In the Mahabharata, Ananta or Adi-sesa, is the son of Kasyapa, one of the Prajapatis, through Kadru as her eldest son. Kadru had asked her sons to stay suspended in the hair of Uchchaihshravas's tail who on refusing to do so were cursed to die at the serpent-yajna of Janamejaya. Ananta was saved by Brahma who directed him to go to the nether world and support the world on his hoods, and thus became the king of the Nagas in Patala. Rudra, who consumes the three worlds, is believed to have emanated from the face of Ananta. By the grace of Ananta, Garga was able to master the sciences of astronomy and causation. Vishnu reposes on Ananta floating on the ocean of eternal existence sheltered by his hoods. Ananta is an epithet of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Skanda, Krishna, Balarama, earth, and the letter A. Ananta also appears in the Buddhist iconography as one of three female deities emanating from Dhyani Buddha Amitabha.