Śesha
Śesha, also called Anantaśesha, is the eldest and most exalted of the sons of Kadrū and Kaśyapa Prajāpati. He is different from the other nāgas in his character and aim. He was appalled by his brothers’ cruelty and wicked conduct. He left them completely and did hard tapas (austerity) at several sacred places.
Brahmā was pleased with his tapas. He told Śesha to take up the task of bearing the Earth on his hood, the great service for which Śesha is best known. Śesha also became the śayyā (couch) of Bhagavān Vishṇu. The Ādi Parva tells Śesha’s own story in the Śeshavṛtta.
Leaving his brothers
Kadrū had a thousand sons. Śesha alone refused to join in their wicked ways. His brothers harmed all beings without cause. They were proud, violent and cruel. Śesha could not bear to be linked with them. He left them entirely and went to do tapas. He did not seek power. He wished to be free of their adharma (wrong conduct) and to give himself to dharma alone.
The great tapas
Śesha did tapas at a series of sacred places:
- Gandhamādana, the great mountain of sandalwood forests, where many have done tapas.
- Badarikāśrama, the sacred tīrtha in the Himālayas linked with the tapas of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.
- Gokarṇa, the coastal tīrtha sacred to Śiva.
- Pushkarāraṇya, the Pushkara forest, one of the most ancient tīrthas.
- The Himālayas in general.
At each place he lived on leaves, air and water alone. He grew very thin from his austerity. His tapas was long and hard.
Brahmā appears and gives the command
Brahmā appeared before Śesha and asked what vara (a boon) he wished for. Śesha answered simply: “Let my mind always remain fixed on dharma. Let me never associate with my wicked brothers.” He did not ask for power, a kingdom, a long life or knowledge. He asked only to keep his mind on dharma and to be free from the company of adharma.
Brahmā praised this answer deeply. Then he told Śesha what he required: “The Earth is unstable. Descend and carry her. She is asking to be held steady.” Śesha agreed. He entered the Earth from below and took her weight on his hood. The Earth became steady. All beings who walk on her surface rest, in the end, on Śesha’s faithful bearing.
Brahmā also told Śesha that Garuḍa would be his companion. Garuḍa is the great eagle, the natural counterpart of the great serpent.
The couch of Bhagavān Vishṇu
Besides bearing the Earth, Śesha is the eternal couch of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu reclines on his coils in the Kshīrasāgara (the Ocean of Milk) between the cycles of creation. Many Purāṇas describe this role.
The account in the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa
The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa (Upāsanā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 90–91) tells a different episode. Śesha was proud of his thousand hoods, and Śiva’s trident crushed them. Nārada gave him the Gaṇeśa mantra. Śesha did tapas at Pravāḷa-kshetra. Gaṇeśa appeared in his ten-armed Siṃhavāhana form (the form riding a lion) and restored Śesha’s thousand hoods. He gave Śesha the power to bear the Earth and the role of Bhagavān Vishṇu’s couch.
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Āstīka Parva, Chapter 36 (Śeshavṛtta)
- Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Upāsanā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 90–91