ESSENCE OF PURANAS SERIES
Chapter 14: Some Details of Naga Chiefs and origin of ‘Maha Padma Sarovara’
Condensed English Translation by Sri V.D.N. Rao
In this connection, Sage Brihadashwa gave a long list of the famous Nagas to King Gonanda as conveyed by Maharshi Vaishampayana to King Janamejaya: He said that King Nila was the most popular and virtuous who lived in the Region as the Destiny Maker of Nagas and the Originator of Kashmira.
There then would follow the long list of Vasuki, Upatakshaka, Kambala, Ashwatara, Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Helapatra, Ananta, Nandopananda, Kulika, Swetashankha, Palaasa, Helihala, Shankha paala, Chandana, Nandana, Neela, Mahaanila, Vatika, Sandsika, two Padmas, two Maha Padmas, two Kaalaas, two Kacchaapaas, two Samudras, two Gajaas, two Takshakaas, Hastikarna, Hastis, Vamanas, Varahas, Kupana, Paniya, Anika, Kankaaksa, Kalinkaaka, Arjuna, Pundirika, Dhanda, Khadaa, Sapala, Khericha, Lahura, Ledira, Ledina, Kheda, Jayanta, Sudama, Sarashwa, Praduymna, Andhika, Sambu, Salva, Agarasukha, Nilasura, Anishta, Sumukha,Veda, Khadgapucchha, Vibhishana, Priya Swami, Kumara, Kalapa, Puraanaka, Aapada, Vali, Vibhuti, Kalanajara, Krita, Treta, Dwapara, Sama, Ananda, Jayananda, Trisirsha, Jatila, Gandha, Soma, Gargya, Mahodara, Makara, Makaraaksha, Shatrughna, Rama, Lashmana, Mahadeva, Karkara, Karavata, Varaghosha, Sumangala, Shambharta, Karahala, Dhaumya, Galava, Ukola, Sukhola, Vahnirupa, Kalusha, Kripana, Kutaka, Hari, Shalabha and countless other Naga Chiefs.
Having narrated the names of lakhs of Naga Chiefs, Sage Brihadashwa stated that it would just not be possible to count neither the names nor the numbers of the next generations of the Naga Chiefs who settled in Kashmira over the passage of time of hundreds of years, but one fact was clear that the descendants of the Original Chief King Nila imbibed his qualities of bestowing boons to humanity and were followers of the unparalleled Vasuki Deva.
The Sage further described to King Gonanda that Nagas lived in peace for generations; while Naga Bindusara was the Guardian of the Eastern direction of Kashmira, Naga Shrimadhaka of South, while Naga Uttara Maanasa was the Sentinel of the Northern direction, despite the threat of Tarkshya (Garuda). As Garuda Deva lifted and killed lakhs and lakhs of Nagas, Lord Vishnu prevented this havoc by instructing Garuda and eversince then peace prevailed in favour of Nagas.
Meanwhile Naga Chief Sadangula got into the vicious habit of lifting away several women and killed them inspite of King Nila’s instructions not to harm human beings; the King banished Sadangula out of his Place and replaced him with another Naga Chief Maha Padma and allotted that area; Sadangula was allotted an area in Chandrapura of King Viswagaswa where there was a lesser threat to women. But Durvasa Muni visited the Place of Sadangula as a mad person in disguise and as he did not receive proper reception cursed the Place to turn in into a huge lake. Maha Padma Naga sent by King Nila approached King Viswagaswa to allot a place in Chandrapura for the family of Sadangula and the Lake since converted by the curse of Durvasa was called since then as Maha Padma Lake, which was one yojana wide and another yojana long, which had no crocodiles and was cool and charming, near by which a beautiful Nagar called Vishwagaswapura.
There then would follow the long list of Vasuki, Upatakshaka, Kambala, Ashwatara, Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Helapatra, Ananta, Nandopananda, Kulika, Swetashankha, Palaasa, Helihala, Shankha paala, Chandana, Nandana, Neela, Mahaanila, Vatika, Sandsika, two Padmas, two Maha Padmas, two Kaalaas, two Kacchaapaas, two Samudras, two Gajaas, two Takshakaas, Hastikarna, Hastis, Vamanas, Varahas, Kupana, Paniya, Anika, Kankaaksa, Kalinkaaka, Arjuna, Pundirika, Dhanda, Khadaa, Sapala, Khericha, Lahura, Ledira, Ledina, Kheda, Jayanta, Sudama, Sarashwa, Praduymna, Andhika, Sambu, Salva, Agarasukha, Nilasura, Anishta, Sumukha,Veda, Khadgapucchha, Vibhishana, Priya Swami, Kumara, Kalapa, Puraanaka, Aapada, Vali, Vibhuti, Kalanajara, Krita, Treta, Dwapara, Sama, Ananda, Jayananda, Trisirsha, Jatila, Gandha, Soma, Gargya, Mahodara, Makara, Makaraaksha, Shatrughna, Rama, Lashmana, Mahadeva, Karkara, Karavata, Varaghosha, Sumangala, Shambharta, Karahala, Dhaumya, Galava, Ukola, Sukhola, Vahnirupa, Kalusha, Kripana, Kutaka, Hari, Shalabha and countless other Naga Chiefs.
Having narrated the names of lakhs of Naga Chiefs, Sage Brihadashwa stated that it would just not be possible to count neither the names nor the numbers of the next generations of the Naga Chiefs who settled in Kashmira over the passage of time of hundreds of years, but one fact was clear that the descendants of the Original Chief King Nila imbibed his qualities of bestowing boons to humanity and were followers of the unparalleled Vasuki Deva.
The Sage further described to King Gonanda that Nagas lived in peace for generations; while Naga Bindusara was the Guardian of the Eastern direction of Kashmira, Naga Shrimadhaka of South, while Naga Uttara Maanasa was the Sentinel of the Northern direction, despite the threat of Tarkshya (Garuda). As Garuda Deva lifted and killed lakhs and lakhs of Nagas, Lord Vishnu prevented this havoc by instructing Garuda and eversince then peace prevailed in favour of Nagas.
Meanwhile Naga Chief Sadangula got into the vicious habit of lifting away several women and killed them inspite of King Nila’s instructions not to harm human beings; the King banished Sadangula out of his Place and replaced him with another Naga Chief Maha Padma and allotted that area; Sadangula was allotted an area in Chandrapura of King Viswagaswa where there was a lesser threat to women. But Durvasa Muni visited the Place of Sadangula as a mad person in disguise and as he did not receive proper reception cursed the Place to turn in into a huge lake. Maha Padma Naga sent by King Nila approached King Viswagaswa to allot a place in Chandrapura for the family of Sadangula and the Lake since converted by the curse of Durvasa was called since then as Maha Padma Lake, which was one yojana wide and another yojana long, which had no crocodiles and was cool and charming, near by which a beautiful Nagar called Vishwagaswapura.