Nāga

In various Asian religious traditions, theNagas(Sanskrit:नाग,romanized:Nāga)are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-Cobrabeings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-human form, or are so depicted in art. Furthermore, Nagas are also known asdragonsandwater spirits. A female naga is called aNagin, or aNagini. Their descendants are known asNagavanshi. According to legend, they are the children of the sageKashyapaandKadru. Rituals devoted to these supernatural beings have been taking place throughout South Asia for at least 2,000 years.They are principally depicted in three forms: as entirely human with snakes on the heads and necks, as common serpents, or as half-human, half-snake beings inHinduismandBuddhism.
Nagarajais the title given to the king of the nagas.Narratives of these beings hold cultural significance in the mythological traditions of manySouth AsianandSoutheast Asiancultures, and within Hinduism and Buddhism. Communities such as theNagavanshi,KhmerandEelameseclaim descent from this race.
In Sanskrit, anāgá(नाग) is a snake, most often depicted by theIndian cobra(Naja naja). A synonym fornāgáisphaṇin(फणिन्). There are several words for "snake" in general, and one of the very commonly used ones issarpá(सर्प). Sometimes the wordnāgáis also used generically to mean "snake".The word iscognatewith English 'snake', Germanic:*snēk-a-,Proto-IE:*(s)nēg-o-(withs-mobile).
Alternatively, an Indo-European etymology as a "hairless, naked animal" - cognate to English "naked" - would explain that the Sanskrit wordnāgacan also mean "cloud", "mountain" or "elephant".
Nagas, as a serpent-shaped group of deities that often take form as cobras, are prominent inHindu iconography, throughout the hindu texts (especially in the first book of theMahābhārata) and in local folk traditions of worship.In some regions of the Himalaya, nagas are regarded as the divine rulers of the region - as inKullu Valley, inBerinagand in the valley of thePindar River, which is believed to be ruled by the ninefoldNaiṇī Devī. Both in theNilamata PuranaofKashmirand in theSwayambhu PuranaofKathmandu, the respective region begins its history as a lake, populated by nagas, which is later drained.
Ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Mahabharata, theRamayana, and thePuranasdescribe the nagas as a powerful, splendid and proud semi-divine species that can assume their physical form either as human (often with a halo of cobra hoods behind their head), as a partially human serpent, or as a whole serpent. Their domain is in the enchanted underworld, the underground realm filled with gems, gold and other earthly treasures calledNaga-lokaorPatala-loka. They are also often associated with bodies of waters — including rivers, lakes, seas, and wells — and are guardians of treasure.Their power and venom make them potentially dangerous to humans. However, inHindu mythology, they often take the role of benevolent protagonists; in theSamudra Manthana,Vasuki, anagarajawho abides onShiva's neck, became the churning rope for churning of theOcean of Milk.Their eternal archrival is theGaruḍa, the legendary semi-divine bird-like deity.
Vishnuis originally portrayed in the form sheltered bySheshanāgaor reclining on Shesha, but the iconography has been extended to other deities as well. The serpent is a common feature inGaneshaiconography, and appears in many forms: around the neck,use as asacred thread(Sanskrit:yajñyopavīta)wrapped around the stomach as a belt, held in a hand, coiled at the ankles, or as a throne.Shiva is often shown garlanded with a snake.Maehle (2006: p. 297) states that "Patanjali is thought to be a manifestation of the serpent of eternity".
In South India, termite hills are believed to be the dwelling place of female Nagammas,whereas Himalayan Nags and Naginis, such asNaiṇī DevīofPindar Valley, are worshipped as underworld beings protecting water resources and the wellbeing of village and valley.
TheMahabharataepic is the first text that introduces nagas; it describes them in detail and narrates their stories.The cosmic snakeShesha, thenagarajas(naga kings)Vasuki,Takshaka, Airavata andKarkotaka, and the princessUlupi, are all depicted in the Mahabharata.
TheBrahma Puranadescribes the reign of Adishesha as the king of the serpents in Patala:
TheKamba Ramayanadescribes the role of Vasuki in theSamudra Manthana:
TheDevi Bhagavata Puranadescribes the legend of Manasa:
As in Hinduism, the Buddhist nāga generally has sometimes been portrayed as a human being with a snake or dragon extending over his head.One nāga, in human form, attempted to become a monk, and when telling it that such ordination was impossible, the Buddha told it how to ensure that it would be reborn a human, and so able to become a monk.
The nagas are believed to both live onNagaloka, among the other minor deities and in various parts of the human-inhabited earth. Some of them are water-dwellers, living in streams or the ocean; others are earth-dwellers, living in caverns.
