Dhritarashtra (Naga) — Naga

Dhritarashtra Naga, not to be confused with the blind Kuru king of the Mahabharata, is one of the principal serpent kings listed among the great Nagas born to the sage Kashyapa and his consort Kadru. His name, meaning 'one who holds or maintains the kingdom,' reflects a role of governance and stability within the Naga-loka, suggesting a ruler whose steady, sustaining presence maintains order among the diverse serpent clans of Patala. He appears in various Puranic genealogies as a significant progenitor within the vast lineage of Nagas descended from Kadru, whose sons famously multiplied to populate the subterranean and aquatic realms of the cosmos following the mythic wager between Kadru and her sister Vinata that resulted in Kadru's serpent offspring becoming servants due to a deception regarding the color of Uchchaihshravas, the divine horse. Dhritarashtra Naga is invoked in the Ashta-Naga stotra recited for protection and prosperity, and his name carries the symbolic weight of dharmic governance even within realms often characterized in myth as chaotic or dangerous. His presence among the principal serpent kings emphasizes that the Naga-loka, far from being merely a realm of venom and fear, possesses its own structures of order, lineage, and rightful sovereignty requiring reverence rather than dismissal.

Dhritarashtra Naga is depicted as a regal, multi-hooded serpent wearing a subtle crown, seated upon a jeweled throne within a subterranean court, surrounded by attendant serpents, symbolizing his governing role among the Naga clans. His expression is calm and authoritative, embodying dharmic stability rather than aggression.

Dhritarashtra Naga's governing, stabilizing quality associates him with the Svadhishthana chakra's capacity for structured, sustainable flow of creative and emotional energy. Just as he maintains order among the diverse serpent clans, this chakra's balanced function ensures that the fluid, generative energies of the sacral center are channeled constructively rather than chaotically.