वासुकि

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

कल्पद्रुमः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वासुकिः, पुं, वसुकस्यापत्यमिति । वसुक + इञ् ।) अहिपतिः । तत्पर्य्यायः । सर्पराजः २ । इत्य- मरः ॥ वासुकेयः ३ । इति शब्दरत्नावली । तस्योत्पत्तिर्यथा, -- “सुरसा जज्ञिरे सर्पांस्तेषां राजा तु तक्षकः । वासुकिश्चैव नागानां गणाः क्रोधतमोऽधिकः ॥” इति वह्निपुराणे काश्यपीयवंशः ॥ (जरत्कारुमुनिपत्नी मनसादेवी तु अस्येव भगिनी । “आस्तीकस्य मुनेर्माता भगिनी वासुके स्तथा । जरत्कारुमुनेः पत्नी नागमातर्नमोऽस्तु ते ॥” इति मनसाप्रणाममन्त्रः ॥)

अमरकोशः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वासुकि पुं।

नागराजः

समानार्थक:वासुकि,सर्पराज

1।8।4।2।3

विष्वक्संतमसं नागाः काद्रवेयास्तदीश्वराः। शेषोऽनन्तो वासुकिस्तु सर्पराजोऽथ गोनसे॥

स्वामी : नागानाम्_स्वामिः

सेवक : नागाः

पदार्थ-विभागः : , द्रव्यम्, पृथ्वी, चलसजीवः, मनुष्येतरः, जन्तुः, सरीसृपः

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वासुकि¦ पु॰ वसुना शिरस्थरत्नेन कायति कै--क स एवइञ्।

१ सर्पराजे
“भगिनी वासुकेस्तथा” मनसास्तोत्रम्।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वासुकि¦ m. (-किः) The serpent VA4SUKI, sovereign of the snakes and worn by S4IVA on his person. E. वसु a jewel, क the head, or वसुक here said to be a name of KAS4YAPA, aff. of descent इञ् | [Page648-b+ 60]

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वासुकिः [vāsukiḥ] वासुकेयः [vāsukēyḥ], वासुकेयः N. of a celebrated serpent, king of snakes (said to be a son of Kaśyapa); सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः Bg.1.28; Ku.2.38; (hence वासुकेयस्वसा means 'the sister of the snake-god', an epithet of the deity Manasā; L. D. B.).

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वासुकि m. (fr. वसुक)N. of a divine being Gobh. Kaus3.

वासुकि m. of a serpent-king (one of the three chief kings of the नागs , the other two being शेषand तक्षक; the gods and demons used the serpent वासुकिas a rope for twisting round the mountain मन्दरwhen they churned the ocean RTL. 108 , 233 ) MBh. R. etc.

वासुकि m. of an author Prata1p. Sch.

वासुकि m. of another man Pravar.

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

(I)--a son of Kadru: a chieftain of the नाग- loka. He was used as the rope in the अमृतमथन। Identi- fied with Hari. फलकम्:F1:  भा. V. २४. ३१; VIII. 6. २२ and ch. 7 (whole); XI. १६. १८; Br. III. 7. ३२ and ४४४; 8. १३; ३६. १५; IV. 9. ५१, ५६-9; M. 6. ३९; 8. 7; Vi. I. 9. ७७ and ८४; २१. २१.फलकम्:/F A friend of Indra: the milkman of the नागस् for milking the earth: moving with the sun for two months; फलकम्:F2:  Br. II. १७. ३४; २०. ४१; २३. 3; ३६. २१३; Vi. II. १०. 3.फलकम्:/F in the वैडूर्य s4a1la1 of ललिता; फलकम्:F3:  Br. IV. २०. ५३; ३३. ३६.फलकम्:/F his aid to त्रिपुरारि; फलकम्:F4:  M. ११४. ८३; १२६. 3; १३३. २५ and ४२.फलकम्:/F an ear ornament of शिव; shaken by हिरण्यकशिपु: sports in अमरकण्टक; फलकम्:F5:  Ib. १५४. ४४४; १६३. ५६; १८८. ९२; १९३. ३५; २४९. ६४.फलकम्:/F heard the विष्णु पुराण from धृतराष्ट्र the नाग and narrated it to Vatsa. फलकम्:F6:  Vi. VI. 8. ४६.फलकम्:/F [page३-209+ ४२]

(II)--the नाग presiding over the month of Madhu. भा. XII. ११. ३३.

