Shesha

Shesha (Sanskrit: शेष, romanised: Śeṣa, lit. 'Remainder'),[1] also known by his epithets Sheshanaga (Sanskrit: शेषनाग, romanised: Śeṣanāga, lit. 'The snake Shesha') and Adishesha (Sanskrit: आदिशेष, romanised: Ādiśeṣa, lit. 'First Shesha'), is a serpentine demigod (naga) and king of the serpents (Nagaraja), as well as a primordial being of creation in Hinduism. In the Puranas, Shesha is said to hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods and to constantly sing the glories of Vishnu from all his mouths. He is sometimes referred to as Ananta (Sanskrit: अनन्त, lit. 'Without end') or Ananta Shesha (Sanskrit: अनन्त शेष, romanised: Ananta Śeṣa, lit. 'Endless Śeṣa/Remainder').

The Narayana form of Vishnu is often depicted as resting on Shesha, accompanied by his consort Lakshmi. Shesha is considered as one of the two mounts of Vishnu alongside Garuda. He is said to have descended upon Earth in the following human forms or incarnations: Lakshmana, brother of Vishnu's incarnation Rama during the Treta Yuga, and according to some traditions, as Balarama, brother of Vishnu's incarnation Krishna during the Dvapara Yuga. According to the Mahabharata (Adi Parva), his father was Kashyapa and his mother Kadru, though in other accounts, he is usually a primordial being created by Vishnu.

His name means "he who remains", from the Sanskrit root śiṣ, because even as the world is destroyed at the end of each kalpa, Shesha remains as he is.

## Contents

* 1 Form
* 2 Origin and legends
* 2.1 Vishnu and Shesha
* 2.2 Marriage
* 3 Avatars
* 4 Literature
* 5 In popular culture
* 6 Beyond the Indian subcontinent and Hinduism
* 7 Other names
* 8 See also
* 9 References
* 10 Bibliography
* 11 External links

## Form

Narayana resting on Adhishesha, with his consort Lakshmi massaging his feet

Shesha is generally depicted with a massive form that floats coiled through space, or upon the Ocean of Milk, to form the bed upon which Vishnu lies. Sometimes, he is depicted as a five-headed or seven-headed or a ten-headed serpent; but more commonly as one thousand-headed, or five thousand-headed, or even as many as a one million-headed serpent; sometimes with each head wearing an ornate crown.[2][3]

## Origin and legends

According to the Mahabharata, Shesha was born to the sage Kashyapa and his wife Kadru. Kadru gave birth to a thousand snakes, of which Shesha was the eldest. After Shesha, Vasuki, Iravati and Takshaka were born, in that order. A lot of Shesha's brothers were cruel and were bent upon inflicting harm on others. They were even unkind to Garuda, who was Kashyapa's son through Vinata, sister of Kadru. (Kadru and Vinata were daughters of Daksha).

Shesha, disgusted by the cruel acts of his brothers, left his mother and kin, and took on austere penances. He lived on air and meditated in places including Gandhamadhana, Badrikashrama, Gokarna, Pushkara, and the Himalayas. His penances were so severe that his flesh, skin, and muscles dried up and merged with his frame. Brahma, convinced of Shesha's will, asked Shesha to request a boon. Shesha asked that he be able to keep his mind under control so that he could continue to perform ascetic penances. Brahma gladly accepted the request. Brahma then asked a favour of Shesha: to go beneath the precarious earth and stabilise it. Shesha agreed and went to the netherworld and stabilised Bhumi with his hood. He is believed to support her even today, thus making Patala his perennial residence.[4]

### Vishnu and Shesha

Shesha is usually depicted as floating in the ocean of the changing world, forming the bed of a primordial form of Vishnu, i.e. Narayana, Vāsudeva or in later Puranic Vaishnavism, Mahavishnu.

In the Bhagavata Purana, Shesha is named Sankarshana, the tamasic energy of Narayana himself, and is said to live deep within the inner layers of Patala, where there are many serpents with gems on their heads and where he reigns as its ruler. He is said to have existed before the creation of the universe. When the universe is towards its end, he creates the 11 Rudras from the serpents to destroy the universe for a new one to be created.

Sankarshana is also one of the four vyuhas, or primitive forms of Vishnu, the other three being Vasudeva, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha.

