Shesha

Shesha (Sanskrit: शेष, romanized: Śeṣa, lit. 'Remainder'), also known by his epithets Sheshanaga (Sanskrit: शेषनाग, romanized: Śeṣanāga, lit. 'The snake Shesha') and Adishesha (Sanskrit: आदिशेष, romanized: Ādiśeṣa, lit. 'First Shesha'), is a serpentine demigod (naga) and Nagaraja (King of all serpents), 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 Shesha 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. 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.