(III)--a son of सुरसा and कश्यप and a King of the नागस्; the hundred headed snake in Sutalam; फलकम्:F1:  वा. ५०. ३९; ७०. १२.फलकम्:/F with the sun in the spring. फलकम्:F2:  Ib. ५२. 3.फलकम्:/F

(IV)--a नाग living in the निषध hill. वा. ४६. ३४; ६२. १८०; ६९. ६९.

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Vāsuki  : m.: A mythical serpent (nāga 1. 16. 14; 1. 43. 3; 1. 49. 19; bhujaga 1. 43. 3; 1. 44. 17; bhujaṁgama 1. 13. 33; pannaga 1. 42. 17).


A. Birth: Second son of Kadrū (first being Śeṣa) 1. 31. 5 (śeṣaḥ prathamato jāto vāsukis tadanantaram); enumerated among the very strong sons of Kadrū (kādraveyā mahābalāḥ) 1. 59. 40; also listed among the sons of Surasā and Kaśyapa 5. 101. 9 (4, 17).


B. Relations and Progeny: Jaratkāru, his sister 1. 13. 34, 36; 1. 34. 17; 1. 35. 2, 10; 1. 36. 4; 1. 43. 1, 9, 11, 14, 25; 1. 49. 4; snakes Koṭika, Mānasa and others, born in the kula of Vāsuki, fell into the fire of Janamejaya's snake sacrifice 1. 52. 4-6.


C. Residence: He lived in Bhogavatī Purī in the south (5. 101. 1) which was also protected by him 5. 101. 1; 5. 107. 19; the tīrtha of Vāsuki at Prayāga called Bhogavatī 3. 83. 81 (3. 83. 72); he had also a residence (saṁniveśana) at the tīrtha Nāgadhanvan on the southern bank of Sarasvatī 9. 36. 28-30; he had a house (veśman) in the nāgaloka below the earth 14. 57. 46-48; Vāsuki's world (loka) is referred to in 3. 83. 30; his residence otherwise called veśman (1. 43. 3), niveśana (1. 44. 18), gṛha (1. 44. 21).


D. Description and Qualities: Marked with banner (patākin), round spots (maṇḍalin), and hooded (phaṇavant) 2. 9. 10; as one of the sons of Surasā described as marked with jewel svastika, circles, and kamaṇḍalu (maṇisvastikacakrāṅkāḥ kamaṇḍalukalakṣaṇāḥ 5. 101. 5); having hundreds of heads and of huge shape; strong (balin) and fierce (raudra) 5. 101. 5-7; best among the strong (balinaṁ varaḥ) 1. 35. 4; of great courage (mahāsattva) 1 49. 18, and of great lustre (mahādyuti) 9. 36. 30; gentle (saumya) 1. 49. 19; he was conversant with the Purāṇas as can be seen from the fact that for holding consultations in order to find a way out of a difficult situation he cited the example of the gods finding out the fire who had disappeared 1. 33. 8; conscious of his merits and faults (guṇadoṣau madāśrayau 1. 33. 31).


E. Eminence: Vāsuki mentioned first when serpents listed according to their eminence (yathāśreṣṭhān) 5. 101. 8, 9; gods consecrated at the Nāgadhanvan tīrtha Vāsuki as the king of all serpents 9. 36. 29-30; one who bathes in Godāvarī obtains Vāsuki's world 3. 83. 30; one who bathes in Vāsuki's tīrtha gets the fruit of performing the aśvamedha sacrifice 3. 83. 81; as the best among the serpents, Vāsuki reckoned as one of the vibhūtis of Bhagavān (sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ 6. 32. 28); often called ‘the king or the best of the serpents’: nāgarāj 1. 35. 7; nāgarāja 1. 49. 1, 4, 12 (nāgarājaº 1. 44. 18); nāgarājan 1. 16. 13, (1. 49. 11); pannagarāja 1. 44. 21; 9. 36. 30; (sarva) pannagarājan 9. 36. 31; nāgapati 1. 43. 9; pannageśvara 1. 33. 29; 1. 44. 9; 1, 48. 20; 1. 49. 14; 9. 44. 48; nāgendra 1. 35. 12; 1. 42. 17, 18; 1. 44. 14; 1. 49. 21; pannagendra 1. 43. 5; pannagottama 1. 13. 36; 1. 44. 15; 1. 49. 18, 23; 9. 36. 31; pannagasattama 1. 33. 1; bhujagaśresṭha 1. 44. 2.


