5. The identity of Sesa and Balarama

Serpent worship arose from the fears entertained about the deadly effects of snake-bites.98 The serpent-cult is very ancient and is referred to in the Taittiriya Samhita Kathaka Samhita 100 and Vajasaneyi Samhita.101 Fergusson 102 traces serpent worship in the nations of antiquity, such as in Egypt, Judea, Greece etc. It occurs very frequently in the Hbh. 103 99 The purchas are full of the shrines of serpents 98 Kane P.V. HDS, II. II, P. 823. 4 16.15 99 iv. 2.8.3. 100 101 13.6-8. 102 Tree and Serpent worship (1868). 103 Adi 35,123.71; Mdyoga 103, 9-16; Anusasana 150.41.

525 I and the Brahma purana states that the snakes are the sons of Kasyaps and Surasa and Kadru. Surasa gave birth to thousand serpents-sarpas and Kadru gave birth to thousand Nagas, the chief of whom were Sesa, Vasuki, Taksaka, Airavata, Mahapadma, KambXala, Asvatara, Elapatra, Sankha, Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Mahanila, Mahakarna, Dhrtarastra, Balahoka, Kuhara, Puspadamstra, Durmukha, Sumukha, Sarkha, Sankhapala, Kapila, Vamana, Nahusa, Sankharoma, Mani and thousand others (3.96-101). Garuda is their enemy (A.90) and devours them whence it has been interpreted that the Nagas represent darkness which is dispelled by Sun. When Brahma divided the kingdom, he made Vasuki, the king of Nagas and Taksaka, the king of serpents (4.7). Serpent worship continues to this day particularly in South India, and the serpents are worshipped on the 5th of the bright of half of Sravana called Nagapancami. India possesses more varieties of serpents than any single country in the world and the toll of life taken by snake bites is very heavy as compared with any other country.104 In the Av., 105 the names of some mythical serpents, In the Mahabha Viz.Taksaka, Dhrtarastra and Airavata occur. rata 106 the names of the serpents that support the earth, viz. 104 Kane P.V., Op.Cit. 105 106 Av. VIII, 14.14.16. Anusasana Parva 150.41; Udyoga 103.9-16; Adi 35;123.71.

526 Vasuki, Ananta and others are introduced and Sesa (Ananta) has been promoted to a higher rank, and he is represented as supporting the earth on his expanded hoods, and he has become a servant of Visnu, who rests on him while sleeping in the ocean. The Brahma Purana also deals at length with Sesa and describes him as follows. resides in Patala. thousand heads. On his hoods there are thousands of jewels and through them all the directions are shining, He is decorated by swastika-shaped, ornaments. One Kundala is shining in his ears and the head is decorated by Kirita; and the neck shines by a necklace of jewels. He shines like a white mountain. He wears blue clothes and white garlands. He remains intoxicated and in his one hand, he holds musala, whereas the other hand rests on hala. The serpent wives apply the Haricandana to him and by his breaths all the directions become fragrant. He lives at the root of Patala and bears the whole world on his head. In order to mind the well-being of the world, he takes away the power of all the demons. At the time of Pralaya, Rudra the destroying power comes out of his mouth in the form of flames and destroys the three worlds. He maintains the gods, the asuras, all the beings and all the The Tamasa form of lord Visnu The Siddhas call him Ananta. He has

527 As worlds. The gods and the devarshis offer worship to him. Even the gods cannot describe the greatness of his strength, nature, appearance and brightness. The whole world appears red on account of the rays emnating from the jewels worn by him. When the lord Ananta yawns, the whole world together with the mountains, oceans and forests begins to swing. even the gandharvas, nymphs, siddhas, kinnaras and serpents are unable to find out his end he is called Ananta, the symbol of eternity. The sage Garga obtained the knowledge of the Jyotissastra by worshipping the lord Ananta. 107 Elsewhere it is stated that he was the lord of Patala. the demons drove him out, he prayed lord Siva, obtained a Sula from him, killed the enemies and regained the lordship of Patala. A fruit Bilva grew on the path from which he went to lord Siva and from it the river Ganges emerged.108 Maninaga is the son of Sesa and the Brahma purana relates how Maninaga worshipped Siva in order to get freedom from the danger of Garuda (A.90). Thus it can be seen how the ☑ When Brahma purana deifies Sesa and how many epithets and attributes later on ascribed to Balarama, considered to be his incarnation, are attributed to him.. 107 21.13-28. 108 A.115.