Shesha (“remnant”)
Shesha is a mythical thousand-headed ed snake on which the deity Vishnu sits as
if on a sofa; it is also said to sustain the many areas of the earth,
particularly the underworlds.
His name originates from the fact that he is said to be a
partial incarnation of Vishnu, and hence is tied to Vishnu both as an
incarnation and as Vishnu's cushion.
Shesha, like other of the gods' animal companions, does not
have a significant function in his own right.
Shesha acts as the churning-rope to spin Mount Mandara, with
all the gods pulling from one side and the demons pulling from the other, in
the epic narrative of churning the Ocean of Milk, in which he plays an
essential role.
Yet, once again, he is only instrumental, required for the
plot to develop but with his major emphasis elsewhere.
Shesha is said to play a protective function.
He is the protective god for the fifth day of each half of
the lunar month in Hindu astrology (jyotisha).
