The Serpents Who Perished in the Fire

Verse 1 (1.57.1)

ये सर्पाः सर्पसत्रेऽस्मिन्पतिता हव्यवाहने । तेषां नामानि सर्वेषां श्रोतुमिच्छामि सूतज ॥

ye sarpāḥ sarpasatre'sminpatitā havyavāhane | teṣāṃ nāmāni sarveṣāṃ śrotumicchāmi sūtaja

I wish to hear the names of all the serpents who fell into the fire at this serpent sacrifice, O son of a sūta.

Verse 2 (1.57.2)

सहस्राणि बहून्यस्मिन्प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च । न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं बहुत्वाद्द्विजसत्तम ॥

sahasrāṇi bahūnyasminprayutānyarbudāni ca | na śakyaṃ parisaṃkhyātuṃ bahutvāddvijasattama

There were many thousands of them, millions and hundreds of millions; there were so many that they cannot be counted, O best of brahmins.

Verse 3 (1.57.3)

यथास्मृति तु नामानि पन्नगानां निबोध मे । उच्यमानानि मुख्यानां हुतानां जातवेदसि ॥

yathāsmṛti tu nāmāni pannagānāṃ nibodha me | ucyamānāni mukhyānāṃ hutānāṃ jātavedasi

But hear from me, as far as I remember them, the names of the chief serpents who were offered into the fire.

Verse 4 (1.57.4)

वासुकेः कुलजातांस्तु प्राधान्येन निबोध मे । नीलरक्तान्सितान्घोरान्महाकायान्विषोल्बणान् ॥

vāsukeḥ kulajātāṃstu prādhānyena nibodha me | nīlaraktānsitānghorānmahākāyānviṣolbaṇān

First, hear of the chief serpents born in the line of Vasuki — blue, red and white, terrible, huge of body, filled with venom,

Verse 5 (1.57.5)

अवशान्मातृवाग्दण्डपीडितान्कृपणान्हूतान् । कोटिशो मानसः पूर्णः शलः पालो हलीमकः ॥

avaśānmātṛvāgdaṇḍapīḍitānkṛpaṇānhūtān | koṭiśo mānasaḥ pūrṇaḥ śalaḥ pālo halīmakaḥ

helpless and wretched, struck down by their mother's curse, and offered into the fire: Kotisha, Manasa, Purna, Shala, Pala, Halimaka,

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives it in its apparatus, 1.52.4*0449); the second line corresponds to 1.52.5a.

Verse 6 (1.57.6)

पिच्छलः कौणपश्चक्रः कालवेगः प्रकालनः । हिरण्यबाहुः शरणः कक्षकः कालदन्तकः ॥

picchalaḥ kauṇapaścakraḥ kālavegaḥ prakālanaḥ | hiraṇyabāhuḥ śaraṇaḥ kakṣakaḥ kāladantakaḥ

Picchala, Kaunapa, Chakra, Kalavega, Prakalana, Hiranyabahu, Sharana, Kakshaka and Kaladantaka.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.5c and 1.52.6a.

Verse 7 (1.57.7)

एते वासुकिजा नागाः प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहने । अन्ये च बहवो विप्र तथा वै कुलसंभवाः । प्रदीप्ताग्नौ हुताःसर्वे घोररूपा महाबलाः ॥

ete vāsukijā nāgāḥ praviṣṭā havyavāhane | anye ca bahavo vipra tathā vai kulasaṃbhavāḥ | pradīptāgnau hutāḥsarve ghorarūpā mahābalāḥ

These serpents born of Vasuki entered the fire. And many others too, O brahmin, born of the same line, all terrible in form and of great strength, were offered into the blazing fire.

Note on the text: The first line corresponds to 1.52.6c; the second and third lines are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 1.52.6*0450).

