avatAra of Adishesha ?

[Raghavendra Hebbalalu]

> > Balarama, as well as Lakshamana, are considered
> avataars of Shesh Naag, are
> > they not?

> Not by us I don't think.


Interesting. Just for this, I glanced through the
bAlakANDa of the rAmAyaNa. In sarga 17, the birth of
shrii rAma and His brothers is described.

The 9th shloka
atha lakShmaNashatrughnau sumitrAjanayatsutau |
vIrau sarvAstrakushalau viShNorardhasamanvitau ||

Then, sumitrA gave birth to two sons, lakshmaNa and
shatrughna, brave and proficient in all the astras,
who were with one half of Lord vishNu.

I do not know of other shlokas ( I have not researched

it yet) where it has been mentioned that lakshmaNa is
an avatAra of Adishesha. But actually in South India,
there is a widespread belief ( I believed it till now)
that lakshmaNa and balarAma are avatAras of Adishesha.

I have not read the bhAgavata in its original. Has it
been indicated that balarAma is an avatAra of
Adishesha ?

I know this view is prevalent among vishishTAdvaitins
as they believe that shrii raamaanuja is also an
avatAra of Adishesha.

As an aside, according to tradition, shrii Patanjali,
the reputed author of the yOga sUtras and the
mahabhAShya, and legendary devotee of Lord Shiva is
supposed to be an avatAra of Adishesha. Also, gOvinda
bhagavatpaada, the guru of shrii sha~nkara is supposed
to be an avatAra of Adishesha.

Regards,
Raghavendra.




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