Manasa is a Hindu goddess of snakes. She is worshipped mainly in Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, South Assam and other parts of northeastern India and in Uttarakhand, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite, and also for fertility and prosperity. In Hinduism, Manasa is the sister of Shesha and Vasuki, king of Nāgas (serpents), and wife of sage Jaratkaru. She is the mother of the sage Astika. She is also known as Vishahari, Nityā (eternal) and Padmavati.
Painting of Manasa
Manasa with her husband Jaratkaru and son Astika flanked by Nagas, 11th century Pala period statue from Bengal
Mud idol of Manasa in the Sundarbans, West Bengal, India.
A scene from Manasa Mangal.
Shesha, also known by his epithets Sheshanaga and Adishesha, is a serpentine demigod (naga) and Nagaraja, 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,
Idol of Shesha, Kathmandu
Narayana resting on Adhishesha, with his consort Lakshmi massaging his feet
As Lakshmana, Shesha accompanied his lord in his Rama avatar.
As Balarama, Shesha accompanied Vishnu in his Krishna Avatar.
