Shloka 15
दिलीप: शड्ःखशीर्षश्न॒ ज्योतिष्को5थापराजित: । कौरव्यो धृतराष्ट्रश्न कुहुर:ः कृशकस्तथा,वासुकि, तक्षक, कर्कोटक, धनंजय, कालिय, नहुष, कम्बल, अश्वतर, बाह्ाुकुण्ड, मणिनाग, आपूरण, खग, वामन, एलपत्र, कुकुर, कुकुण, आर्यक, नन्न्दक, कलश, पोतक, कैलासक, पिंजरक, ऐरावत, सुमनोमुख, दधिमुख, शंख, ननन््द, उपनन्द, आप्त, कोटरक, शिखी, निष्ठूरिक, तित्तिरि, हस्तिभद्र, कुमुद, माल्यपिण्डक, पद्मनामक दो नाग, पुण्डरीक, पुष्प, मुद्गरपर्णक, करवीर, पीठरक, संवृत्त, वृत्त, पिण्डार, बिल्वपत्र, मूषिकाद, शिरीषक, दिलीप, शंखशीर्ष, ज्योतिष्क, अपराजित, कौरव्य, धृतराष्ट्र, कुहुर, कृशक, विरजा, धारण, सुबाहु, मुखर, जय, बधिर, अन्ध, विशुण्डि, विरस तथा सुरस--ये और दूसरे बहुत-से नाग कश्यपके वंशज हैं। मातले! यदि यहाँ कोई वर तुम्हें पसंद हो तो देखो
nārada uvāca | dilīpaḥ śaṅkhaśīrṣaś ca jyotiṣko 'thāparājitaḥ | kauravyo dhṛtarāṣṭraś ca kuhuraḥ kṛśakas tathā | vāsukiḥ takṣakaḥ karkoṭako dhanaṃjayaḥ kāliyo nahuṣaḥ kambalo 'śvataraḥ | bāhukaṇḍo maṇināga āpūraṇaḥ khagaḥ vāmana elāpatraḥ kukuraḥ kukuṇaḥ āryako nandakaḥ | kalaśaḥ potakaḥ kailāsakaḥ piñjaraka airāvataḥ sumanomukhaḥ dadhimukhaḥ śaṅkho nanda upanandaḥ | āptaḥ koṭarakaḥ śikhī niṣṭhūrikaḥ tittiriḥ hastibhadraḥ kumudaḥ mālyapiṇḍakaḥ | padmanāmau dvau nāgau puṇḍarīkaḥ puṣpo mudgaraparṇakaḥ karavīraḥ pīṭharakaḥ saṃvṛttaḥ vṛttaḥ piṇḍāro bilvapatro mūṣikādaḥ śirīṣakaḥ | dilīpaḥ śaṅkhaśīrṣo jyotiṣkaḥ apārājitaḥ kauravyo dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ kuhuraḥ kṛśako virajā dhāraṇaḥ subāhuḥ mukharo jayo badhiro 'ndho viśuṇḍir virasaḥ surasaś ca—ete cānye bahavo nāgāḥ kaśyapavaṃśajāḥ | mātale! yadiha kaścid varaḥ tava rocate tad paśya ||
Nārada said: “Dīlīpa, Śaṅkhaśīrṣa, Jyotiṣka, and Aparājita; Kauravya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Kuhura, and Kṛśaka; Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Karkoṭaka, Dhanaṃjaya, Kāliya, Nahuṣa, Kambala, and Aśvatara; Bāhukaṇḍa, Maṇināga, Āpūraṇa, Khaga, Vāmana, Elāpatra, Kukura, Kukuṇa, Āryaka, and Nandaka; Kalaśa, Potaka, Kailāsaka, Piñjaraka, Airāvata, Sumanomukha, Dadhimukha, Śaṅkha, Nanda, and Upananda; Āpta, Koṭaraka, Śikhī, Niṣṭhūrīka, Tittiri, Hastibhadra, Kumuda, Mālyapiṇḍaka; the two nāgas named Padma; Puṇḍarīka, Puṣpa, Mudgaraparṇaka, Karavīra, Pīṭharaka, Saṃvṛtta, Vṛtta, Piṇḍāra, Bilvapatra, Mūṣikāda, and Śirīṣaka; and again Dīlīpa, Śaṅkhaśīrṣa, Jyotiṣka, Aparājita, Kauravya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Kuhura, Kṛśaka, Virajā, Dhāraṇa, Subāhu, Mukhara, Jaya, Badhira, Andha, Viśuṇḍi, Virasa, and Surasa—these and many other nāgas are descendants of Kaśyapa. Mātali, if there is any boon here that pleases you, look and choose.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes lineage and cosmic taxonomy: the nāgas are presented as descendants of Kaśyapa, and the scene frames choice and responsibility through the offer of a ‘vara’ (boon). The ethical undertone is that power and privilege (boons) are to be chosen with discernment within the larger order of beings.
Nārada recites an extensive catalogue of nāga names, identifying them as Kaśyapa’s descendants, and then addresses Mātali, inviting him to select any boon or choice that appeals to him among what is present.