In Hinduism, Shesha, also known as Sheshanaga or Adishesha, is the nagaraja or king of all nāgas and one of the primal beings of creation. In the Puranas, Shesha is said to hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods and to constantly sing the glories of the God Vishnu from all his mouths. He is sometimes referred to as Ananta Shesha, which translates as endless-Shesha or Adishesha "first Shesha". It is said that when Adishesa uncoils, time moves forward and creation takes place; when he coils back, the universe ceases to exist. He is also described in Buddhism as Vasuki.
Guruvayurappan also often written Guruvayoorappan, is a form of Vishnu worshipped mainly in Kerala. He is the presiding deity of Guruvayur temple, who is being worshiped as Shri Krishna in His child form, also known as Guruvayur Unnikkannan. Even though the deity is that of chaturbahu Vishnu, the concept (Sankalpam) of the people is that the deity is the infant form of Lord Krishna. The deity represents the purna rupa revealed by baby Krishna to his parents Vasudeva and Devaki immediately after His advent in Kamsa's jail. So this is the reason why baby Krishna is worshipped on a Vishnu deity. The temple is located in the town of Guruvayur, Thrissur district, Kerala, India, which is named after the deity itself.
Achyuta Deva Raya was a ruler of a Vijayanagara Empire of South India. He was the younger brother of Krishna Deva Raya, whom he succeeded in 1529.
Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu god Guruvayurappan, located in the town of Guruvayur in Kerala, India. It is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus of Kerala and is often referred to as Bhuloka Vaikunta, which translates to as "Holy Abode of Vishnu on Earth".
Naga Panchami is a traditional worship of snakes or serpents observed by Hindus throughout India, Nepal and other countries where Hindu adherents live. The worship is offered on the fifth day of bright half of Lunar month of Shravana (July/August), according to the Hindu calendar. The abode of snakes is believed to be patala loka, and lowest of them is also called Naga-loka, the region of the Nagas, as part of the creation force and their blessings are sought for the welfare of the family. Serpent deity made of silver, stone or wood or the painting of snakes on the wall are given a bath with milk and then revered.
Pariksit was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period. Along with his son and successor Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic hymns into collections, and the development of the orthodox srauta ritual, transforming the Kuru realm into the dominant political and cultural center of northern Iron Age India.
Nāgarāja "King of the nāga" is a figure commonly appearing in Indian religions.
In the Mahabharata the Naga Kingdom is the territory of a hardy and warlike tribe called Nagas. They were also considered as one of the supernatural races like the Kinnaras.
Astika was an ancient Hindu rishi (sage), and he was a son of Jaratkaru by the serpent goddess Manasa - a sister of the great serpent king Vasuki. According to the Mahabharata, he saved the life of a serpent Takshaka, the king of snakes, when king Janamejaya organized a snake sacrifice known as Sarpa Satra, where he made great sacrifices of serpents, to avenge for the death of his father Parikshit due to snake bite of Takshaka. Ultimately, he induced and prevailed upon the king to end his persecution of the serpent race. That day was Shukla Paksha Panchami in Shravan and is since celebrated as the festival of Nag Panchami.
Historians have deciphered writings on the walls of temples describing the names and gotras of some Telugu rulers and the contributions made by them to the temples and towns.
Takshaka is a Nagaraja in Hinduism and Buddhism. He is mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. He lived in a city named Takshasila, which was the new territory of Takshaka after his race was banished by Pandavas led by Arjuna from the Khandava Forest and Kurukshetra, where they built their new kingdom.
Sarpa Kavu is a traditional natural sacred space seen near traditional homes in Kerala state of South India. The site is believed to be inhabited by snakes, and the area usually contains a representation of Naga Raja and other Naga Devatas, where offerings and rites are performed during special ceremonies.
Kapila Theertham is a famous Saivite Temple and Theertham, located at Tirupati in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The idol is believed to be installed by Kapila Muni and hence Lord Siva here is referred to as Kapileswara.
Sri Lakshmi Narasimhar Temple is located about 55 km from Chennai and 21 km from Arakkonam, in Narasingapuram, Thiruvallur,. The temple is dedicated to Hindu deity Narasimha, who is avatar of Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi. From the days of glory and grandeur that prevailed in South India the temple of Lakhsmi Narasimha at Narasingapuram still boasts the era of Cholas and Vijayanagara Rayas. The Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is situated in the village of Narasingapuram believed to be named after the temple.
Evoor Major Srikrishnaswamy temple is a Krishna temple in Evoor near Haripad, Alappuzha, Kerala. It is said to have originated five millennium ago following Khandava Dahanam. Temple in its current form is built by Moolam Thirunal.
In Hindu mythology, Uttanka, also spelled Utanka, is a rishi (sage) who resided in the Maru desert. The primary source of this account is found in the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
According to legend, Sarpa Satra or Snake sacrifice was a yagna performed by Emperor Janamejaya of the Kuru empire who had ascended to the throne of Hastinapura upon the death of his father Parikshit. The legend states that Parikshit, the lone descendant of the House of Pandu, son of Abhimanyu and grand son of Arjuna of the Mahabharata fame, had died of snakebite. He had been cursed by a sage to die so, the curse having been consummated by the serpent-chieftain Takshaka. Janamejaya bore a deep grudge against the serpents for this act, and thus decided to wipe them out altogether. He attempted this by performing a great Sarpa Satra – a sacrifice that would destroy all living serpents. At that time, a learned sage named Astika, a boy in age, came and intervened to stop the yagna; Astika's mother manasa was a Naga and father was Jaratkaru a saintly Brahmin. Janamejaya had to listen to the words of the learned Astika and set Takshaka free. He also stopped the massacre of the snakes (Nagas) and ended all the enmity with them. From then onward the snakes (Nagas) and Kurus lived in peace.
Pushpagiri Temple Complex is a temple complex located in Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh, India. Founded around 7th Century CE, it houses some of the oldest temple congregations in the region.
Bira Pratapa Purushottama Deva was an Odia Gajapati emperor of Odisha who ruled from 1467 to 1497 C.E. He was the second ruler from the Gajapati dynasty. His father Gajapati Kapilendra Deva Routaraya chose him as his heir to rule Odishan Empire at the banks of river Krishna where he breathed his last. This decision infuriated the elder brother Hamvira Deva who was a battle hardened and successful warrior fulfilling the task of conquering the southern territories and expeditions against the kingdom of Vijayanagara as wished by his father.
