From Shesha to Xiuhcoatl: Myths of Creation, Preservation & Destruction by the World’s Serpents

Introduction

Since the start of human civilizations around 6000 – 8000 years ago, societies have developed myths, folklores, and legends, complementing their arts and cultures. Over the course of evolution, some of those developed into structured, well-defined stories that revolved around their geography, political structures, and metaphysics. One such development was the introduction of mythical serpents, which played important roles in their mythological world-building. Some of those serpents played a role in creation, some in preservation, while some in destruction. In this blog, we discuss 15 such mythical serpents that play important roles concerning creation, preservation, and destruction in mythologies around the world. The list is non-exhaustive, as naturally, there must be hundreds more examples in myths and lore, but they are beyond the scope of a single blog. So, let’s begin.

Chapter 1: Serpents Associated With Creation

Shesha / Ananta – Ananta, meaning the Endless, acts as the cosmic serpent in Hindu mythology, upon which the entire creation rests. Shesha is described as a colossal, thousand-headed serpent floating upon the Kshira Sagara, or the Ocean of Milk. In Puranic traditions, Shesha remains at the border between cycles of creation, acting as a bridge between the two universes. After each cycle, creation begins from the creator God Brahma, who, in turn, takes birth from a lotus, which emerges from the navel of Lord Vishnu, the God of Preservation, who, in turn, rests upon Shesha, thus making Shesha the ultimate foundation for creation. Shesha embodies order, infinity, and cosmic support to Lord Vishnu, taking birth alongside Vishnu’s avatars several times, whether as Lakshmana with Rama or Balarama with Krishna.
Aido-Hwedo – In the folklore and myths of various Western African cultures, especially the Fon and Ewe people in Benin, Togo, and Ghana, Aido-Hwedo acts as the serpent of creation, working alongside the supreme deity Mawu-Lisa, the twin-aspect creator god representing both the sun and the moon. While the latter conceptualizes the universe, the former shapes it physically. In the creation story, Mawu-Lisa rides upon Aido-Hwedo across the primordial waters, directing the serpent to carve out mountains, plateaus, rivers, and valleys, while the serpent’s excretions form the metals, minerals, and precious stones, enriching the earth. After the creation is complete, Aido-Hwedo descends into the primordial waters, holding the whole world in his back.
The Rainbow Serpent – Among the Aboriginal cultures in Australia, the Rainbow Serpent acts as the living force of creation, fertility, and law. In many Dreamtime stories, the earth was flat, barren, and dry at the beginning. The Rainbow Serpent emerged from under the ground through primordial waterholes and began to make the Earth rich in fertility and prosperity. She created holes in the Earth’s surface, leading to primordial waters coming through the holes and forming the sources of water on the planet. The Rainbow Serpent also acts as a law-giver and protector of sacred lands, especially water. Those who respect nature are blessed by her, but those who exploit nature beyond limits face her wrath and many times punished. Thus, the serpent has a dual nature – nurturing as well as authoritative.
Jörmungandr– The Midgard Serpent of Norse mythology, is one of the awe-inspiring serpents in world traditions. Born from the trickster God Loki and the giantess Angrboda, Jörmungandr is one of their three children, the other being Fenrir the wolf, and Hel, the queen of the dead. As per tradition, Odin, the king of the Gods, banished the serpent to the oceans encircling Midgard (the world of humans). The serpent grew and soon encircled the entire world, and finally bit his own tail. Unlike other creator-serpents, Jörmungandr doesn’t shape the world, but defines its boundary. His circular coils stabilize the oceans, creating a cosmic barrier between the known and the unknown. He will also play a destructive role in Ragnarök, the destruction of the world, where he will release his tail and unleash havoc and calamity, and ultimately will be slain by Thor, the thunder God.
Antaboga – In the Javanese and Balinese mythology, Antaboga is a cosmic serpent associated with the creation of the world. He is neither a destructive nor a guardian spirit, but a quiet, contemplative creator whose actions give rise to Gods, worlds, and the cosmic order. Unlike other creator Gods, he doesn’t create the world by force or command, but by meditation and contemplation. As he coils around the formless chaos, his mind gives birth to the cosmic turtle Bedawang Nala, who supports the entire world on its back. While Bedawang Nala supports the earth, the various gods guard and nurture it, Antaboga keeps creating through deep meditation. According to one tale, his tears gave rise to Dewa Sri, the goddess of rice and fertility, who is responsible for feeding humanity.

