Nagraj Vasuki The Greatest Devotee of Mahadev

Whose breath was poison, whose touch was death, whose eyes contained the entire universe. And Mahadev himself wore that snake around his neck. This was no coincidence. This was not a miracle. This was not an ordinary incident from a legend. This was the result of an extraordinary journey that a king lived his entire life. Without asking, without stopping, without getting tired, without any expectation. That snake did something that no god had done. No demon did it. No human did it. He did not ask for it. He just gave again and again and to know what was the cost of that giving, you will have to take this entire journey today. This is the story of King of Snakes Vasuki. That Vasuki who melted Shiva with his penance. That Vasuki who became the rope during the churning of the ocean and did not break. That Vasuki whose subjects were burning and he could not do anything and that Vasuki about whom Lord Shri Krishna himself said in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, I am Vasuki among the snakes. Today’s journey is not just a mythological story. It is a search for the truth that is hidden in your own life. If you are visiting mythological India for the first time, this is where the stories from our scriptures come alive that are not heard anywhere else. Subscribe now and hit the bell icon on all notifications because this journey has just begun. The picture of Vasuki found in our Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana, Shiva Purana and Agni Purana is not of any ordinary snake. That is the picture of a ruler before whom even the gods used to fold their hands. Whose mere presence created a sense of stability and seriousness in all the three worlds. Vasuki was the son of sage Kashyap and mother Kadru. Kadru who is called the mother of snakes. Thousands of snakes were born from her womb. Sheshnag, Takshak, Karkotak, Padma, having countless names, having countless powers. But among all these, Vasuki was the one who got the title of Nagaraja. And this title was not obtained simply because of birth order or power. He got this because of his character, because of his religion, because of his nature which never wavered under any circumstances. According to Agni Purana, Vasuki has been called Sahasra Shish. The Nagamani on his head with a thousand hoods was so bright that the entire underworld was illuminated by its radiance. As if a sun has risen in the darkness of night. He was the ruler of the city of Bhogavati in Nagaloka. Palaces filled with gems, rivers of knowledge and a court where there was no distinction between the young and the old. Friends, if you compare Vasuki with Sheshnag, a very deep difference emerges which is important to understand. Sheshnag was the eldest, the symbol of greatest strength and stability. It is the bed of Lord Vishnu on whose infinite hoods the entire earth rests. On which Lord Vishnu rests in the Ksheersagar. Which itself is a symbol of stability and foundation. Sheshnag is with Vishnu. Vasuki is around the neck of Shiva and Vasuki is near the protector. Around the neck of the destroyer, around the neck of that god who himself is not afraid of poison, who considers death a festival. Both have different paths. Both have different stories. The practice of both is different. But the path that Vasuki chose was perhaps the most difficult in all the three worlds. Because his path was the path of pain, the path of sacrifice and the path of destroying oneself every time and yet rising again. This is the story of the time when Nagaloka had just been settled and Vasuki was in his youth. There was a kingdom, there was wealth, there was an army, there was fame and there was respect. Everything a king could need was there. But one thing was missing. There was a strange uneasiness in Vasuki’s mind. A thirst that could not be quenched by the throne. A void that no material wealth could fill. He had heard about Mahadev who, despite being the lord of the three worlds, lives in the cremation ground wearing ashes, who rejects all the luxuries and lives in renunciation, who is not afraid of death, rather death is afraid of those who do not ask for anything from anyone and yet is the richest person in the world and a fire was lit in Vasuki’s mind that he has to attain him, he has to serve him, he has to offer everything at his feet.