In Gaudiya accounts, Sankarshana expands himself as Garbhodakshayi-Vishnu in the beginning of the universe to create Brahma. In other words, Sankarshana is believed to be Narayana himself.

In the first few chapters of the Puranas, it is also said that Sankarshana preached the Bhagavata to the Four Kumaras, who in turn passed on this message. At some point, the message was passed to sage Maitreya, who in turn preached it to Vidura.

### Marriage

According to legends, Shesha is married to Nagalakshmi. As per the Garga Samhita, she is considered to be the personification of the divine ocean called the Kshira Sagara.[5][6]

## Avatars

As Lakshmana, Shesha accompanied his lord in his Rama avatar.

As Balarama, Shesha accompanied Vishnu in his Krishna Avatar.

Shesha is believed to have taken six incarnations on earth. During the Satya Yuga, he came down in his original form to form a seat for Vishnu's avatar of Narasimha, who had incarnated to slay the impious Hiranyakashipu.

During the Treta Yuga, Shesha took birth as Lakshmana, as Vishnu's (as Rama) brother. Lakshmana is a very prominent character in the Ramayana, along with Hanuman and Sita. His consort, Nagalakshmi was born as Urmila, the sister of Sita.[7][8]

During Dvapara Yuga, he is a stated to have incarnated as Balarama again as a brother to Vishnu (as Krishna). This is often disputed by the original line-ups of the Dasavatara, where Balarama is also considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu. His consort was born as Revati, the daughter of King Kakudmi.[9][10]

During the Kali Yuga, according to Sri Vaishnava tradition, he was born as Patanjali, Ramanuja, and Manavala Mamunigal.[11] He was not accompanied by God during the Kali Yuga. Instead, he incarnated alone to spread devotion among the people, being a peaceful incarnation.

Sri Vaishnavism also states that Balarama is an incarnation of both Vishnu and Shesha. In the Bhagavad Gita, in the middle of the battlefield Kurukshetra, Krishna, explaining his omnipresence, says: "Of Nāgas, I am Ananta" indicating the importance of Shesha.

## Literature

The Brahma Purana describes the attributes of Ananta:[12]

> Daityas and Dānavas are not capable of recounting his good qualities. He is honoured by Devas and celestial sages. He is spoken of as Ananta. He has a thousand hoods, and he is clearly bedecked in Svastika ornaments devoid of impurities. He illuminates all quarters by thousand jewels on his hoods.

> For the welfare of the universe, he deprives the Asuras of their prowess. His eyes whirl and rove due to intoxication. He has only one earring at all times.

> Wearing a crown and garlands he shines like a white mountain aflame with fire.

> He is clad in blue garments. He is intoxicated with pride. He is resplendent with white garlands. He is lofty like the mountain of Kailāsa where the celestial Gaṅgā falls. He has placed his hand on the plough-share; he holds an excellent iron club. He is attended upon by the embodied splendour of Varuṇa.

> At the end of the Kalpa, Rudra in the form of Saṅkarṣaṇa comes out of his mouth, blazing like the flame of poisonous fire and devours the three worlds.

> He holds the entire sphere of the world rising above like a peak.

— Brahma Purana, Chapter 19

The Brahmanda Purana also described Shesha in Patala:

> With his two thousand eyes that have the reddish splendour of the rising sun and with his body that is white and glossy, he appears like the mountain. Kailāsa surrounded by clusters of flames. He has the white complexion like the Moon as well as the Kunda flowers. Hence the cluster of his eyes shines like the cluster of midday suns on the peak of the white Mountain (Śveta Parvata).

> He has a huge terrible body. With it (resting) in his reclining pose on his couch, he appears like a thousand-peaked mountain of vast dimensions (resting) over the earth.

> This (enormously) huge lord of serpents, himself of great splendour, is being attended upon by extremely wise and noble-souled great serpents of huge physique. He is the king of all serpents. He is Ananta, Śeṣa, of excessive brilliance.

— Brahmanda Purana, Chapter 20

Vishnu with Shesha Naga-ancient Bronze artefact in Government Museum Mathura

The Bhagavata Purana equates Shesha and Balarama:

> With intent to do what pleases Sri Hari, the thousand-headed and self-effulgent Lord Ananta (the serpent-god Sesa), a part manifestation of Lord Vasudeva, will precede Him (as His elder brother).

