie erlangte dieses himmelsdurchstreifende Wesen die Macht, sich nach Belieben zu bewegen und seine Tapferkeit nach Wunsch zu entfalten? Ich wünsche, dies vollständig zu hören – wenn es in der puranischen Überlieferung verzeichnet ist, so berichte es.“

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.