F. Role in churning of the ocean for nectar: Vāsuki was used as the churning cord (netra 1. 16. 12; 1. 35. 4) by the gods and the demons at the time of samudramanthana; his one end was held by the great asuras, the tail by all the gods; the serpent Ananta stood near Nārāyaṇa and raised up and threw down again and again the head of Vāsuki; from the mouth of Vāsuki, whose body was forcibly dragged at the time of churning, smoky winds with fire came out repeatedly which turned into clouds and lightnings and showered rain on the gods fatigued due to the labour of churning the ocean 1. 16. 13-16.


G. Vāsuki and the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya: When Vāsuki heard the curse of Kadrū, the mother of serpents, that they would be burnt in the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya (1. 13. 35), he held consultations with his brother Airāvata and other serpents to think of the remedy to nullify the curse (śāpo 'yaṁ na bhavet katham 1. 33. 1); he told them that all curses had a cure, but the curse of a mother would be difficult to avert, especially when the curse was uttered within the hearing of the imperishable god (i. e. Brahman) (cf. 1. 18. 9) and the god did not stop her from uttering the terrible curse; yet they had to find a way out before it was too late; they had to see if the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya did not get started or, if started, it could be defeated in its purpose (yathā sa yajño na bhaved yathā vāpi parābhavet 1. 33. 9) 1. 33. 1-9; he listened to the suggestions made by serpents to avoid the snake sacrifice but did not agree with any one of them; he himself had nothing better to offer, hence he was worried 1. 33. 29-31; at that time Elāpatra informed Vāsuki that since Pitāmaha Brahman had prophesied that the son of the great sage Jaratkāru born of his wife having the same name would stop the snake sacrifice and free virtuous serpents from danger, Vāsuki should give in marriage his sister, who was named Jaratkāru, to the sage, when he came begging for a maiden; that would put an end to the fear of the serpents 1. 34. 1-18; earlier, after the churning of the ocean, the gods had taken Vāsuki to Pitāmaha Brahman and told him that Vāsuki was very much disturbed due to the curse of his mother and that Pitāmaha should free him from his mental agony; they pointed out that Vāsuki had always acted for the benefit of the gods and for what was dear to them; Pitāmaha had then told the gods that when the occasion arrived Vāsuki should act according to the advice of Elāpatra 1. 35. 5-7; 1. 48. 25; 1. 49. 9-13, 25; thereafter Vāsuki took great care of his sister Jaratkāru knowing her to be the saviour of serpents 1. 35. 2; Vāsuki appointed various serpents to watch for Jaratkāru and report to him when Jaratkāru arrived asking for a wife 1. 35. 12-13; when Jaratkāru arrived Vāsuki's attendants informed him about Jaratkāru's intention to marry a girl of his name and who was offered as alms; knowing this Vāsuki approached the sage Jaratkāru with his well-adorned sister; the sage asked Vāsuki his sister's name and also told him that even after marriage it would be Vāsuki's responsibility to maintain her 1. 42. 16-20; Vāsuki assured Jaratkāru that his sister had the same name as the sage and that he would support her even after marriage with all his might 1. 42. 16-20; 1. 43. 1-2; 1. 13. 30-34; Jaratkāru then went to Vāsuki's residence and married his sister; Jaratkāru went with his wife to the shining house (vāsagṛhaṁ śubhram 1. 43. 5) approved by Vāsuki 1. 43. 3-5; when the sage Jaratkāru left his wife he asked her to inform Vāsuki about his departure and that he had lived happily with him 1. 43. 29; Jaratkāru's wife pleaded with the sage that he should not abandon her; he should realize what Vāsuki would feel if he knew that her husband had left her without blessing her with a son-that being the principal purpose of their marriage--1. 43. 32-34; when Vāsuki knew about Jaratkāru's departure he was sorry; but he would not pursue the sage fearing that he might curse him; he knew it was improper to ask his sister if she was with a child from Jaratkāru but the seriousness of the matter prompted him to do that (kiṁ hi kāryagarīyastvāt tatas tvāham acūcudam 1. 44. 6); Vāsuki's sister assured him that she had conceived from Jaratkāru and that a lustrous son will be born to her; she removed his anxiety; on hearing the news Vāsuki was happy; he honoured his sister by giving gifts 1. 44. 1-15; later when the snake sacrifice began Vāsuki was highly disturbed due to the death of a large number of serpents and feared that he himself might fall into the fire; he therefore told his sister Jaratkāru that the time had came for her son Āstīka to intervene and stop the destruction of the snakes 1. 48. 1926; accordingly Jaratkāru asked her son to fulfil the purpose for which she was married to Jaratkāru; on enquiry, Jaratkāru told Āstīka why Vāsuki gave her to the sage Jaratkāru 1. 49. 1-15; Āstīka assured Vāsuki, who was terribly upset, that he would release him from the curse and remove his fear 1. 49. 17-21; when Vāsuki again expressed his anxiety by saying that he felt he was revolving, that his heart was bursting, and that he had lost sense of directions as he was afflicted by the punishment inflicted by Brahman (āstīka parighūrṇāmi hṛdayaṁ me vidīryate/diśaś ca na prajānāmi brahmadaṇḍanipīḍitaḥ 1. 49. 22), Āstika reassured him that he would destroy Vāsuki's fear of brahmadaṇḍa 1. 49. 22-24; later after accomplishing his difficult task Āstīka returned to his mother and maternal uncle (Vāsuki) and reported to them all that had happened at Janamejaya's snake sacrifice; all the serpents present were happy to receive the news 1. 53. 17-18.