— Bhagavata Purana, 10.1.24

In the Bhagavad Gita chapter 10, verse 29, Krishna describes 75 of his common manifestations, and declares, "anantaśh chāsmi nāgānāṁ": Among Nāgas (a special class of serpents), I am the serpent-god Ananta.

Anantashesha appears in SCP Foundation as SCP-3000.[13]

Heads of Shesha at the Kerala Folklore Museum

* Narasimha, the man-lion incarnation of Vishnu seated on the coils of Shesha, with seven heads of Shesha forming a canopy. Statue at Vijayanagara.

* Maha Vishnu sheltered by the five-headed Shesha, Parsurameswar Temple, Bhubaneswar

## In popular culture

The Palliyodam, a type of large snake boat built and used by Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple in Kerala for the annual water processions of Uthrattathi Jalamela and Valla Sadhya has the legend that it was designed by Krishna and were made to look like Shesha.[14]

## Beyond the Indian subcontinent and Hinduism

In the snake worship traditions of Tai folk religion and animism in Thailand, he is a naga second order most revered figure, following Shri Sutho Naga (ปู่ศรีสุทโธ) of Kham Chanod Forest in Ban Dung district, Udon Thani province, Isan, Thailand. Kham Chanod is considered the spiritual center of snake worship in Thai folk beliefs.[15][16][17] , His name and symbol are one of Royal Barge Anantanakkharat of royal barge in Thailand.[18][19][20][21]

Numerous shrines across Thailand are dedicated to he as a guardian deity, with one of the most notable being Shrine of the Venerable Naga Ananta Nakarat of Mukdahan province, Isan. which is located in the area under Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.[22][23][24][25] or Shrine of the Venerable Naga Ananta Nakarat opposite Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station which is one of Shrine of four naga guardian regular of Bang Phli District which are located in all four directions of Suvarnabhumi Airport.[26][27][28][29]

## Other names

* Sheshanaga (Shesha the serpent)
* Shesha (the first Shesha)
* Anantashesha (Endless Shesha)
* Ananta (endless/infinite)
* Alternative spellings: Sesa, Shesha, Śeṣa
* Shesha Sayana or Nagar Syana means Vishnu who sleeps (Sayana) on Sheshanaga

## See also

* Jörmungandr
* Manasa
* Nāga
* Nagaradhane
* Ouroboros
* Padmanabhaswamy Temple
* Snake worship
* Vasuki