The nagas are the followers ofVirūpākṣa(Pāli: Virūpakkha), one of theFour Heavenly Kingswho guards the western direction. They act as guards upon Mount Sumeru, protecting thedēvasofTrāyastriṃśafrom attacks by theasuras.
Among the notable nagas of Buddhist tradition isMucalinda,nagarajaand protector of the Buddha. In the Vinaya Sutra (I, 3), shortly after his enlightenment, the Buddha is meditating in a forest when a great storm arises, but graciously, King Mucalinda gives shelter to the Buddha from the storm by covering the Buddha's head with his seven snake heads.Then the king takes the form of a youngBrahminand renders the Buddha homage.
In theVajrayānaandMahāsiddhatraditions,nagas in their half-human form are depicted holding a nagas-jewel,kumbhasofamrita, or atermathat had been elementally encoded by adepts. InTibetan Buddhism, nagas are known askluorklu-moand they are associated with water and cleanliness, as they live in oceans, rivers, lakes, and springs, and do not want their environments to be disturbed or polluted.
The two chief disciples of the Buddha,SariputtaandMoggallānaare both referred to asMahānāgaor "Great nāga".Some of the most important figures in Buddhist history symbolize nagas in their names such asDignāga,Nāgāsēna, and, although other etymons are assigned to his name,Nāgārjuna.
TheNāga Saṃyuttaof thePali Canonconsists ofsuttasspecifically devoted to explaining nature of the nagas.
In the "Devadatta" chapter of theLotus Sutra, the daughter of the dragon king, an eight year oldlongnü(龍女,nāgakanyā), after listening toMañjuśrīpreach the Lotus Sutra, transforms into a male Bodhisattva and immediately reaches full enlightenment.Some say this tale appears to reinforce the viewpoint prevalent in Mahayana scriptures that a male body is required for Buddhahood, even if a being is so advanced in realization that they can magically transform their body at will and demonstrate the emptiness of the physical form itself.However, many schools of Buddhism and classical, seminal Chinese exegeses interpret the story to repudiate this viewpoint, stating the story demonstrates that women can attain Buddhahood in their current form.
According to tradition, the Prajñapāramita sutras had been given by the Buddha to a great nāga who guarded them in the sea, and were conferred upon Nāgārjuna later.
InTibetan Buddhistliterature, nagas are portrayed as guardians or owners of submerged treasure, which can be mere wealth or supernatural, "spiritual" treasures.
InThailandandJava, the nāga is a wealthyunderworlddeity. ForMalaysailors, nagas are a type of dragon with many heads. InLaosthey are beaked water serpents.InTibet, they are said to be found in waterways and underground locations, and are susceptible to the suffering caused by human carelessness towards the natural environment.
TheNaga peoplewere believed to be an ancienttribeand origins ofSri Lanka.According toV. Kanakasabhai, the Oliyar,Parathavar,Maravar, and Eyinar, who were widespread acrossSouth IndiaandNorth-East Sri Lanka, are all Naga tribes.There are references to them in several ancient texts such asMahavamsa,Manimekalai, and also in otherSanskritandPali literature. They are generally represented as a class of superhumans taking the form of serpents who inhabit a subterranean world. Texts such as Manimekalai represent them as persons in human form.
Stories of nāgas (Khmer:នាគ,néak) have been part ofKhmersociety for thousands of years, dating back to theFunan era(នគរភ្នំ). According to reports from two Chinese envoys,Kang Taiand Zhu Ying, the state ofFunanwas established in the 1st century CE when an Indian prince namedKaundinya I(កៅណ្ឌិន្យទី១) married a nāga princess namedSoma(សោមាកូនព្រះចន្ទsaômakon preah chan; "Soma, daughter of the moon god"; Chinese: 柳葉, 柳叶Liuye; "Willow Leaf"). The couple is symbolized in the story ofPreah Thong and Neang Neak.
As the legend goes, Kaundinya received instruction in a dream to take a magic bow from a temple and defeat Soma, the nāga princess and daughter of the nāga king. During the ensuing battle, they fell in love and later married, establishing the royal lineage of the Funan dynasty. Kaundinya subsequently constructed the capital city ofVyadhapura, and the kingdom became known asKambujadeśaorCambodia(កម្ពុជា,Kampuchea).The love story between Kaundinya and Soma is the foundation for many standard practices in modern-day Khmer culture, including wedding ceremonies and other rituals.The Khmer people regard themselves as descendants of the nagas and many still believe the nāga exist today, destined to one day return and restore prosperity to their people.
