Shloka 10
Mātali’s Proposal for Guṇakeśī and Sumukha’s Audience with Indra
बाह्युकुण्डो मणिरनागस्तथैवापूरण: खग: । वामनश्वैलपत्रश्न कुकुर: कुकुणस्तथा,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 |
bāhyukuṇḍo maṇiranāgas tathaivāpūraṇaḥ khagaḥ |
vāmanaś cailapatraśnaḥ kukuraḥ kukuṇas tathā |
vāsukiḥ takṣakaḥ karkoṭakaḥ dhanañjayaḥ kāliyo nahuṣaḥ kambalo 'śvataraḥ |
bāhyukuṇḍaḥ maṇināgaḥ āpūraṇaḥ khagaḥ vāmanaḥ elapatraḥ kukuraḥ kukuṇaḥ āryakaḥ nandakaḥ kalaśaḥ potakaḥ kailāsakaḥ piñjarakaḥ airāvataḥ sumanomukhaḥ dadhimukhaḥ śaṅkhaḥ nandaḥ upanandaḥ āptaḥ koṭarakaḥ śikhī niṣṭhūrikaḥ tittiriḥ hastibhadraḥ kumudaḥ mālyapiṇḍakaḥ padmanāmakaḥ (dvau) 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 viṣuṇḍiḥ virasaḥ surasaś ca—ete cānye bahavo nāgāḥ kaśyapavaṃśajāḥ |
mātale! yadiha kaścid varaḥ tava rocate, paśya ||
Narada said: “Bāhyukuṇḍa, Maṇiranāga, and likewise Āpūraṇa and Khaga; Vāmana, Cailapatraśna, Kukura, and Kukuṇa; Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Karkoṭaka, Dhanañjaya, Kāliya, Nahuṣa, Kambala, and Aśvatara; and also many others—Āryaka, Nandaka, Kalaśa, Potaka, Kailāsaka, Piñjaraka, Airāvata, Sumanomukha, Dadhimukha, Śaṅkha, Nanda, Upananda, Āpta, Koṭaraka, Śikhī, Niṣṭhūrika, Tittiri, Hastibhadra, Kumuda, Mālyapiṇḍaka, the two named Padma, Puṇḍarīka, Puṣpa, Mudgaraparṇaka, Karavīra, Pīṭharaka, Saṃvṛtta, Vṛtta, Piṇḍāra, Bilvapatra, Mūṣikāda, Śirīṣaka, Dilīpa, Śaṅkhaśīrṣa, Jyotiṣka, Aparājita, Kauravya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Kuhura, Kṛśaka, Virajā, Dhāraṇa, Subāhu, Mukhara, Jaya, Badhira, Andha, Viṣuṇḍi, Virasa, and Surasa—these and many other serpents are descendants of Kaśyapa. Mātali, if there is any boon or choice here that pleases you, look and select.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily functions as a genealogical catalogue: it situates many Nāgas within the authoritative lineage of Kaśyapa and frames them as legitimate members of a cosmic order. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurrent emphasis that identity and duty are understood through lineage and recognized social/cosmic relations, even among non-human beings.
Nārada enumerates numerous Nāgas—naming prominent figures like Vāsuki and Takṣaka among many others—and states that they are descendants of Kaśyapa. He then addresses Mātali, inviting him to look and choose a ‘vara’ (a preferred option/boon) from what is being presented.