Verse 8 (1.57.8)

तक्षकस्य कुले जातान्प्रवक्ष्यामि निबोध तान् । पुच्छाण्डको मण्डलकः पिण्डसेक्ता रभेणकः ॥

takṣakasya kule jātānpravakṣyāmi nibodha tān | pucchāṇḍako maṇḍalakaḥ piṇḍasektā rabheṇakaḥ

I shall now name those born in the line of Takshaka; hear them: Pucchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasekta, Rabhenaka,

Verse 9 (1.57.9)

उच्छिखः शरभो भङ्गो बिल्वतेजा विरोहणः । शिली शलकरो मूकः सुकुमारः प्रवेपनः ॥

ucchikhaḥ śarabho bhaṅgo bilvatejā virohaṇaḥ | śilī śalakaro mūkaḥ sukumāraḥ pravepanaḥ

Ucchikha, Sharabha, Bhanga, Bilvateja, Virohana, Shili, Shalakara, Muka, Sukumara, Pravepana,

Verse 10 (1.57.10)

मुद्गरः शिशुरोमा च सुरोमा च महाहनुः । एते तक्षकजा नागाः प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम् ॥

mudgaraḥ śiśuromā ca suromā ca mahāhanuḥ | ete takṣakajā nāgāḥ praviṣṭā havyavāhanam

Mudgara, Shishuroma, Suroma and Mahahanu. These serpents born of Takshaka entered the fire.

Verse 11 (1.57.11)

पारावतः पारियात्रः पाण्डरो हरिणः कृशः । विहङ्गः शरभो मोदः प्रमोदः संहतापनः ॥

pārāvataḥ pāriyātraḥ pāṇḍaro hariṇaḥ kṛśaḥ | vihaṅgaḥ śarabho modaḥ pramodaḥ saṃhatāpanaḥ

Paravata, Pariyatra, Pandara, Harina, Krisha, Vihanga, Sharabha, Moda, Pramoda and Samhatapana —

Verse 12 (1.57.12)

ऐरावतकुलादेते प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम् । कौरव्यकुलजान्नागाञ्शृणु मे त्वं द्विजोत्तम ॥

airāvatakulādete praviṣṭā havyavāhanam | kauravyakulajānnāgāñśṛṇu me tvaṃ dvijottama

these, of the line of Airavata, entered the fire. Now hear from me, O best of brahmins, the serpents born in the line of Kauravya:

Verse 13 (1.57.13)

एरकः कुण्डलो वेणी वेणीस्कन्धः कुमारकः । बाहुकः शृङ्गबेरश्च धूर्तकः प्रातरातकौ ॥

erakaḥ kuṇḍalo veṇī veṇīskandhaḥ kumārakaḥ | bāhukaḥ śṛṅgaberaśca dhūrtakaḥ prātarātakau

Eraka, Kundala, Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Bahuka, Shringabera, Dhurtaka, and Pratara and Ataka.

Verse 14 (1.57.14)

कौरव्यकुलजास्त्वेते प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम् । धृतराष्ट्रकुले जाताञ्शृणु नागान्यथातथम् ॥

kauravyakulajāstvete praviṣṭā havyavāhanam | dhṛtarāṣṭrakule jātāñśṛṇu nāgānyathātatham

These, of the line of Kauravya, entered the fire. Hear now, exactly as they were, the serpents born in the line of Dhritarashtra,

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 1.52.12*0452); the second line corresponds to 1.52.13a.

Verse 15 (1.57.15)

कीर्त्यमानान्मया ब्रह्मन्वातवेगान्विषोल्बणान् । शङ्कुकर्णः पिठरकः कुठारमुखसेचकौ ॥

kīrtyamānānmayā brahmanvātavegānviṣolbaṇān | śaṅkukarṇaḥ piṭharakaḥ kuṭhāramukhasecakau

as I name them, O brahmin — swift as the wind and filled with venom: Shankukarna, Pitharaka, Kutharamukha and Sechaka,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.13c and 1.52.14a.

Verse 16 (1.57.16)

पूर्णाङ्गदः पूर्णमुखः प्रहासः शकुनिर्दरिः । अमाहठः कामठकः सुषेणो मानसोऽव्ययः ॥

pūrṇāṅgadaḥ pūrṇamukhaḥ prahāsaḥ śakunirdariḥ | amāhaṭhaḥ kāmaṭhakaḥ suṣeṇo mānaso'vyayaḥ

Purnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Shakuni, Dari, Amahatha, Kamathaka, Sushena, Manasa, Avyaya,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.14c and 1.52.15a.

Verse 17 (1.57.17)

अष्टावक्रः कोमलकः श्वसनो मौनवेपगः । भैरवो मुण्डवेदाङ्गः पिशङ्गश्चोदपारकः । ऋषभो वेगवान्नागः पिण्डारकमहाहनू ॥

aṣṭāvakraḥ komalakaḥ śvasano maunavepagaḥ | bhairavo muṇḍavedāṅgaḥ piśaṅgaścodapārakaḥ | ṛṣabho vegavānnāgaḥ piṇḍārakamahāhanū

Ashtavakra, Komalaka, Shvasana, Maunavepaga, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pishanga, Udaparaka, Rishabha, the serpent Vegavan, Pindaraka and Mahahanu,

Note on the text: Removed the wiki quote marks (`…') and the stray danda around the first line. The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the second and third lines correspond to 1.52.15c and 1.52.16a.