H. Functions and Events:

(1) He is one of the nāgas who wait upon Varuṇa in his sabhā without feeling fatigue 2. 9. 8, 11;

(2) present among those who arrived to greet the birth of Arjuna 1. 114. 60;

(3) he sided with Arjuna when those who had gathered in the mid-region to watch the battle took sides between Arjuna and Karṇa 8. 63. 36;

(4) he was one of the snakes who received the white serpent issuing from Balarāma's mouth and entering the ocean 16. 5. 14, 12;

(5) after Skanda's consecration as the leader of the army (9. 43. 48) and when gifts were given to Skanda, Vāsuki gave him two snakes, Jaya and Mahājaya 9. 44. 48;

(6) when Uttaṅka blew into the anus of the horse (god Fire), the house of Vāsuki and other prominent snakes in the nāgaloka were covered with smoke 14. 57. 46-47.


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Vāsuki  : m.: A mythical serpent (nāga 1. 16. 14; 1. 43. 3; 1. 49. 19; bhujaga 1. 43. 3; 1. 44. 17; bhujaṁgama 1. 13. 33; pannaga 1. 42. 17).


A. Birth: Second son of Kadrū (first being Śeṣa) 1. 31. 5 (śeṣaḥ prathamato jāto vāsukis tadanantaram); enumerated among the very strong sons of Kadrū (kādraveyā mahābalāḥ) 1. 59. 40; also listed among the sons of Surasā and Kaśyapa 5. 101. 9 (4, 17).


B. Relations and Progeny: Jaratkāru, his sister 1. 13. 34, 36; 1. 34. 17; 1. 35. 2, 10; 1. 36. 4; 1. 43. 1, 9, 11, 14, 25; 1. 49. 4; snakes Koṭika, Mānasa and others, born in the kula of Vāsuki, fell into the fire of Janamejaya's snake sacrifice 1. 52. 4-6.


C. Residence: He lived in Bhogavatī Purī in the south (5. 101. 1) which was also protected by him 5. 101. 1; 5. 107. 19; the tīrtha of Vāsuki at Prayāga called Bhogavatī 3. 83. 81 (3. 83. 72); he had also a residence (saṁniveśana) at the tīrtha Nāgadhanvan on the southern bank of Sarasvatī 9. 36. 28-30; he had a house (veśman) in the nāgaloka below the earth 14. 57. 46-48; Vāsuki's world (loka) is referred to in 3. 83. 30; his residence otherwise called veśman (1. 43. 3), niveśana (1. 44. 18), gṛha (1. 44. 21).


