Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Introduction: Sympathy for the Devi: Snakes and Snake Goddesses in Hinduism 1
4. Prologue 29
5. Part One. In the divine realm
6. Creation 59
7. The Revenge of the Valakhilyas 69
8. The Menace of Taraka 81
9. The Birth of Parvati and Her Marriage with Shiva 83
10. The Birth of Ganesha and Kartikeya 98
11. The Slaying of Taraka the Asura 101
12. The Birth of Chandradhara 104
13. Shiva’s Dalliances 108
14. The Birth of Manasa 114
15. Manasa’s Forest Exile 126
16. The Churning of the Seas 131
17. The Marriages of Manasa and Neta 148
18. The Sarpa Satra 153
19. Looking Earthward 160
20. Part Two. In the Realm of the Merchant King
21. Winning over Cowherds 167
22. The Battle with Hassan and Hossein 171
23. Jalu and Malu 186
24. Neutralizing Chand’s Occult Power 190
25. The Slaying of Shankha-Dhanvantari 195
26. The Killing of Dhona and Mona 211
27. Eliminating Chand’s Six Sons 217
28. Usha and Aniruddha Press- Ganged by Padma 229
29. The Birth of Lakshmindar and Behula 241
30. The Adventures and Misadventures of Chand the Merchant King 253
31. The Return Voyage 269
32. The Marriage of Behula and Lakshmindar 291
33. Death in the Steel Chamber 311
34. Behula’s River Journey 318
35. The Resolution 328
36. Notes 339
37. Sources 345
38. Glossary 347
39. Acknowledgments 351