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{{Short description|Serpent demigod in Hinduism}}
{{redirect|Sheshnaag|the 1990 Bollywood film|Sheshnaag (film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| name = Shesha
| image = Nag Devta or Nag Sthan Sesh Narayan Dachhinkali Kathmandu Nepal Rajesh Dhungana (3).jpg
| alt = Shesha
| caption = Idol of Shesha, Kathmandu
| affiliation = [[Vaishnavism]]
| father = [[Kashyapa]]
| mother = [[Kadru]]
| abode = [[Kshira Sagara]]
| deity_of = King of the Serpents{{Sfn|Handa|2004|p=91}}
| other_names = Sheshanaga, Ananta, Adishesha, Sankarshana
| spouse =
| siblings = Many including [[Manasa]], [[Vasuki]], and [[Takshaka]]
| children = [[Sulochana (Ramayana)|Sulochana]] and Sunaina
| consort =
}}
{{Vaishnavism}}
'''Shesha''' ({{Lang-sa|शेष|lit=Remainder|translit=Śeṣa}}),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haq |first=Kaiser |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jCmoCgAAQBAJ&dq=shesha+snake&pg=PT28 |title=The Triumph of the Snake Goddess |date=2015-10-12 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-91511-4 |language=en}}</ref> also known by his epithets '''Sheshanaga''' ({{Lang-sa|शेषनाग|lit=The snake Shesha|translit=Śeṣanāga}}) and '''Adishesha''' ({{Lang-sa|आदिशेष|lit=First Shesha|translit=Ādiśeṣa}}), is a serpentine demigod ([[Nāga|naga]]) and [[Nagaraja]] (King of all [[Nāga|serpent]]s), 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 Shesha''', "Endless-Shesha", or '''Adishesha,''' the "First Shesha". It is said that when Adishesa uncoils, time moves forward and creation takes place; when he coils back, the universe ceases to exist.

The [[Narayana]] form of Vishnu is often depicted as resting on Shesha, accompanied by his consort [[Lakshmi]]. Adishesha 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 (linguistics)|root]] ''śiṣ'', because even as the world is destroyed at the end of each [[Kalpa (aeon)|kalpa]], Shesha remains as he is.

==Form==
[[File:Vishnu sleeps on the coils of Ananta (the World Snake). He will awake for the next cycle of creation which heralds the destruction of all things. Sculpture. From India, c. 14th century CE. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.jpg|thumb|Vishnu sleeps on the coils of Ananta (the World Snake). He will awake for the next cycle of creation which heralds the destruction of all things. Sculpture. From India, c. 14th century CE. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh]]
[[File:Sheshashayi - Laxminarayan by DHURANDHAR MV.jpg|alt=|thumb|250x250px|[[Narayana]] resting on Adhishesha, with his consort [[Lakshmi]] massaging his feet]]
[[File:Vishnu reclining on Shesha, as Brahma is born on a lotus from his navel (palace of Bir Singh Dev, Orchha, early 17th c.).jpg|right|thumb|Narayana reclining on Shesha, as Brahma blooms on a lotus from his navel (palace of Bir Singh Dev, Orchha, early 17th c.)]]

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

== Origin ==
According to the [[Mahabharata]], Adishesha 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 (snake)|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 to 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 (goddess)|Bhumi]] with his hood. He is believed to support her even today, thus making [[Patala]] his perennial residence.<ref>''Mbh'', Adi Parva</ref>

===Mahavishnu and Sankarshana===

Shesha is usually depicted as floating in the ocean of the changing world, forming the bed of [[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 [[vyuha]] forms of [[Vishnu]], the other three being [[Vāsudeva]], [[Pradyumna]], and [[Aniruddha]].

In [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism|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 [[Purana|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]].

==Avatars ==
{{multiple image
| image1 =Lakshmana at Srivaikundam.jpg
| caption1 =As Lakshmana, Shesha accompanied his lord in his [[Rama]] avatar.
| image2 = Balarama, elder brother Krishna with Hala 1830 CE.jpg
| caption2 = As Balarama, Shesha accompanied Vishnu in his [[Krishna]] Avatar.
}}
Adisesha is believed to have taken 6 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]], Sesha took birth as [[Lakshmana]], as Lord Vishnu's (as [[Rama]]) brother. Lakshmana is a very prominent character in the Ramayana, along with Hanuman and Sita.

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 [[Dashavatara|Dasavatara]], where Balarama is also considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu.

During the [[Kali Yuga]], according to [[Sri Vaishnavism|Sri Vaishnava]] tradition, he was born as [[Patanjali|Patanjali Maharishi]], [[Ramanuja|Ramanujacharya]], and [[Manavala Mamunigal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manavala Mamunigal |url=http://acharya.org/ac/smm/smmv7.html |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=acharya.org}}</ref> He was not accompanied by [[Vishnu|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 Adishesha. In the [[Bhagavad-Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], in the middle of the battlefield [[Kurukshetra]], Krishna, explaining his omnipresence, says: "Of [[Nāga]]s, I am Ananta" indicating the importance of Ananta Shesha.