One day Vasuki left the throne and took off his crown. He handed over the administration to his ministers and headed towards the harshest caves of the Himalayas. After reaching there he started doing penance. So harsh, so unimaginable that it is difficult to put it into words. He gave up food, gave up water, gave up all physical pleasures. Days passed, months passed, years passed. The Himalayan storms could not shake them. The snow that fell covered his body but could not break his concentration. The earth shook but he remained still like a stone. Termites started crawling on his body. Wildfire raged around them. Poisonous insects started crawling on him but Vasuki did not move. His mind was concentrated. His vision was single-minded. There was only one name on his lips, Shiv Shiv Shiv. And then one day the moment came when the earth shook. The sky thundered. A divine light descended in that cave in the Himalayas. Ganga in the hair, moon on the forehead, Rudraksha in the throat, that peace in the eyes which can melt any crisis. Lord Shiva looked at Vasuki, saw the depth of his penance, saw his pain, saw his dedication and smiled. Lord Shiva said, Vasuki, your devotion has drawn me here. Ask what you want? The lords of the three worlds were standing in front. He had the power to give everything – wealth, power, immortality, invincibility, royal power. Mahadev, who gives the boon of fulfilling any wish, was standing in front. And what did Vasuki ask for? Vasuki opened his eyes, looked at the Lord and said what is one of the most extraordinary answers in the history of stories. He said, Lord, I don’t want anything. Just so that I can always be with you. At your service. Friends, wait for a moment when God himself stands in front of you and says ask for something and you say you don’t want anything. This is true devotion which does not ask, which only gives, which only wants to be near, in service and surrender. And Shiva felt that moment. He realized that the person in front of him was no ordinary devotee. He said, so be it, from today you will become the ornament around my neck. From that day till today, whenever you go to any Shiva temple, whenever you see a snake wrapped around the Shivalinga, whenever you see three coils of a huge snake around the neck of Mahadev in any picture, that is Vasuki. Even today, every moment, every second. And those three coils are not just any decoration. He is a symbol of the past, present and future. Mahadev is the lord of time and Vasuki is clinging to his neck and saying that devotion is beyond the limits of time. A mountain of troubles had fallen on the gods of Satyayuga. Indra had lost his divine power due to the curse of Maharishi Durvasa. Heaven was in the hands of the demons. The gods were running aimlessly. Finally he took refuge in Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu showed him the way. Churn the ocean of milk. Amrit will come out from it. By drinking it you will become immortal and will be able to defeat the demons again. But a rope was needed for churning. A rope that can hold Mount Mandara, which has so much strength that it does not break even if both gods and demons pull it together, which can bear that unbearable tension, that unimaginable weight. Brahmaji took only one name, Vasuki. Both gods and demons reached Nagloka. Vasuki was seated on his royal throne. The gods folded their hands, the demons bowed their heads, and all said together, O King of Snakes, you are needed to protect the universe. Vasuki understood. He knew what this task would entail. His body would be peeled, broken, and burned, and he would not have to utter a single word. Because the rope does not speak. The rope only endures. Vasuki did not think for a moment. He said, I am ready. The churning began. Mount Mandrachal was established in the middle of Kshirsagar. Vasuki wrapped his huge body around that mountain. The gods went towards the tail and the demons towards the head and the pulling started. The mountain turned, the sea shook and with it began the pain that cannot be expressed in words. The unbearable weight of the mountain was on the body of Vasuki. His body was peeling at many places, wounds were forming and blood was flowing. His flesh was breaking due to rubbing against the stone. But Vasuki did not open his mouth. Didn’t utter a single sound. Didn’t say a word. He continued to suffer silently. It is important to know one more thing here. According to Lord Vishnu’s plan, the gods were towards the tail and the demons were towards the head. The demons thought that power lay in the head. Therefore, he will put in more effort and get more benefits. But as the churning intensified, balls of fire started coming out of Vasuki’s mouth. Smoke started to billow out, and it was heading straight for the demons. The demons were burning and running away and Vasuki probably did not even know that his pain and suffering was being of any use. This is the deepest truth of life that the story of Vasuki gives us that when we are in pain, we do not know where our pain is being used. Whom is he protecting? What purpose is it serving? The churning continued and one after another wonderful gems emerged. The gods were happy after getting Kamdhenu, Uchchhesrava, Airavata, Kalpavriksha, Mahalakshmi, Dhanvantari, Amrit, but then the surface of the ocean started turning black, a strange smell arose which burnt the nose and lungs, water started boiling, trees started drying, birds started falling from the sky and from the bottomless depths of the ocean appeared Halahal Kalakuta poison, such a poison which could burn the entire universe in a single moment, one