Although wars, nature, and the passage of time destroyed many temples from the Funan era, nāgas can still be seen in ancient temples dating to theChenlaandAngkoreras. For instance, the temple now called "The Coiled Nāgas Temple" (ប្រាសាទនាគព័ន្ធ,PrasatNeak Poan) was previously named, "Emperor's Wealth Temple"  (ប្រាសាទរាជ្យស្រីPrasat Reach Srey).
In Khmer culture, nāgas symbolize rain, and represent a bridge between the mortal realm (ឋានមនុស្ស) and the realm ofdevas(Heaven;ឋានទេវតា/ឋានសួគ៌). They have the ability to transform into half or fully human and act as protectors against invisible forces, deities, or malicious intentions. Furthermore,Cambodiannāgas possess numerological symbolism based on the number of their heads. Odd-headed nāgas embody masculinity, infinity, timelessness, and immortality, since all odd numbers derives from the number one (១). Even-headed nāgas denote femininity, physicality, mortality, temporality, and theEarth. Odd headed nāgas are believed to represent immortality and are carved and used throughout Cambodia.
In Indian origin religions, there are four different Nāga races:
All of them have great powers and can set off storms, rain, tempest and create lands from the sea.
InJavanese,Sundanese, andBalinese culture,Indonesia, a nāga is depicted as a crowned, giant, magical serpent, sometimes winged. It is similarly derived from theShiva-Hinduism tradition, merged with Javaneseanimism. The nāga in Indonesia mainly derived and influenced by Indic tradition, combined with the native animism tradition of sacred serpents. In Sanskrit, the termnāgaliterally means snake, but in Java it normally refer to serpent deity, associated with water and fertility. InBorobudur, the nagas are depicted in their human form, but elsewhere they are depicted in animal shape.
Early depictions of circa-9th-century Central Java closely resembled Indic nāga which was based on imagery ofcobras. During this period, nāga-serpents were depicted as giant cobras supporting the waterspout ofyoni-lingam. The examples of nāga-sculpture can be found in several Javanesecandis, includingPrambanan,Sambisari,Ijo, andJawi. In East Java, thePenatarantemple complex contain aCandi Nāga, an unusual nāga-temple with its Hindu-Javanesecaryatidsholding corpulent nagas aloft.
The later depiction since the 15th century, however, was slightly influenced by Chinese dragon imagery—although unlike its Chinese counterparts, Javanese and Balinese nagas do not have legs. Nāga as the lesser deity of earth and water is prevalent in theHindu periodof Indonesia, before the introduction of Islam.
InBalinesetradition, nagas are often depicted battlinggaruḍas. Intricately carved nagas are found as stairs railings in bridges or stairs, such as those found inBalinese temples,Ubudmonkey forest, andTaman Sariin Yogyakarta.
In awayangtheater story, a snake-like god (nāga) named Sanghyang Anantaboga orAntabogais a guardian deity in the bowels of the earth.nagas symbolize the nether realm of earth or underworld.
The Nāga (Lao:ພະຍານາກ) is believed to live in theLaotianstretch of theMekongor its estuaries. Lao mythology maintains that the nagas are the protectors ofVientiane, and by extension, the Lao state. The association with nagas was most clearly articulated during and immediately after the reign ofAnouvong. An important poem from this periodSan Leupphasun(Lao:ສານລຶພສູນ) discusses relations between Laos and Thailand in a veiled manner, using the Nāga and theGaruḍato represent the Lao and the Thai, respectively.The Nāga is incorporated extensively into Lao iconography, and features prominently in Lao culture throughout the length of the country, not only in Vientiane.
Phaya NakorPhaya Nāga(Thai:พญานาค;RTGS:phaya nak;lit.'lord of Nāga',phayaderived fromMonwhich meanhigh nobility) or Nakkharat (Thai:นาคราช;lit.'king of Nāga') in Thai beliefs, nagas are considered the patrons  of water. Nagas are believed to live in either water bodies or in caves. According to a popular legend, theMekong Riverinnorth-eastern ThailandandLaoswas said to be created by twoNāga kingsslithering through the area, thus creating the Mekong and the nearbyNan River. The Mekong is synonymous with theunexplained fireballs phenomenonwhich has long been believed to be created by the nagas that dwell in the river.Common explanations of their sightings have been attributed tooarfish, elongated fish with red crests; however, these are exclusively marine and usually live at great depths.
