Shloka 17
एते चान्ये च बहव: कश्यपस्यात्मजा: स्मृता: । मातले पश्य यद्यत्र कश्चित् ते रोचते वर:,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
ete cānye ca bahavaḥ kaśyapasyātmajāḥ smṛtāḥ | mātale paśya yadyatra kaścit te rocate varaḥ || vāsukiḥ takṣakaḥ karkoṭakaḥ dhanaṃjayaḥ kāliyaḥ nahuṣaḥ kambalaḥ aśvataraḥ bāhukūṇḍaḥ maṇināgaḥ āpūraṇaḥ khagaḥ vāmanaḥ elapatraḥ kukuraḥ kukuṇaḥ āryakaḥ nandaḥ kalaśaḥ potakaḥ kailāsakaḥ piñjarakaḥ airāvataḥ sumanomukhaḥ dadhimukhaḥ śaṅkhaḥ nandaḥ upanandaḥ āptaḥ koṭarakaḥ śikhī niṣṭhūrikaḥ tittiriḥ hastibhadraḥ kumudaḥ mālyapiṇḍakaḥ padmanāmānau dvau nāgau puṇḍarīkaḥ puṣpaḥ mudgaraparṇakaḥ karavīraḥ pīṭharakaḥ saṃvṛttaḥ vṛttaḥ piṇḍāraḥ bilvapatraḥ mūṣikādaḥ śirīṣakaḥ dilīpaḥ śaṅkhaśīrṣaḥ jyotiṣkaḥ aparājitaḥ kauravyaḥ dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ kuhuraḥ kṛśakaḥ virajā dhāraṇaḥ subāhuḥ mukharaḥ jayaḥ badhiraḥ andhaḥ viśuṇḍiḥ virasaḥ tathā surasaḥ—ete ca anye ca bahavo nāgāḥ kaśyapavaṃśajāḥ | mātale yadi atra kaścid varaḥ te rocate paśya ||
Nārada said: “These—and many others besides—are remembered as the sons of Kaśyapa. O Mātali, look here: if among them there is any excellent one who pleases you, choose him.” Thereupon he recites a long catalogue of serpent-kings—Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Karkoṭaka, Dhanaṃjaya, Kāliya, Nahuṣa, Kambala, Aśvatara, and many more—declaring them to be of Kaśyapa’s lineage, and invites Mātali to select whichever Nāga seems most suitable. The passage frames choice as guided by discernment (what is ‘pleasing’ and ‘best’), while situating these beings within a recognized genealogical and cosmic order.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes discernment within dharmic order: beings are situated by lineage and tradition (smṛti), and one is urged to choose the ‘best’ (vara) based on what is fitting and agreeable, rather than randomly—choice guided by recognition of qualities and rightful place in the cosmic genealogy.
Nārada addresses Mātali and presents a large roster of Nāgas described as descendants of Kaśyapa, inviting Mātali to look among them and select whichever excellent Nāga he prefers for the purpose at hand in the surrounding episode.