flame of which could turn mountains into ashes, one drop of which could dry up the oceans, the demons ran away, Brahmaji was stunned and Vasuki was right there, clinging to the same mountain, he could not run away because he had given a promise and the promise was his duty, he felt the flames of that Halahal, his entire body was burning but he did not move, everyone called out only one name, Shiva, Lord Shiva came forward, there was worry in the eyes of Mother Parvati. Shiva took Halahal in his palm. The gods stopped breathing and Shiva drank that poison. Mother Parvati immediately held his neck. The poison did not go down. It got stuck in Shiva’s throat and his throat turned blue. That is why Mahadev was called Neelkanth. From that day till today and the moment when Shiva drank Halahal, Vasuki was wrapped around his neck. He saw his Lord in the pain of that poison. The physical pain of churning the ocean was on one side. But the pain of seeing his God drinking poison was much deeper than that. It was much more unbearable than that. Vasuki’s eyes filled with tears. He held Shiva more tightly. As if you are saying, Lord, I am here and Shiva felt that feeling of Vasuki with his closed eyes. I felt the love that was beyond words and smiled. This is the story of the time when three demons, Tarakaksha, Vidyutmali and Kamalaksha, sought a boon from Lord Brahma and built three invincible cities which flew in the sky. This Tripura city was impregnable. They could be destroyed only when all three came in a straight line and even then with only one arrow. These demons started such a terrible series of atrocities in all the three worlds that gods, humans and sages all started crying out in distress. Lord Shiva resolved to destroy Tripura and picked up his huge bow. But there was a flaw in that bow. There was no cord. Shiva looked here and there and then without anyone calling or asking, Vasuki came forward. He said, Lord, make me the string of your bow. Shiva looked at Vasuki. The same one which became the rope during the churning of the ocean. The same one that was the ornament around his neck. The same person who would come forward every time in every crisis without asking or thinking. Shiva said, So be it. Vasuki became the string of that huge bow. Shiva offered Pashupatastra. All three cities came in a straight line in the sky and Tripura was destroyed by that one arrow. The gods started cheering. A historic celebration took place. Shiva was called Tripurari. And Vasuki was once again behind. His service was without name, without fame, without credit. His sacrifice was there and that was enough for him. This was the nature of Vasuki which made him different from others. Always behind, always selfless, always ready, always there where needed. During the Mahabharata period, the Pandavas were in exile for 12 years. One day Bhima, about whom it was said that he could break mountains, lift elephants, dam rivers, was wandering alone in a dense forest. Then, on the bank of a river, a huge python caught Bhima in its coils in the blink of an eye. Bhima used all his strength but could not even move. This was no ordinary snake. He was a great Nagavanshi king who became a python due to the curse of a sage. His curse was that he would attain salvation only when a wise man answered his questions correctly. Bhima had extraordinary strength but at that moment what was needed was knowledge, not strength. When Bhima did not return for a long time, Yudhishthira reached there looking for him. He spoke to that king of snakes peacefully. Asked religious questions. The definitions of truth were explained and Yudhishthira’s answers were so profound and accurate that the curse of the snake king was broken and he was freed. When this news reached the Nagaloka and Vasuki came to know that the Pandavas had freed one of his brother Nagas from the curse, Vasuki’s heart was filled with gratitude. He called Bhima and gave him the strength of ten thousand elephants. Bhima, who was already invincible, now became even more invincible. This was the nature of Vasuki. Whoever does good to your family, return it with gratitude. Love should be repaid with love, kindness should be repaid with kindness, without any calculation, without any sense of transaction. Now the chapter which was the biggest test for Vasuki. That test which was not in any battlefield, was not in any physical pain. That test was of helplessness. And there is no greater pain in the world than when a parent, a king, a guardian, despite being capable of doing everything, cannot do anything. It so happened that once a bet was made between Mata Kadru and her step-sister Vinata regarding the colour of the tail of Uchchhesrava, the divine horse of the gods. Kadru said it is black. Vinata said it is white. Whoever loses will become a slave. The truth was that the horse’s tail was white. That means Kadru was going to lose. But Kadru did not want to become a slave. So she called her snake sons and said go and wrap yourself around the tail of that horse so that it looks black. This was a lie. It was a hoax. Some snakes said yes out of fear. But many snakes flatly refused. He said, mother, this is untrue. This is a sin. We will not do this. Wait. Were the snakes who refused right or wrong? He was right. He stood with religion. He stood with the truth. And Mother Kadru cursed him. One day you all will burn in the fire of Janamejaya’s snake sacrifice. A mother cursed her children just because they refused to lie. Those who supported the truth became victims of the curse. This was the moment that came like a dark shadow in Vasuki’s life. He knew that a mother’s