In November 2022, the Thai government declared the Naga as thenational symbol of Thailand, with the aim of promoting Thai culture and traditions and increasing the country's cultural capital to drive the creative economy. The Naga is a mythical creature with long-standing beliefs and connections to the Thai people, and its designation as a national symbol is a significant step towards preserving and promoting Thai culture. The National Culture Commission and theFine Arts Departmentdeveloped a prototype image of the Naga that accurately represents Thai beliefs and traditions related to the creature. The prototype image features the four families of Nagas, each with its unique color, and the largest Naga, Nak Vasuki (Thai:นาควาสุกรี), who is related to Buddhism and the Thai monarchy, The Naga is also believed to be a symbol of water and fertility and serves as a guardian of Buddhism.
Due to the strong relation with everything water, the Nāga in Thai belief also plays a role in rain control. The concept ofNak hai nam(Thai:นาคให้น้ำ; lit. Nāga granting water) is used for annual rainfall prediction. It is still practiced nowadays, most notably during theRoyal Ploughing Ceremony. The oracle ranges from1 nak hai nam(1 Nāga granted water); meaning that abundant rainfall should be observed that year, to maximum7 nak hai nam(7 nagas granted water); meaning there might not be adequate rainfall that year.
In northern Thailand, theSinghanavatiKingdom had a strong connection with nagas. The kingdom was believed to be built with aids of nagas, and thus, nagas were highly revered by the royal family. The kingdom, for a period of time, was renamedYonok Nāga Rāj(lit.Yonokthenagaraja)
The nagas are also highly revered. TheBuddhist templesand palaces are often adorned with various nagas. The termNāgais also present in variousThai architectureterms including thenak sadung(นาคสะดุ้ง, the outer roof finial component featuring Nāga-like structure), and thenak than(นาคทันต์, thecorbelwith Nāga-shape).Moreover, nagas are sometimes linked to medicine. The nagaVasukiis present in the legend of theSamudra Manthana, in whichDhanvantari(god ofAyurveda) andamrita(the elixir of eternal life) were churned from theOcean of Milk. The nagas can also be founded substituting thesnakesin eitherRod of Asclepiusor mistakenlyCaduceusof several medical institutions' symbols. The former seal ofFaculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, and the seal of Society of Medical Student Thailand are some notable examples using the Caduceus with nagas' presence instead of snakes.
Thai folkloreholds the Phaya nagas to be semi-divine, demi-creatures, which possess supernatural powers as has been described inBuddhistandHindu cosmology.The  "Kamchanod Forest" (ป่าคำชะโนด;RTGS:Pa Khamchanot)Ban Dung district,Udon Thani province, which is held in high reverence and fear across Thailand, is believed to be the border between the human world and the netherworld, and is frequently depicted in Thai folklore as the site of many hauntings, but more frequently is considered to be the home of the Nāga.
According toShanfolklore ofNánzhào Kingdom(now southern China and Southeast Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries, which was centered on present-dayYúnnánin China), the Nāga inhabited theĚrhǎi lakeand is the creator of theMekong.InChina, the Nāga (Chinese:那伽) is generally more considered to be a dragon.
Many people, particularly inIsan(the north-eastern region of Thailand), believe that the nagas are responsible for unnatural wave phenomena occurring in the rivers or lakes in the vicinity. It is also frequently claimed that the serpent-like demigods are responsible for marks on common objects, such ascar hoodsor house walls.
A police office has also claimed to be in contact with the Nāga, although the implications of this contact is not thoroughly explained.
In attempts to explain these phenomena, scientists and researchers at the Faculty of Science of Chulalongkorn University have attributed these seemingly preternatural phenomena tostanding wavesin water, and posit that the existence of the Phaya Nāga is similar to belief inLoch Ness Monsterin Scotland orOgopogoin Canada, and further maintain that the serpent-like tracks of the Phaya Nāga are very possibly forged by humans.
In Malay and Orang Asli traditions, the lake Chini, located inPahangis home to a Nāga called Sri Gumum. Depending on legend versions, her predecessor Sri Pahang or her son left the lake and later fought a Nāga called Sri Kemboja. Kemboja is the Malay name for Cambodia. Like the Nāga-legends there, there are stories about an ancient empire in lake Chini, although the stories are not linked to the Nāga-legends.
The indigenousBakunawa, a serpent-like moon-eating creature inPhilippine mythology, wassyncretizedwith the Nāga. It is believed to be the cause ofeclipses,earthquakes, rains, and wind.The movements of thebakunawaserved as ageomanticcalendarsystem for ancient Filipinos and were part of theshamanisticrituals of thebabaylan. It is usually depicted with a characteristically looped tail and was variously believed to inhabit either the sea, the sky, or theunderworld.However, the bakunawa may have also syncretized with the Hindu deities,RahuandKetu, thenavagrahaofeclipses.