Chapter 2: Serpents Associated With Preservation

Vasuki – He is the king of snakes in Hindu mythology. Unlike destructive serpents, who represent chaos, and primordial serpents, who form the universe’s foundation, Vasuki is the serpent of coordination, endurance, and preservation. His most famous role appears in the Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean of milk by the Devas(Gods) and the Asuras(Demons), to obtain amrita, the nectar of immortality. To churn the entire ocean, Mount Mandara was used as the churning rod, but they needed a rope powerful enough to rotate the mountain. Vasuki volunteered and acted as the rope, and thus played a crucial role in obtaining amrita. Vasuki is immortalized in Hindu iconography as he is depicted coiled around the neck of Lord Shiva, the God of destruction.
Ladon – Ladon is a multiple-headed dragon-serpent in Greek Mythology. Traditionally, the Hesperides were nymphs who tended a magical orchard at the western end of the world. The golden apples in this grove granted immortality and divine power. The queen of the Gods, Hera, appointed Ladon as the orchard’s eternal sentinel, preventing minor Gods, heroes, and monsters from attaining immortality. His most famous appearance occurs in the eleventh labor of Heracles, where, according to some versions, he is killed by Heracles with poison arrows, not because he was an evil monster, but because he was preserving order by preventing immortality from mortals.
Python – In Greek Mythology, Python occupies a fascinating space between chaos and order. It is described as a colossal primordial earth serpent born from Gaia, the Earth herself. Its primary role was to guard the Oracle of Delphi, then known as the sanctuary of Gaia. At that time, Delphi was not the Apollonian shrine it would become much later. After the rise of the Olympian Gods, its fate was sealed as it was killed by Apollo, with his divine arrows, as the solar deity wanted Delphi for himself. The priestess of Apollo, thus, retained the title of “Pythia”, derived from the serpent’s name. The death of Python is not complete destruction, but a transition, the old Gods getting replaced by the new Gods, thus evolving to a new era.
Ba She – In Chinese mythology, Ba She is a powerful, enigmatic serpent associated with droughts, devouring waters, and a balance between danger and protection. It is typically described as an enormous serpent capable of swallowing elephants. Ba She’s divine role is to cause drought on the surface by swallowing bodies of water whenever there is an excess of fiery energy (yang). In several stories, Ba She is killed and cut open by several heroes to release the water that it galloped. Ba She is not necessarily evil, but acts as a punishment against those who threaten nature. It also represents the cyclic nature of water, the necessity of balance in preserving life, the relationship between humans and natural forces, and the idea that even destructive beings can be a part of cosmic harmony.
Phaya Naga – Revered across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, these are some of the enduring serpent beings of Southeast Asia. Phaya, meaning “King” or “Great”, while Naga, meaning “snake”, Phaya Naga exist as the most powerful snakes in the Mekong River Basin. In their Buddhist traditions, they act as guardians of rivers, lakes, wetlands, etc. Their home is said to be beneath the Mekong, where they maintain the balance between the human world and the mystical underwater kingdom known as Muang Badan. One of the most famous stories is how one of them protected the Buddha from the rain. As the Buddha meditated, the serpent coiled around him seven times and spread its hood to shield him from the rain. In regional folklore, many Lao and Thai chronicles often claim descent from Naga ancestors, symbolizing legitimacy, continuity, and divine favor.

