Shloka 12
Mātali’s Proposal for Guṇakeśī and Sumukha’s Audience with Indra
सुमनोमुखो दधिमुख: शड्ुखो नन्दोपनन्दकौ । आप्त: कोटरकश्चैव शिखी निष्ठूरिकस्तथा,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 |
sumanomukho dadhimukhaḥ ṣaḍmukho nandopanandakau |
āptaḥ koṭarakaś caiva śikhī niṣṭhūrikaś tathā |
vāsukiḥ takṣakaḥ karkoṭakaḥ dhanaṃjayaḥ kāliyaḥ nahuṣaḥ kambalaḥ aśvataraḥ bāhukuṇḍaḥ maṇināgaḥ āpūraṇaḥ khagaḥ vāmanaḥ elapatraḥ kukuraḥ kukuṇaḥ āryakaḥ nandakaḥ kalaśaḥ potakaḥ kailāsakaḥ piṃjarakaḥ airāvataḥ |
sumanomukhaḥ dadhimukhaḥ śaṅkhaḥ nandaḥ upanandaḥ āptaḥ koṭarakaḥ śikhī niṣṭhūrikaḥ tittiriḥ hastibhadraḥ kumudaḥ mālyapiṇḍakaḥ padmanāmakaś ca 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 viṣuṇḍiḥ virasaḥ surasaś ca |
ete cānye ca bahavo nāgāḥ kāśyapavaṃśajāḥ |
mātale yadi iha kaścid varaḥ tubhyaṃ rocate tad paśya ||
Narada said: “Sumanomukha, Dadhimukha, Ṣaḍmukha, Nanda and Upananda; Āpta, Koṭaraka, Śikhī, and Niṣṭhūrīka; Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Karkoṭaka, Dhanaṃjaya, Kāliya, Nahuṣa, Kambala, Aśvatara, Bāhukuṇḍa, Maṇināga, Āpūraṇa, Khaga, Vāmana, Elapatra, Kukura, Kukuṇa, Āryaka, Nandaka, Kalaśa, Potaka, Kailāsaka, Piṃjaraka, Airāvata; again Sumanomukha and Dadhimukha; Śaṅkha, Nanda, Upananda; Āpta, Koṭaraka, Śikhī, Niṣṭhūrīka; Tittiri, Hastibhadra, Kumuda, Mālyapiṇḍaka; the two serpents 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 Nāgas are descendants of Kaśyapa. Mātali, if among these there is any excellent one who pleases you, then choose and behold.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a genealogical catalogue: it frames the Nāgas as a vast lineage descending from Kaśyapa and presents them as eligible, ‘choice-worthy’ beings. Ethically, it reflects the epic’s emphasis on lineage, reputation, and suitability when making consequential selections (such as alliances or marriage).
Nārada enumerates many prominent Nāgas by name and tells Mātali to look among them and choose any excellent one he finds pleasing—indicating a selection process in which the Nāga lineage is being presented as candidates.