Sheshanaga (Sanskrit meaning is one of the primal Snakes). Per the Puranas, Shesha holds all the planets of the universe on its hoods while constantly singing the glories of the God Vishnu from all its mouths. When Adishesa uncoils, time moves forward and creation takes place and when he coils back, the universe ceases to exist.
Shesha is depicted as a thousand hooded snake that floats on 'KhirSagar', forming the bed on which Vishnu lies. Along with many 'Avatars' (incarnations) of Vishnu, Shesha is said to have descended to Earth in human avatars of Lakshman (brother of Rama), Balarama (brother of Krishna), Ramanuja, Patanjali, etc.
As per scriptures, Shesha was born to rishi Kashyap and his wife Kadru (daughters of prajapati Daksha). Kadru gave birth to a thousand snakes, of which Shesha was the eldest.
Krishna, was born to Devika and Vasudeva and had to be transported to Yashodha for immunity from cruel Kamsa. When Vasudeva was carrying baby Krishna across the river to Gokul, Sheshnaga rose from the river and shaded the baby Krishna from the torrential rain. At the time of Samudra-manthan, Sheshnaga become the rope with which the seas were churned.
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