## References

1. ↑ Haq, Kaiser (2015-10-12) (in en). The Triumph of the Snake Goddess. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-91511-4. https://books.google.com/books?id=jCmoCgAAQBAJ&dq=shesha+snake&pg=PT28. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
2. ↑ Jones, Constance; Ryan, James D. (2006) (in en). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. pp. 288. ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC&dq=Vishnu+ocean+of+milk&pg=PA288.
3. ↑ Chenni Padmanabhan. Concept of Sri Andal's Tiruppavai. R.P. Publications, 1995 - Krishna (Hindu deity) in literature - 296 pages. p. 87.
4. ↑ Mbh, Adi Parva
5. ↑ (in en) Garga Saṁhita. Rasbihari Lal & Sons. 2006. ISBN 978-81-87812-98-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=nkv9PgAACAAJ&q=naga+lakshmi+garg+samhita.
6. ↑ (in sa) Śrīgargasaṃhitā: Kīrtibhāṣāsārasahitā. Vyāsa Bālābakṣa Śodhasaṃsthāna. 2000. https://books.google.com/books?id=r3PXAAAAMAAJ&q=नागलक्ष्मी.
7. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (2012-06-24). "Urmila, Urmilā, Ūrmilā: 9 definitions" (in en). https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/urmila.
8. ↑ Agarwal, Shubhi (20 April 2022). LakshmiLa : The Eternal Love Story. Om Books International. ISBN 978-93-92834-21-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=SOZsEAAAQBAJ&dq=gomati+the+chakra+of+lakshmi+and+wife+of+sudarshan&pg=PT16.
9. ↑ Revati. "Daughter of King Raivata and wife of Balarama."
10. ↑ Dalal, Roshen (2014-04-18) (in en). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&dq=balarama+dashavatara&pg=PT412.
11. ↑ "Manavala Mamunigal". http://acharya.org/ac/smm/smmv7.html.
12. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (2018-03-17). "The Magnitude of Netherworlds [Chapter 19"] (in en). https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-purana-english/d/doc216089.html.
13. ↑ "SCP-3000 - SCP Foundation" (in en). https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-3000.
14. ↑ "Explained: What is a Palliyodam, and why a Kerala actor was arrested for photoshoot on it". thenewsminute. https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/explained-what-palliyodam-and-why-kerala-actor-was-arrested-photoshoot-it-155155.
15. ↑ "ย้อนตำนาน "พญานาค" ความเชื่อ พลังแห่งศรัทธาลุ่มน้ำโขง". 11 October 2022. https://www.thairath.co.th/news/society/2523590.
16. ↑ "ตำนาน 9 พญานาคราช จอมกษัตริย์นาคา 9 พระองค์ ผู้ปกครองพิภพบาดาล". http://www.nirut-laknamphi-2019.com/article/4/ตำนาน-9-พญานาคราช-จอมกษัตริย์นาคา-9-พระองค์-ผู้ปกครองพิภพบาดาล.
17. ↑ ""พญานาค" ตามรอยท่องเที่ยวสายมูภาคอีสาน". https://www.prd.go.th/th/content/category/detail/id/31/iid/284848.
18. ↑ "เรือพระที่นั่งอนันตนาคราช". https://www.navy.mi.th/ab60127cb1317236eff27b355ad66134.
19. ↑ "เรือพระที่นั่งอนันตนาคราช | พระราชพิธีบรมราชาภิเษก". https://phralan.in.th/Coronation/finalceremoniesdetail.php?id=935.
20. ↑ "เรือพระที่นั่งอนันตนาคราช". http://www.virtualmuseum.finearts.go.th/royalbarges/index.php/th/hilight/เรือพระราชพิธี/41-เรือพระที่นั่งอนันตนาคราช.html.
21. ↑ "สารคดีเฉลิมพระเกียรติ มรดกศิลป์ แผ่นดินไทย ตอนที่ 30 เรือพระที่นั่งอนันตนาคราช | พระราชพิธีบรมราชาภิเษก". https://phralan.in.th/coronation/downloaddetail.php?id=884.
22. ↑ "พามาไหว้ศาลพญานาคอนันตนาคราช แห่งพิภพบาดาล สะพานมิตรภาพไทย-ลาวแห่งที่ 2 มุกดาหาร". https://travel.trueid.net/detail/3MJgNbajYaxo.
23. ↑ "พญาอนันตนาคราช". https://thai.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/พญาอนันตนาคราช.
24. ↑ "เยือนมุกดาหาร สักการะ "พญานาค 3 พิภพ" ดินแดนแห่งศรัทธาเมืองลุ่มน้ำโขง". 23 September 2023. https://mgronline.com/travel/detail/9660000086055.
25. ↑ "แรงศรัทธาทั่วสารทิศ ร่วมพิธีบวงสรวงองค์ปู่ องค์ย่า พญานาค มุกดาหาร เสริมบุญบารมี". https://mukdahan.prd.go.th/th/content/category/detail/id/57/iid/295934.
26. ↑ "ศาลพญานาคสุวรรณภูมิ". https://horoscope.trueid.net/detail/y3X004KeGGw3.
27. ↑ "แชร์เส้นทางไปศาลพญานาคทั้ง4ทิศที่สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิรวดเดียวจบ ฉบับเด็กตจว". https://pantip.com/topic/38105255.
28. ↑ "10สิ่งศักดิ์สิทธิ์ 'สุวรรณภูมิ' ที่แรง สัมภเวสีเพียบ". 14 September 2013. https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/bangkok/369684.
29. ↑ "แชร์เส้นทางไหว้ 4 พญานาคราช แห่งสนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ". https://travel.trueid.net/detail/enLA8yb80VDQ.

## Bibliography

* Handa, Om Chanda (2004), Naga Cults and Traditions in the Western Himalaya, Indus Publishing, ISBN 978-8173871610, https://books.google.com/books?id=Xd50t19YpJEC

## External links

* ananta supports the world (from mahAbhArata)
* The Glories of Lord Ananta (from Śrimad Bhagavatam)
* Ananta Shesha - The Legendary Serpent
* Maha-Vishnu & Ananta Shesha
* Image of ancient Vishnu and Shesha in deity form

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