Surasa

Surasa is a Hindu goddess, who is described as the mother of the nagas (serpents). Her most popular tale appears in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where she is tasked to test the monkey-god Hanuman on his way to Lanka.

Birth and children

In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Surasa is one of the ten daughters of Daksha, who are married to the sage Kashyapa. She became the mother of the nagas (a class of serpents), while her co-wife and sister Kadru gave birth to uragas, another class of snakes.Vasuki, Takshaka, Airavata and other sons of Surasa are described to live in Bhogavati.

The epic Mahabharata describes her being born from the wrath of Krodhavasha, another wife of Kashyapa. Surasa has three daughters: Anala, Ruha and Virudha. The serpents descend from the daughters of Surasa. She is thus called the mother of nagas and also cranes; another snake race Pannagas descends from Kadru.

The Matsya Purana and the Vishnu Purana describes Surasa as one of 13 wives of Kashyapa and daughters of Daksha. The Vishnu Purana says that she gave birth to a thousand multi-hooded serpents, who fly in the sky; while Kadru also gives birth to a thousand snakes. As the Matsya Purana, she is the mother of all quadrupeds, except cows; the serpents are described as Kadru's children. The Bhagavata Purana portrays her the mother of rakshasas (cannibals, demons). The Vayu Purana and Padma Purana lists do not mention her as a wife of Kashyapa; and Anayush or Danayush take her position as mother of snakes.