Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.818

c5.818

DHRTARĀṢṬRA II. A serpent born to Kaśyapa Prajāpati by his wife Kadrū. It is stated in Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 9, Stanza 9, that this serpent sits in the Durbar of Varuṇa and worships him. During the time of emperor Pṛthu, devas (gods), asuras (demons) and Nāgas (serpents) milked the earth, and the person who milked for the Nāgas was the serpent Dhṛtarāṣṭra (M.B. Droṇa Parva, Chapter 69). It is stated in Mahābhārata, Karṇa Parva, Chapter 34, Stanza 28, that once this Nāga was admitted into the chariot of Śiva. When Balabhadra Rāma, discarded his body and went to Pātāla (nether world, several serpents came to greet him. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was one of them. (M.B. Mausala Parva, Chapter 14, Stanza 15).