D. Description and Qualities: Marked with banner (patākin), round spots (maṇḍalin), and hooded (phaṇavant) 2. 9. 10; as one of the sons of Surasā described as marked with jewel svastika, circles, and kamaṇḍalu (maṇisvastikacakrāṅkāḥ kamaṇḍalukalakṣaṇāḥ 5. 101. 5); having hundreds of heads and of huge shape; strong (balin) and fierce (raudra) 5. 101. 5-7; best among the strong (balinaṁ varaḥ) 1. 35. 4; of great courage (mahāsattva) 1 49. 18, and of great lustre (mahādyuti) 9. 36. 30; gentle (saumya) 1. 49. 19; he was conversant with the Purāṇas as can be seen from the fact that for holding consultations in order to find a way out of a difficult situation he cited the example of the gods finding out the fire who had disappeared 1. 33. 8; conscious of his merits and faults (guṇadoṣau madāśrayau 1. 33. 31).


E. Eminence: Vāsuki mentioned first when serpents listed according to their eminence (yathāśreṣṭhān) 5. 101. 8, 9; gods consecrated at the Nāgadhanvan tīrtha Vāsuki as the king of all serpents 9. 36. 29-30; one who bathes in Godāvarī obtains Vāsuki's world 3. 83. 30; one who bathes in Vāsuki's tīrtha gets the fruit of performing the aśvamedha sacrifice 3. 83. 81; as the best among the serpents, Vāsuki reckoned as one of the vibhūtis of Bhagavān (sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ 6. 32. 28); often called ‘the king or the best of the serpents’: nāgarāj 1. 35. 7; nāgarāja 1. 49. 1, 4, 12 (nāgarājaº 1. 44. 18); nāgarājan 1. 16. 13, (1. 49. 11); pannagarāja 1. 44. 21; 9. 36. 30; (sarva) pannagarājan 9. 36. 31; nāgapati 1. 43. 9; pannageśvara 1. 33. 29; 1. 44. 9; 1, 48. 20; 1. 49. 14; 9. 44. 48; nāgendra 1. 35. 12; 1. 42. 17, 18; 1. 44. 14; 1. 49. 21; pannagendra 1. 43. 5; pannagottama 1. 13. 36; 1. 44. 15; 1. 49. 18, 23; 9. 36. 31; pannagasattama 1. 33. 1; bhujagaśresṭha 1. 44. 2.


F. Role in churning of the ocean for nectar: Vāsuki was used as the churning cord (netra 1. 16. 12; 1. 35. 4) by the gods and the demons at the time of samudramanthana; his one end was held by the great asuras, the tail by all the gods; the serpent Ananta stood near Nārāyaṇa and raised up and threw down again and again the head of Vāsuki; from the mouth of Vāsuki, whose body was forcibly dragged at the time of churning, smoky winds with fire came out repeatedly which turned into clouds and lightnings and showered rain on the gods fatigued due to the labour of churning the ocean 1. 16. 13-16.


