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ciation with the serpents is obvious from his epithets: Nagabhushana, Vyalakalpa (“having serpents as ornaments”), Nagaharadhrik (“wearing serpent-necklaces”), Nagaraja, Nagendra, Nagesha (“king of Nagas”), Natal (““mongoose,” one who is immune from the serpent venom), Vyalin (“one who possesses snakes”), etc. Shiva is the main object of worship at Benares under the name Vishveshvara (“master of the universe’). One of his features is time (Bhagavad-gita 11.32: “Time I am,” Bhagavata Purana 3.5.26-27, Brahma- samhita 5.10), the separating factor between the material and spiritual world (Bhagavata Purana 3.10.12) and a medium to perceive the Lord's influence (Bhagavata Purana 3.26.16). Shiva's female consort is known under various names as Uma, Sati, Parvati, Durga, Kali, and Shakti. The divine couple, together with their sons - the six-headed Skanda and the elephant-headed Ganesha - are inhabiting the Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas as well as the Mahesha-dhama on the border of the material world (Devi-dhama) and the spiritual world (Vaikuntha or Hari-dhama). In the Brahma-samhita he is said to be another form of Maha-Vishnu, and is compared to a yogurt. Yogurt is nothing but milk, yet it is not milk. As yogurt is prepared when milk is mixed with a culture, the form of Shiva expands when the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in touch with material nature. Since Shiva and Vishnu are aspects of one God, Shiva occurs as one of Vishnu's names listed in the Vishnu-sahasranama. The original father, Krishna, says, aham bija-pradah pita: “I am the seed-giving father.” That pita (father) is Lord Shiva, Shambhu, and material nature (goddess Durga) is considered the mother. By their sexual union are all conditioned souls inserted into the material nature. The impregnation of material nature is wonderful because at one time innumerable living beings are conceived. Bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantyaya kalpate (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 5.9). In this way Shiva is connected with both creation and destruction. Because of his marginal position between material and spiritual realm he is seemingly full of contradictions but these are reconciled on the transcendental level. Some of the Nagas are many-headed. Ananta, also called Shesha, the king of the Nagas, has unlimited heads. According to the Bhagavata Purana 5.25.3, He is the source of Rudra, an expansion of Shiva. When Krishna lists the most prominent representatives of His power, He says, ananta casmi naganam - “among the Nagas I am Ananta” (Bhagavad-gita 10.29). “My dear Lord, at the end of each millennium [here Brahma's life] the Supreme Personality of Godhead Garbhodakashayi Vishnu dissolves everything manifested within the universe into His belly. He lies down on the lap of Shesha Naga, from His navel sprouts a golden lotus flower on a stem, and on that lotus Lord Brahma is created. I can understand that You are the same Supreme Godhead. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.” (Bhagavata Purana 4.9.14) Ananta is called Shesha as He is the residue or remainder of the universe during cosmic dissolutions. He is elaborately described in the Bhagavata Purana, 5th khanda, chapter 25. Ultimately He will destroy the world: “At the time of the final devastation of the complete universe [the end of the duration of Brahma's life], a flame of fire emanates from the mouth of Ananta (...). “(Bhagavata Purana 2.2.26) Sage Patanjali, the author of Yoga-sutras, is considered by some to be an incarnation of Shesha. He is the author of the Mahabhashya, the celebrated commentary on the Grammar of Panini, and a defense of that work against the criticisms of philosopher Katyayana. His name allegedly represents that he fell as a small snake from heaven into the palm of Panini (pata - fallen, anjali - palm). 314 Appendix E: Dragons and Serpents Ananta Shesha South Indian Vaishnava philosopher and spiritual leader Ramanuja (11th century) is also considered an incarnation of Shesha. Atlantis, Alien Visitation, and Genetic Manipulation