Shloka 21
ब्रह्मन! अब धृतराष्ट्रके कुलमें उत्पन्न नागोंके नामोंका मुझसे यथावत् वर्णन सुनो। वे वायुके समान वेगशाली और अत्यन्त विषैले थे। (उनके नाम इस प्रकार हैं--) शंकुकर्ण, पिठरक, कुठार, मुखसेचक, पूर्णांगद, पूर्णमुख, प्रहास, शकुनि, दरि, अमाहठ, कामठक, सुषेण, मानस, अव्यय, भैरव, मुण्डवेदांग, पिशंग, उद्रपारक, ऋषभ, वेगवान् नाग, पिण्डारक, महाहनु, रक्तांग, सर्वसारंग, समृद्ध, पटवासक, वराहक, वीरणक, सुचित्र, चित्रवेगिक, पराशर, तरुणक, मणि, स्कन््ध और आरुणि--([ये सभी धूृतराष्ट्रवंशी नाग सर्पसत्रकी आगमें जलकर भस्म हो गये थे।) ब्रह्मन! इस प्रकार मैंने अपने कुलकी कीर्ति बढ़ानेवाले मुख्य-मुख्य नागोंका वर्णन किया है। उनकी संख्या बहुत है, इसलिये सबका नामोल्लेख नहीं किया गया है। इन सबकी संतानोंकी और संतानोंकी संततिकी, जो प्रज्वलित अग्निमें जल मरी थीं, गणना नहीं की जा सकती। किसीके तीन सिर थे तो किसीके सात तथा कितने ही दस-दस सिरवाले नाग थे
śaunaka uvāca | brahman! adya dhṛtarāṣṭrasya kule utpannānāṃ nāgānāṃ nāmāni me yathāvat śṛṇu | te vāyusama-vegāḥ atyanta-viṣāś ca āsan | (teṣāṃ nāmāni) śaṅkukarṇaḥ, piṭharakaḥ, kuṭhāraḥ, mukhasecakaḥ, pūrṇāṅgadaḥ, pūrṇamukhaḥ, prahāsaḥ, śakuniḥ, dariḥ, amāhaṭhaḥ, kāmaṭhakaḥ, suṣeṇaḥ, mānasaḥ, avyayaḥ, bhairavaḥ, muṇḍavedāṅgaḥ, piśaṅgaḥ, udrapārakaḥ, ṛṣabhaḥ, vegavān nāgaḥ, piṇḍārakaḥ, mahāhanuḥ, raktāṅgaḥ, sarvasāraṅgaḥ, samṛddhaḥ, paṭavāsakaḥ, varāhakaḥ, vīraṇakaḥ, sucitraḥ, citravegikaḥ, parāśaraḥ, taruṇakaḥ, maṇiḥ, skandhaḥ, āruṇiḥ | (ete sarve dhṛtarāṣṭravaṃśyā nāgāḥ sarpasatre agnau dagdhvā bhasmībhūtāḥ) | brahman! evaṃ mayā svakulasya kīrti-vardhakānāṃ mukhya-mukhyānāṃ nāgānāṃ varṇanaṃ kṛtam | teṣāṃ saṅkhyā bahvī, tasmāt sarveṣāṃ nāmollekhanaṃ na kṛtam | eteṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ santānānāṃ santatiś ca yā prajvalite agnau dagdhā mṛtā, sā gaṇayituṃ na śakyate | kasyacit trīṇi śirāṃsi, kasyacit sapta, tathā bahavaḥ daśa-daśa-śirasaḥ nāgāḥ āsan |
Śaunaka said: “O Brahmin, now hear from me, in due order, the names of the serpents born in the lineage of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They were swift as the wind and exceedingly venomous. Their names were: Śaṅkukarṇa, Piṭharaka, Kuṭhāra, Mukhasecaka, Pūrṇāṅgada, Pūrṇamukha, Prahāsa, Śakuni, Dari, Amāhaṭha, Kāmaṭhaka, Suṣeṇa, Mānasa, Avyaya, Bhairava, Muṇḍavedāṅga, Piśaṅga, Udrapāraka, Ṛṣabha, the serpent named Vegavān, Piṇḍāraka, Mahāhanu, Raktāṅga, Sarvasāraṅga, Samṛddha, Paṭavāsaka, Varāhaka, Vīraṇaka, Sucitra, Citravegika, Parāśara, Taruṇaka, Maṇi, Skandha, and Āruṇi. All these serpents of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s line were burned to ashes in the fire of the serpent-sacrifice. Thus have I recounted the chief serpents who enhanced the fame of my lineage. Their number is vast, and so not all names are mentioned. The descendants and further progeny of these—who perished in the blazing fire—cannot be counted. Some had three heads, some seven, and many had ten heads.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores the vastness and complexity of lineage and the grave consequences of mass violence enacted through ritual: even renowned and powerful beings (swift, highly venomous Nāgas) can be annihilated, and the scale of loss becomes immeasurable when entire lines of descendants perish.
Śaunaka addresses a Brahmin and recites, in order, the principal names of Nāgas said to be born in Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s line, noting that they were burned to ashes in the serpent-sacrifice fire; he adds that countless descendants also died, including many multi-headed serpents.