Shloka 8

Mātali’s Proposal for Guṇakeśī and Sumukha’s Audience with Indra

Devanagari script

कोई दो सिरवाले, कोई पाँच सिरवाले और कोई सात मुखवाले होते हैं। किन्हींके बड़े- बड़े फन, किन्हींके दीर्घ शरीर और किन्हींके पर्वतके समान स्थूल शरीर होते हैं ।। बहूनीह सहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च । नागानामेकवंशानां यथाश्रेष्ठ तु मे शूणु,यहाँ एक-एक वंशके नागोंकी कई हजार, कई लाख तथा कई अर्बुद संख्या है। मैं जेठे- छोटेके क्रमसे इनका संक्षिप्त परिचय देता हूँ, सुनो

Transliteration

bahūnīha sahasrāṇi prayutāny arbudāni ca | nāgānām ekavaṁśānāṁ yathāśreṣṭhaṁ tu me śṛṇu ||

Translation

Nārada said: “Here there are many thousands, tens of thousands, and even crores of Nāgas belonging to single lineages. Now listen to me as I describe them briefly, in due order, beginning with the foremost.”

Word by Word

बहूनिmany

इहhere

सहस्राणिthousands

प्रयुतानिten-thousands (myriads)

अर्बुदानिarbuda-units (very large numbers)

चand

नागानाम्of the Nāgas (serpents)

एकवंशानाम्of those belonging to one lineage

यथाश्रेष्ठम्according to seniority/excellence

तुbut/indeed

मेof me / my

शृणुhear (listen)

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Nāgas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the vastness and diversity of creation and lineages, and models orderly transmission of knowledge: one should present complex information systematically—starting with what is foremost—so that listeners can grasp it without confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada introduces a catalog-like account of the Nāgas, stating that their numbers are immense even within single clans, and he prepares the audience to hear a concise description arranged by precedence.