Chapter 35

“Saunaka said, ‘O son of Suta, thou hast told us the reason why thesnakes were cursed by their mother, and why Vinata also was cursed by herson. Thou hast also told us about the bestowal of boons, by theirhusband, on Kadru and Vinata. Thou hast likewise told us the names ofVinata’s sons. But thou hast not yet recited to us the names of thesnakes. We are anxious to hear the names of the principal ones.’

“Sauti said, O thou whose wealth is asceticism, from fear of beinglengthy, I shall not mention the names of all the snakes. But I willrecite the names of the chief ones. Listen to me!

“Sesha was born first, and then Vasuki. (Then were born) Airavata,Takshaka, Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Kalakeya, the serpent Mani, Purana,Pinjaraka, and Elapatra, Vamana, Nila, Anila, Kalmasha, Savala, Aryaka,Ugra, Kalasapotaka, Suramukha, Dadhimukha, Vimalapindaka, Apta, Karotaka,Samkha, Valisikha, Nisthanaka, Hemaguha, Nahusha, Pingala, Vahyakarna,Hastipada, Mudgarapindaka, Kamvala Aswatara, Kaliyaka, Vritta,Samvartaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Sankhamukha, Kushmandaka, Kshemaka,Pindaraka, Karavira, Pushpadanshtraka, Vilwaka, Vilwapandara, Mushikada,Sankhasiras, Purnabhadra, Haridraka, Aparajita, Jyotika, Srivaha,Kauravya, Dhritarashtra, Sankhapinda, Virajas, Suvahu, Salipinda,Prabhakara, Hastipinda, Pitharaka, Sumuksha, Kaunapashana, Kuthara,Kunjara, Kumuda, Kumudaksha, Tittri, Halika, Kardama, Vahumulaka,Karkara, Akarkara, Kundodara, and Mahodara.

“Thus, O best of regenerate ones, have I said the names of the principalserpents. From fear of being tedious I do not give names of the rest. Othou whose wealth is asceticism, the sons of these snakes, with theirgrandsons, are innumerable. Reflecting upon this, I shall not name themto thee. O best ascetics, in this world the number of snakes bafflescalculation, there being many thousands and millions of them.'”

So ends the thirty-fifth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.