The Mystical Nagas: Guardians of the Hidden Realms

Kulika and Shankha are counted among the prominent

of Hindu sacred literature, but it is important to be precise about their roles. They are not generally described in the major Puranas as independent cosmic “protectors” in the same explicit sense as Ananta Shesha, who bears the universe, or Vasuki, who plays a central role in the Churning of the Ocean. Rather, Kulika and Shankha belong to the great Nāga families associated with Pātāla and Nāgaloka, and their importance emerges through their place in the broader cosmological and ritual traditions surrounding the serpent beings.

Kulika is identified as a prominent Nāga and is traditionally counted among the chief serpents. The Agni Purana lists Shesha, Vasuki, Takshaka, Karkotaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Shankhapala, and Kulika among the eight principal serpents. Interestingly, the same text gives Kulika a distinctive cosmological association, describing him as the lord connected with the junctions of periods of time. This makes Kulika particularly interesting when considering the symbolic relationship between Nāgas and cosmic cycles.

Shankha, whose name literally means “conch,” is another important Nāga appearing in Puranic and epic lists. The Bhagavata Purana places Shankha and Kulika among the prominent Nāgas residing in Pātāla, under the leadership of Vasuki. Their jeweled hoods are described as illuminating the otherwise dark subterranean realm, creating an image of Nāgas as beings associated with hidden worlds, precious treasures, and supernatural power.

Their connection with cosmic order is therefore more symbolic than a straightforward assignment of duties. Nāgas occupy an important position within Hindu cosmology as guardians and inhabitants of subterranean realms, while their association with jewels, waters, fertility, hidden knowledge, and cyclical forces connects them with the deeper structures of nature and existence.

Shankha and Kulika also appear in traditions where the eight great Nāgas are invoked for protection. Their presence in ritual and iconographic traditions reflects the belief that these powerful serpent beings can guard sacred spaces and protect devotees from harmful forces.

Thus, Kulika and Shankha are best understood not simply as mythical serpents, but as powerful Nāga lords woven into Hindu cosmology, representing the mysterious forces beneath the visible world and the hidden dimensions of nature and sacred order.