Manasa- Hindu GodDeity"Goddess of Snakes"

Origins

Manasa's parentage varies. The Brahmavaivarta Purana identifies her as a daughter of the sage Kashyapa and the serpent-mother Kadru, making her a sister of all Nagas. Bengali traditions make her a mind-born daughter of Shiva, created from his concentrated thought (manas, from which her name derives). Shiva's consort Chandi regarded Manasa with hostility, and in one confrontation blinded her in one eye, giving rise to her epithet "the one-eyed goddess." Acknowledged by Shiva but rejected by his household, Manasa set about winning worship by force.

Marriage and Astika

Manasa married the aged sage Jaratkaru, fulfilling a prophecy that the serpent race's survival depended on a child born of this union. The marriage was precarious: Jaratkaru had agreed to wed only on the condition that his wife never displease him. When Manasa once woke him late for his evening prayers, he abandoned her immediately. But she had already conceived, and their son Astika grew to be the sage who halted King Janamejaya's snake sacrifice, saving the Nagas from extinction.

The Conflict with Chand Sadagar

The central narrative of the Manasa Mangal Kavya tells of Manasa's struggle against Chand Sadagar, a merchant prince of Champaknagar. Chand worshipped Shiva and refused to acknowledge Manasa's divinity. She sent serpents to destroy his trading ships, ruined his gardens, and killed his six sons one by one with snakebites. Chand remained defiant. When his seventh and last son Lakhindar married Behula, Manasa sent the serpent Kalnagini into the bridal chamber on the wedding night. The chamber had been built of iron and sealed against entry. The snake found a gap and struck Lakhindar dead.

Behula's Journey

Behula refused to accept her husband's death. She placed Lakhindar's body on a banana-raft and floated down the river, enduring months of hardship and supernatural trials. She reached the celestial realm and danced before the gods, and her grief moved them to agree to restore Lakhindar to life, on the condition that Chand worship Manasa. Behula returned with her revived husband. The broken Chand, having lost everything, finally offered flowers to Manasa with his left hand. A minimal, grudging acknowledgment. It was enough. Manasa restored his sons, his wealth, and his fleet.