Chapter 57

“Saunaka said, ‘O son of a Suta, I desire to hear the names of all thosesnakes that fell into the fire of this snake-sacrifice!’

“Sauti replied, ‘Many thousands and tens of thousands and billions ofsnakes fell into the fire. O most excellent Brahmana, so great is thenumber that I am unable to count them all. So far, however, as Iremember, hear the names I mention of the principal snakes cast into thefire. Hear first the names of the principal ones of Vasuki’s race alone,of colour blue, red and white of terrible form and huge body and deadlypoison. Helpless and miserable and afflicted with their mother’s curse,they fell into the sacrificial fire like libations of butter.

“Kotisa, Manasa, Purna, Cala, Pala Halmaka, Pichchala, Kaunapa, Cakra,Kalavega, Prakalana, Hiranyavahu, Carana, Kakshaka, Kaladantaka–thesesnakes born of Vasuki, fell into the fire. And, O Brahmana, numerousother snakes well-born, and of terrible form and great strength, wereburnt in the blazing fire. I shall now mention those born in the race ofTakshaka. Hear thou their names. Puchchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasektri,Ravenaka; Uchochikha, Carava, Bhangas, Vilwatejas, Virohana; Sili,Salakara, Muka, Sukumara, Pravepana, Mudgara and Sisuroman, Suroman andMahahanu. These snakes born of Takshaka fell into the fire. And Paravata,Parijata, Pandara, Harina, Krisa, Vihanga, Sarabha, Meda, Pramoda,Sauhatapana–these born in the race of Airavata fell into the fire. Nowhear, O best of Brahmanas, the names of the snakes I mention born in therace of Kauravya: Eraka, Kundala Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Vahuka,Sringavera, Dhurtaka, Pratara and Astaka. There born in the race ofKauravya fell into the fire. Now hear the names I mention, in order, ofthose snakes endued with the speed of the wind and with virulent poison,born in the race of Dhritarashtra: Sankukarna, Pitharaka, Kuthara,Sukhana, and Shechaka; Purnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Sakuni, Dari,Amahatha, Kumathaka, Sushena, Vyaya, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pisanga,Udraparaka, Rishabha, Vegavat, Pindaraka; Raktanga, Sarvasaranga,Samriddha, Patha and Vasaka; Varahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, Chitravegika,Parasara, Tarunaka, Maniskandha and Aruni.

“O Brahmana, thus I have recited the names of the principal snakes knownwidely for their achievements–I have not been able to name all, thenumber being countless. The sons of these snakes, the sons of those sons,that were burnt having fallen into the fire, I am unable to mention. Theyare so many! Some of three heads, some of seven, others of ten, of poisonlike unto the fire at the end of the yuga and terrible in form,–theywere burnt by thousands!

“Many others, of huge bodies, of great speed, tall as mountain summits,of the length of a yama, of a yojana, and of two yojanas, capable ofassuming at will any form and of mastering at will any degree ofstrength, of poison like unto blazing fire, afflicted by the curse of amother, were burnt in that great ‘sacrifice.'”