curse never goes in vain. He knew this curse would one day be fulfilled and he had no power to stop what was about to happen. After Mahabharata, there was a king in the Kuru dynasty, Janamejaya, who was the son of Parikshit. One day the snake Takshak bit King Parikshit and Parikshit died. Janamejaya was devastated. The pain of his father’s death was unbearable and that pain gradually turned into a terrible anger. Janamejaya resolved that he would not only destroy Takshak but the entire Naga race. He started the Sarpayagna which was not an ordinary yagna. In this, mantras were recited and with every mantra the name of a snake was taken and that snake would keep pulling wherever it was. The mantras started directly in that blazing fire. The fire blazed and the snakes started falling into the fire one by one. There was chaos in Nagaloka, among small snakes, big snakes, old, young, mothers, children. There were screams, cries and unbearable pain all around. And Vasuki was sitting in Nagaloka. A name with every mantra, a face with every name, a memory with every face. He was a servant of my court. This was my brother’s friend. He was just a child. Vasuki’s eyes popped out. The same Vasuki who did not cry during the unbearable pain of churning of the ocean, who remained calm even when Mahadev drank Halahal, was crying today. His subjects were burning, his brothers were burning, his relatives were burning and he could not do anything because this was the curse of his own mother. Only one question kept echoing in Vasuki’s mind – do children always get punished for a mother’s mistake? Is it a crime to support the truth? Is this the price of standing with the religion? Vasuki closed his eyes. I remembered Shiva and said in my mind, Lord, I have always helped everyone. Help me today, show me the way. This was the deepest pain of Vasuki and this pain was deeper than any physical pain. Because it was that pain when you’re right. Your people are right. But still the wheel of destiny keeps crushing you and you just keep watching. But friends, when this curse was given, at the same time Brahmaji had told a way to Vasuki. He had said to Vasuki that your sister Jaratkaru will be married to sage Jaratkaru. They will have a son named Astik and that same Astik will one day stop this snake sacrifice. This entire story is described in detail in the Adi Parva of Mahabharata and it is the biggest example of the patience and foresight of Vasuki. Vasuki looked after his sister Jaratkaru for years. Took care of her. Arranged for their marriage. She was married to sage Jaratkaru and from them was born Astik. Full of brilliant Vedic knowledge, firm in religion and steadfast in his purpose. When lamentations were echoing in the snake world. When the snakes were burning in the fire. As screams came from every direction, Vasuki looked towards his sister Jaratkaru. She herself was in pain. She was crying herself. Vasuki said, sister, your son is our last hope. Mother wiped her tears and said, brother Astik will go. Our lineage will survive. The believer reached the sacrificial site where the fire was burning. Mantras were echoing and there was an atmosphere of fear everywhere. But Astik was fearless because he knew what he was sent here for. He recited the Vedas there so beautifully. Such a grand praise was given to the ancestors of King Janamejaya. He spoke such profound words of wisdom that King Janamejaya was stunned. Impressed by that extraordinary scholarship, that wonderful eloquence, that profound spiritual brilliance, King Janamejaya said, ask for whatever you want. The believer did not take even a moment. The king said, stop this yagna. According to Mahabharata, Maharishi Vyas himself was present at that yagna site and he also showed the path of religion and compassion to King Janamejaya. There was a conflict in the king’s mind. A sea of emotions surged and finally the king ordered the yagna to be stopped. The fire subsided. The chants stopped. The snake race was saved. There was a celebration in the Naga world. Tears and happiness together. Pain and relief together. And Vasuki bowed down and fell at the feet of the believer. A king who never bowed his head before anyone, who did not move during the churning of the ocean, who did not flinch in the flames of Halahal, who remained steadfast in front of the army of demons. Today a young man was at the feet of a Brahmin. He said, today you gave life to my entire lineage. I owe you. This was the religion of Vasuki. The biggest duty of a king is to save his subjects. And Vasuki performed that duty with years of foresight from the upbringing of his sister to the upbringing of Astik till his last breath. He waited for the moment to come. He watered the seed that was to bear fruit one day and that fruit saved the entire snake race. Friends, the biggest proof of the greatness of Vasuki is not in any Purana, not in any separate story. That proof is in the Bhagavad Gita. In that book which is the most sacred guide of humanity which has been guiding the lives of millions of people for thousands of years. In that battlefield of Kurukshetra, when Arjun was broken, when Gandiva was slipping from his hand, when his own relatives were standing in front of his eyes for the war and he was unable to fight, then Lord Shri Krishna revealed his gigantic form. He described his greatness. All that is an extension of Him. All that is his expression. All that is proof of His divinity. Indra among the gods, Meru among the mountains, Ganga among the rivers, Ashwattha among the trees, Bhrigu among the sages, Vajra among the weapons and then Shri Krishna said Sarpana Asmi Vasuki. Among the snakes I am Vasuki. Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Verse 28 Friends, when God himself declares someone as his glory, when the Lord of the three worlds, taking someone’s name, says that I am in him, then what can be a greater honour than that? The conquest of any state cannot reach that honour. Victory in any war cannot reach that glory. No worldly achievement can compare to that one line. Vasuki did not get this title by winning any war. No state was conquered. It was not found by any miracle. He got this because of his devotion, because of his sacrifice, because of his selflessness, because of his nature that every time he came forward without asking or thinking. Whether it is to become a rope, or a string, or to endure the fire of churning the ocean. There was no demand in his devotion. There were no expectations in his service. There was no transactional feeling in his sacrifice and that is why God gave him his name. This was the greatest reward in the universe which could only be obtained by those who were beyond the desire for reward. Even today, Nag Panchami is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the month of Shravan. On that day snakes are worshipped, milk is offered and fasts are observed. Special rituals are performed in temples. Many people celebrate Nag Panchami as a traditional festival and do not know that this puja is in the memory of the king who never asked for anything. Who just gave again and again, without stopping, without getting tired. And the snake that is seen wrapped around every Shivalinga in every Shiva temple, coiled in three coils and holding that Shivalinga in its arms, is Vasuki. Even today, he is serving his Lord every moment, every second, without stopping or getting tired, just as he had promised. Thousands of years passed and eras changed. Civilizations came and went. But Vasuki’s dedication, devotion and love remain the same. On the same Shivalinga, in the same Kundala. After listening to this story of Vasuki, a question arises in the mind which is very important. What should we learn from them? This is not just a mythological story that happened thousands of years ago and is now confined to books. It is a living philosophy that is as relevant today as it ever was. First of all, true devotion is not something that demands. We often go to God when we need something. You have to pass the exam, get a job, get cured of the disease. This is not wrong. But Vasuki’s devotion was above this. When he got the opportunity to ask for a boon from Mahadev, he only asked for the right to serve. This is the devotion that does not ask, that only gives, that only wants to be near, together, in service. Secondly, a true king is not the one who sits on the throne. A true king is one who comes forward without thinking or stopping even if he has to become a rope for his people. Vasuki had the throne of the King of Snakes. The entire Nagaloka had power. But when the creation needed it, it became a rope. This is one of the most profound lessons in leadership. A leader is not one who sits at the top. The leader is the one who carries the heaviest burden. Thirdly, those who serve without fame, without name, without reward, God himself declares them as his glory. Vasuki remained behind in the churning of the ocean, remained behind in the burning of Tripura, never asked for credit, never asked for name and Shri Krishna took his name in Kurukshetra. Among the snakes I am Vasuki. This was not a coincidence. This was the result of giving that was done without any expectations. And fourthly, pain is not in vain. This is the deepest message of the story of Vasuki. The pain of Vasuki’s churning of the ocean was weakening the demons. He didn’t even know. The fire and smoke coming out of his mouth, symbolizing his suffering, was burning the demons and protecting the gods. When we are in pain, when at some point in life we feel that we are alone, that we are not getting the credit for our hard work, that everything is happening and we are just suffering, so remember that no one knows your pain. But it doesn’t go to waste. It is being used somewhere, for someone, for some purpose, for some bigger plan that we cannot see right now. So whenever you feel in life that you are alone, that your hard work has no value, that you are in pain and no one is watching, then remember Vasuki. That Vasuki who is wrapped around the neck of Mahadev, who is engaged in his service every moment in every era without any noise, without any expectation, without any desire for any reward, who proved that the greatest power lies not in asking but in giving, who proved that the greatest respect comes not from seeking credit but from sacrifice, and who proved that when you live for the world without any expectations, God himself takes your name. If this story of Vasuki has touched your heart, if this journey has forced you to stop and think for a moment, if you have seen some truth of your life in these words, then press the like button right now, write in the comment Jai Nagraj Vasuki, and tell us which one thing about Vasuki touched your heart the most, was that penance in which he only asked for service, is that the silent pain of churning the ocean, be it the moment when a king cried for his subjects or the words that became immortal in the Gita, among the snakes I am Vasuki, do let us know in the comments and if you have not yet subscribed to Pauranik Bharat, then subscribe now, press the bell icon on all notifications because our scriptures hold thousands of stories that are as alive today as they were ages ago, till then Jai Mahadev, hail Nagraj Vasuki.