==Literature==
The [[Brahma Purana]] describes the attributes of Ananta:<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2018-03-17 |title=The Magnitude of Netherworlds [Chapter 19] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-purana-english/d/doc216089.html |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Daityas and Dānavas are not capable of recountig 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.|title=[[Brahma Purana]]|source=Chapter 19}}
The Brahmanda Purana also described Shesha in Patala:
{{Blockquote|text=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.|title=[[Brahmanda Purana]]|source=Chapter 20}}[[File:Vishnu with Shesha Naga - Bronze - Showcase 11-1 - Bronze Gallery - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 6635.JPG|thumb|Vishnu with Shesha Naga-ancient Bronze artefact in Government Museum Mathura]]The [[Bhagavata Purana]] equates Shesha and Balarama:
{{Blockquote|text=The foremost manifestation of Lord Vishnu is Sankarṣana, who is known as Ananta. He is the origin of all incarnations within this material world. Previous to the appearance of Lord Shri Krishna, this original Sankarsana will appear as Baladeva, just to please the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna in His transcendental pastimes."|title=[[Bhagavata Purana]]|source=10.1.24}}
In the [[Bhagavadgita|Bhagavad Gita]] chapter 10, verse 29, [[Krishna]] describes 75 of his common manifestations, and declares, {{IAST|"anantaś ca asmi nāgānāṁ"}}: ''Among Nāgas (a special class of serpents), I am the serpent-god Ananta''.[[File:Kerala Folklore Museum 2018-04-02l.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Heads of Shesha at the Kerala Folklore Museum]]
<gallery widths="250" heights="250">
File:Hampi3.JPG|[[Narasimha]], the man-lion incarnation of Vishnu seated on the coils of Shesha, with seven heads of Shesha forming a canopy. statue at [[Vijayanagara]].
File:Bishnu.jpg|[[Mahavishnu|Maha Vishnu]] sheltered by the five-headed Shesha, [[Parsurameswar Temple]], [[Bhubaneswar]].
File:Brahma give boon to Shesha and order to bear the Prthvi or Earth.jpg|Brahma gives a boon to Shesha and orders to bear the Prithvi or Earth
</gallery>

==In popular culture==
The [[Palliyodam]], a type of large [[Chundan vallam|snake boat]] built and used by [[Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple]] in Kerala for the annual water processions of [[Aranmula Boat Race|Uthrattathi Jalamela]] and [[Valla Sadhya]] has the legend that it was designed by [[Krishna]] and were made to look like Shesha.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/explained-what-palliyodam-and-why-kerala-actor-was-arrested-photoshoot-it-155155|title=Explained: What is a Palliyodam, and why a Kerala actor was arrested for photoshoot on it|newspaper=thenewsminute|access-date=13 September 2021}}</ref>

The capital of [[Kerala]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]], is named after the King of the Serpents and is translated as "The Sacred City of Ananta".

On the [[SCP Foundation|SCP Foundation wiki]], the winning article for the SCP-3000 contest is titled ''Anantashesha''. The article features SCP-3000, a gargantuan serpentine entity swimming in the [[Bay of Bengal]] with anomalous abilities, based on the fact that Shesha "would linger past the end".<ref>{{cite web|author1=A Random Day|author2=Ben "djkaktus" Sisson|author3=Joreth|title=SCP-3000 - Anantashesha|url=http://www.scpwiki.com/scp-3000|website=[[SCP Foundation]]|date=March 25, 2017|access-date=January 25, 2022}}</ref>

==Other names==

* '''Sheshanaga''' ''('''Sesha''' the serpent)''
* '''Adishesha''' ''(the first '''Sesha''')''
* '''Anantashesha''' ''(Endless '''Sesha''')''
* '''[[Ananta (infinite)|Ananta]]''' ''(endless/infinite)''
* Alternative spellings: '''Sesa''', '''Sesha''', '''{{IAST|Śeṣa}}'''
* '''Shesha Sayana''' or '''Nagar Syana''' means '''[[Vishnu]]''' who sleeps ''('''Sayana''')'' on '''Sheshanaga'''

==See also==
* [[Vasuki]]
* [[Ouroboros]]
* [[Jörmungandr]]
* [[Manasa]]
* [[Nāga]]
* [[Snake worship]]
* [[Nagaradhane]]
* [[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{Citation|title=Naga Cults and Traditions in the Western Himalaya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xd50t19YpJEC|first=Om Chanda|last=Handa|publisher=Indus Publishing|year=2004|isbn=978-8173871610}}

==External links==

{{commons category|Shesha}}
*[https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01037.htm ananta supports the world (from mahAbhArata)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070716193641/http://vedabase.net/sb/5/25/en1 The Glories of Lord Ananta (from Śrimad Bhagavatam)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060422191457/http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/953344.cms Ananta Sesha - The Legendary Serpent]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060507115745/http://www.krishna.com/main.php?id=619 Maha-Vishnu & Ananta Sesha]
*[http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/badami/cave305.html Image of ancient Vishnu and Sesha in deity form]

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Nāgas]]
[[Category:Hindu gods]]
[[Category:Lokapala]]
[[Category:World-bearing animals]]
[[Category:Vaishnavism]]
[[Category:Mythical many-headed creatures]]
[[Category:Legendary serpents]]
[[Category:Snake gods]]

Shesha - Revision history

ImportMaster: robot: Create/update articles in Category:Hindu gods.