Verse 18 (1.57.18)

रक्ताङ्गः सर्वसारङ्गः समृद्धपटवासकौ । वराहको वीरणकः सुचित्रश्चित्रवेगिकः ॥

raktāṅgaḥ sarvasāraṅgaḥ samṛddhapaṭavāsakau | varāhako vīraṇakaḥ sucitraścitravegikaḥ

Raktanga, Sarvasaranga, Samriddha and Patavasaka, Varahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, Chitravegika,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.16c and 1.52.17a.

Verse 19 (1.57.19)

पराशरस्तरुणको मणिः स्कन्धस्तथाऽऽरुणिः । इति नागा मया ब्रह्मन्कीर्तिताः कीर्तिवर्धनाः ॥

parāśarastaruṇako maṇiḥ skandhastathā''ruṇiḥ | iti nāgā mayā brahmankīrtitāḥ kīrtivardhanāḥ

Parashara, Tarunaka, Mani, Skandha and Aruni. These are the renowned serpents I have named, O brahmin —

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.17c and 1.52.18a.

Verse 20 (1.57.20)

प्राधान्येन बहुत्वात्तु न सर्वे परिकीर्तिताः । एतेषां प्रसवो यश्च प्रसवस्य च सन्ततिः ॥

prādhānyena bahutvāttu na sarve parikīrtitāḥ | eteṣāṃ prasavo yaśca prasavasya ca santatiḥ

only the chief ones, for they were so many that not all have been named. Their offspring, and the descendants of that offspring,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.18c and 1.52.19a.

Verse 21 (1.57.21)

न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं ये दीप्तं पावकं गताः । द्विशीर्षाः पञ्चशीर्षाश्च सप्तशीर्षास्तथाऽपरे । दशशीर्षाः शतशीर्षास्तथान्ये बहुशीर्षकाः ॥

na śakyaṃ parisaṃkhyātuṃ ye dīptaṃ pāvakaṃ gatāḥ | dviśīrṣāḥ pañcaśīrṣāśca saptaśīrṣāstathā'pare | daśaśīrṣāḥ śataśīrṣāstathānye bahuśīrṣakāḥ

who went into the blazing fire, cannot be counted. Some had two heads, some five, others seven; some had ten heads, some a hundred, and others many heads.

Note on the text: Removed the wiki quote marks (`…') around the second and third lines. The first line corresponds to 1.52.19c; the second to 1.52.20a (a variant); the third is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 1.52.20*0456).

Verse 22 (1.57.22)

कालानलविषा घोरा हुताः शतसहस्रशः । महाकाया महावेगाः शैलशृङ्गसमुच्छ्रयाः ॥

kālānalaviṣā ghorā hutāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ | mahākāyā mahāvegāḥ śailaśṛṅgasamucchrayāḥ

Terrible, with venom like the fire at the end of time, they were offered by hundreds of thousands — huge of body, of great speed, tall as mountain peaks,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.20c and 1.52.21a.

Verse 23 (1.57.23)

योजनायामविस्तारा द्वियोजनसमायताः । कामरूपाः कामबला दीप्तानलविषोल्बणाः ॥

yojanāyāmavistārā dviyojanasamāyatāḥ | kāmarūpāḥ kāmabalā dīptānalaviṣolbaṇāḥ

a yojana in length and breadth, some two yojanas long, able to take any form at will and to wield any strength at will, blazing with venom like fire —

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch half a verse off from the critical edition: these lines correspond to 1.52.21c and 1.52.22a.

Verse 24 (1.57.24)

दग्धास्तत्र महासत्रे ब्रह्मदण्डनिपीडिताः ॥

dagdhāstatra mahāsatre brahmadaṇḍanipīḍitāḥ

they were burned there in that great sacrifice, crushed by the punishing power of the brahmins.

Note on the text: Corrected निपाडिताः → निपीडिताः (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign ा for ी, the critical edition reads nipīḍitāḥ). This single line corresponds to 1.52.22c.