Editing Shesha (section)

==Avatars ==
{{multiple image
| image1 =Lakshmana at Srivaikundam.jpg
| caption1 =As Lakshmana, Shesha accompanied his lord in his [[Rama]] avatar.
| image2 = Balarama, elder brother Krishna with Hala 1830 CE.jpg
| caption2 = As Balarama, Shesha accompanied Vishnu in his [[Krishna]] Avatar.
}}
Shesha is believed to have taken six incarnations on earth. During the [[Satya Yuga]], he came down in his original form to form a seat for Vishnu's avatar of [[Narasimha]], who had incarnated to slay the impious [[Hiranyakashipu]].

During the [[Treta Yuga]], Shesha took birth as [[Lakshmana]], as Vishnu's (as [[Rama]]) brother. Lakshmana is a very prominent character in the Ramayana, along with [[Hanuman]] and [[Sita]]. His consort, Nagalakshmi was born as [[Urmila]], the sister of Sita.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2012-06-24 |title=Urmila, Urmilā, Ūrmilā: 9 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/urmila |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SOZsEAAAQBAJ&dq=gomati+the+chakra+of+lakshmi+and+wife+of+sudarshan&pg=PT16 | title=LakshmiLa : The Eternal Love Story | isbn=978-93-92834-21-9 | last1=Agarwal | first1=Shubhi | date=20 April 2022 | publisher=Om Books International }}</ref> 

During [[Dvapara Yuga]], he is a stated to have incarnated as [[Balarama]] again as a brother to Vishnu (as Krishna). This is often disputed by the original line-ups of the [[Dashavatara|Dasavatara]], where Balarama is also considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu. His consort was born as [[Revati]], the daughter of King [[Kakudmi]].<ref>[http://www.mythfolklore.net/india/encyclopedia/revati.htm Revati.] "Daughter of King Raivata and wife of Balarama."</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Dalal |first=Roshen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&dq=balarama+dashavatara&pg=PT412 |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |date=2014-04-18 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-81-8475-277-9 |language=en}}</ref> 

During the [[Kali Yuga]], according to [[Sri Vaishnavism|Sri Vaishnava]] tradition, he was born as [[Patanjali]], [[Ramanuja]], and [[Manavala Mamunigal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manavala Mamunigal |url=http://acharya.org/ac/smm/smmv7.html |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=acharya.org |archive-date=27 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327035642/http://acharya.org/ac/smm/smmv7.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was not accompanied by [[Vishnu|God]] during the Kali Yuga. Instead, he incarnated alone to spread devotion among the people, being a peaceful incarnation.

[[Sri Vaishnavism]] also states that Balarama is an incarnation of both [[Vishnu]] and Shesha. In the [[Bhagavad-Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], in the middle of the battlefield [[Kurukshetra]], Krishna, explaining his omnipresence, says: "Of [[Nāga]]s, I am Ananta" indicating the importance of Shesha.

[[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] states that Shesha incarnated as [[Nityananda]], a friend and associate of [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]], who is described as an incarnation of [[Lord Krishna|Krishna]]. According to the texts and scriptures of the [[Gaudiya Sampradaya]], the appearance of [[Nityananda Prabhu]] was very similar to [[Balarama]] (incarnation of Shesha).{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}