G. Vāsuki and the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya: When Vāsuki heard the curse of Kadrū, the mother of serpents, that they would be burnt in the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya (1. 13. 35), he held consultations with his brother Airāvata and other serpents to think of the remedy to nullify the curse (śāpo 'yaṁ na bhavet katham 1. 33. 1); he told them that all curses had a cure, but the curse of a mother would be difficult to avert, especially when the curse was uttered within the hearing of the imperishable god (i. e. Brahman) (cf. 1. 18. 9) and the god did not stop her from uttering the terrible curse; yet they had to find a way out before it was too late; they had to see if the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya did not get started or, if started, it could be defeated in its purpose (yathā sa yajño na bhaved yathā vāpi parābhavet 1. 33. 9) 1. 33. 1-9; he listened to the suggestions made by serpents to avoid the snake sacrifice but did not agree with any one of them; he himself had nothing better to offer, hence he was worried 1. 33. 29-31; at that time Elāpatra informed Vāsuki that since Pitāmaha Brahman had prophesied that the son of the great sage Jaratkāru born of his wife having the same name would stop the snake sacrifice and free virtuous serpents from danger, Vāsuki should give in marriage his sister, who was named Jaratkāru, to the sage, when he came begging for a maiden; that would put an end to the fear of the serpents 1. 34. 1-18; earlier, after the churning of the ocean, the gods had taken Vāsuki to Pitāmaha Brahman and told him that Vāsuki was very much disturbed due to the curse of his mother and that Pitāmaha should free him from his mental agony; they pointed out that Vāsuki had always acted for the benefit of the gods and for what was dear to them; Pitāmaha had then told the gods that when the occasion arrived Vāsuki should act according to the advice of Elāpatra 1. 35. 5-7; 1. 48. 25; 1. 49. 9-13, 25; thereafter Vāsuki took great care of his sister Jaratkāru knowing her to be the saviour of serpents 1. 35. 2; Vāsuki appointed various serpents to watch for Jaratkāru and report to him when Jaratkāru arrived asking for a wife 1. 35. 12-13; when Jaratkāru arrived Vāsuki's attendants informed him about Jaratkāru's intention to marry a girl of his name and who was offered as alms; knowing this Vāsuki approached the sage Jaratkāru with his well-adorned sister; the sage asked Vāsuki his sister's name and also told him that even after marriage it would be Vāsuki's responsibility to maintain her 1. 42. 16-20; Vāsuki assured Jaratkāru that his sister had the same name as the sage and that he would support her even after marriage with all his might 1. 42. 16-20; 1. 43. 1-2; 1. 13. 30-34; Jaratkāru then went to Vāsuki's residence and married his sister; Jaratkāru went with his wife to the shining house (vāsagṛhaṁ śubhram 1. 43. 5) approved by Vāsuki 1. 43. 3-5; when the sage Jaratkāru left his wife he asked her to inform Vāsuki about his departure and that he had lived happily with him 1. 43. 29; Jaratkāru's wife pleaded with the sage that he should not abandon her; he should realize what Vāsuki would feel if he knew that her husband had left her without blessing her with a son-that being the principal purpose of their marriage--1. 43. 32-34; when Vāsuki knew about Jaratkāru's departure he was sorry; but he would not pursue the sage fearing that he might curse him; he knew it was improper to ask his sister if she was with a child from Jaratkāru but the seriousness of the matter prompted him to do that (kiṁ hi kāryagarīyastvāt tatas tvāham acūcudam 1. 44. 6); Vāsuki's sister assured him that she had conceived from Jaratkāru and that a lustrous son will be born to her; she removed his anxiety; on hearing the news Vāsuki was happy; he honoured his sister by giving gifts 1. 44. 1-15; later when the snake sacrifice began Vāsuki was highly disturbed due to the death of a large number of serpents and feared that he himself might fall into the fire; he therefore told his sister Jaratkāru that the time had came for her son Āstīka to intervene and stop the destruction of the snakes 1. 48. 1926; accordingly Jaratkāru asked her son to fulfil the purpose for which she was married to Jaratkāru; on enquiry, Jaratkāru told Āstīka why Vāsuki gave her to the sage Jaratkāru 1. 49. 1-15; Āstīka assured Vāsuki, who was terribly upset, that he would release him from the curse and remove his fear 1. 49. 17-21; when Vāsuki again expressed his anxiety by saying that he felt he was revolving, that his heart was bursting, and that he had lost sense of directions as he was afflicted by the punishment inflicted by Brahman (āstīka parighūrṇāmi hṛdayaṁ me vidīryate/diśaś ca na prajānāmi brahmadaṇḍanipīḍitaḥ 1. 49. 22), Āstika reassured him that he would destroy Vāsuki's fear of brahmadaṇḍa 1. 49. 22-24; later after accomplishing his difficult task Āstīka returned to his mother and maternal uncle (Vāsuki) and reported to them all that had happened at Janamejaya's snake sacrifice; all the serpents present were happy to receive the news 1. 53. 17-18.


H. Functions and Events:

(1) He is one of the nāgas who wait upon Varuṇa in his sabhā without feeling fatigue 2. 9. 8, 11;

(2) present among those who arrived to greet the birth of Arjuna 1. 114. 60;

(3) he sided with Arjuna when those who had gathered in the mid-region to watch the battle took sides between Arjuna and Karṇa 8. 63. 36;

(4) he was one of the snakes who received the white serpent issuing from Balarāma's mouth and entering the ocean 16. 5. 14, 12;

(5) after Skanda's consecration as the leader of the army (9. 43. 48) and when gifts were given to Skanda, Vāsuki gave him two snakes, Jaya and Mahājaya 9. 44. 48;

(6) when Uttaṅka blew into the anus of the horse (god Fire), the house of Vāsuki and other prominent snakes in the nāgaloka were covered with smoke 14. 57. 46-47.


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