Chapter 3: Serpents Associated With Destruction

Vṛtra – He is one of the earliest and most powerful serpents in Vedic Hinduism. Appearing prominently in the Rig Veda, Vṛtra is a metaphysical force that holds the world’s water, freezes cosmic motion, and traps creation in a state of unproductive stillness. His myth represents the eternal battle between dynamic order and oppressive inertia. He is described as stealing water from the divine rivers of the world, thereby destroying the essence of life force. Vṛtra is finally slain by the storm God Indra with his thunderbolt Vajra, in the same way, the other Indo-European thunder Gods, Zeus and Thor, slay the mythical serpents, Typhon and Jörmungandr.
Apep / Apophis – Apep, in Egyptian mythology, is a primordial embodiment of chaos (Isfet), forever opposing truth, harmony, and cosmic order (Ma’at). If Ra, the Sun God, represents the steady, eternal renewal of life, then Apep represents the abyss that tries to swallow that very light every single night. Apep is imagined as a large serpent lurking in the deepest darkness of the Duat (the underworld), coiled beneath the horizon where the sun must pass during its night journey. Each night, Ra is attacked by Apep to devour the sun, but Ra battles with valor and skill, thereby forming a daily cosmic event. Unlike other serpents mentioned in the blog, Apep is absolutely evil, not a force of necessary destruction, not a cleanser, not a balancer, but a pure negation.
Typhon – Typhon is a monstrous offspring of Gaia (the Earth) and Tartarus (raw destructive force and chaos). In Greek mythology, it is a fierce dragon-serpent that exists to represent apocalyptic destruction. According to myth, when the Olympian Gods defeated the Titans, Gaia, enraged at her triumph and the imprisonment of her children, birthed Typhon as the final instrument of vengeance. The serpent posed a serious challenge to the Olympians. But Zeus, like Indra and Thor, used his thunderbolt to finally defeat the serpent and bury him beneath Mount Etna or Tartarus. Typhon represents the spirit of vengeance, channelled by the Earth herself, when anyone tries to mess with her offspring.
Azhi Dahaka – Also called Zahhak, he is a legendary serpent-demon in Zoroastrian cosmology. He represents chaos, in opposition to Asha, who represents order and truth. Unlike other destructive serpents, Azhi Dahaka represents the moral decay that destabilizes societies. He is a serpent with three heads, with uncontrollable hunger for human blood. The three heads symbolize uncontrolled desire, greed, and violence. He spreads immorality in human societies. According to the Avesta, Azhi Dahaka represents a demonic strength whose very existence threatens the cosmic order. In one of the most vivid narratives, he is beaten and captured by the Persian Hero-God Thraetaona (Fereydun), and is chained atop Mount Damavand, although not killed, representing that desire, greed, and violence cannot be eliminated, but can be controlled.
Xiuhcoatl – Also called the “Turquoise Serpent” or “Fire Serpent”, Xiuhcoatl is one of the most terrifying serpents in the Mesoamerican mythology, particularly in the Aztec mythology. Xiuhcoatl is closely associated with the Aztec God of fire and war, Huitzilopochtli, the patron deity of the people of Mexico. According to legend, the serpent serves as Huitzilopochtli’s weapon, a living extension of his divine power. As a destructive force, Xiuhcoatl is not chaotic in the sense of mindless evil; he operates within the cosmic logic of Mesoamerican cosmology. Destruction is necessary for renewal. The Aztecs themselves believed that the sun required conflict and sacrifice to rise each day. In this context, Xiuhcoatl becomes an instrument for cosmic maintenance: he destroys so that life and order can persist.

Conclusion

Thus, we see how serpents were represented in cultures all over the world in their mythologies and legends to explain cosmological and metaphysical phenomena. They also played an important role in enriching the classical literature all over the world, from Theogony in Greece, to the Mahabharata in India, to the Avesta in Iran. These limbless reptiles inspired various Bronze and early Iron Age cultures to develop their entire theology and metaphysics around them.

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