N?ga (IAST: n?gá; Devan?gar?: ???) is the Sanskrit and Pali word for a deity or class of entity or being taking the form of a very great snake, specifically the king cobra, found in the Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. A female n?ga is a n?gin" or n?gini".
Video N?ga
Etymology
In Sanskrit, a n?gá (???) is a cobra, the Indian cobra (Naja naja). A synonym for n?gá is pha?in (?????). There are several words for "snake" in general, and one of the very commonly used ones is sarpá (????). Sometimes the word n?gá is also used generically to mean "snake". The word is cognate with English 'snake', Germanic: *sn?k-a-, Proto-IE: *(s)n?g-o- (with s-mobile).
Maps N?ga
Hinduism
Vishnu is originally portrayed in the form sheltered by a ?e?an?ga or reclining on ?e?a, but the iconography has been extended to other deities as well. The serpent is a common feature in Ganesha iconography and appears in many forms: around the neck, use as a sacred thread (Sanskrit: yajñyopav?ta) 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".
Buddhism
The Buddhist n?ga generally has the form of a great cobra, usually with a single head but sometimes with many. At least some of the n?gas are capable of using magic powers to transform themselves into a human semblance. In Buddhist painting, the n?ga is sometimes portrayed as a human being with a snake or dragon extending over his head. One n?ga, in human form, attempted to become a monk; when telling it that such ordination was impossible, the Buddha told it how to ensure that it would be reborn a human, able to become a monk.
In the "Devadatta" chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the daughter of the dragon king, an eight year old longnü (n?ga), after listening to Mañju?r? preach the Lotus Sutra, transforms into a male Bodhisattva and immediately reaches full enlightenment. 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.
Nagas are believed to both live on Mount Meru, 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 underground caverns.
The n?gas are the followers of Vir?p?k?a (P?li: Vir?pakkha), one of the Four Heavenly Kings who guards the western direction. They act as a guard upon Mount Sumeru, protecting the d?vas of Tr?yastri??a from attack by the as?ras.
Among the notable n?gas of Buddhist tradition is Mucalinda, N?gar?ja and 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 young Brahmin and renders the Buddha homage.
It is noteworthy that the two chief disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta and Moggall?na are both referred to as Mah?n?ga or "Great N?ga". Some of the most important figures in Buddhist history symbolize nagas in their names such as Dign?ga, N?g?s?na, and, although other etymons are assigned to his name, N?g?rjuna.
In the Vajray?na and Mah?siddha traditions, nagas in their half-human form are depicted holding a naga-jewel, kumbhas of amrita, or a terma that had been elementally encoded by adepts.
According to tradition, Prajñap?ramita sutras had been given by the Buddha to a great Naga who guarded them in the sea, and were conferred upon N?g?rjuna later.
Other traditions
For Malay sailors, n?gas are a type of dragon with many heads; in Thailand and Java, the n?ga is a wealthy underworld deity. In Laos they are beaked water serpents.
Malaysia
In Malay and Orang Asli traditions, the lake Chini, located in Pahang is home to a naga called Sri Gumum. Depending on legend versions, her predecessor Sri Pahang or her son left the lake and later fought a naga called Sri Kemboja. Kemboja is the former name of what is Cambodia. Like the naga legends there, there are stories about an ancient empire in lake Chini, although the stories are not linked to the naga legends.
Cambodia
The seven-headed nagas depicted as statues on Cambodian temples such as Angkor Wat, apparently represent the seven races within naga society, which has a mythological, or symbolic, association with "the seven colors of the rainbow". Furthermore, Cambodian naga possess numerological symbolism in the number of their heads. Odd-headed naga symbolise the Male Energy, Infinity, Timelessness, and Immortality. This is because, numerologically, all odd numbers come from One (1). Even-headed naga are said to be "Female, representing Physicality, Mortality, Temporality, and the Earth."
Laos
Naga are believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong or its estuaries. Lao mythology maintains that the naga are the protectors of Vientiane, and by extension, the Lao state. The naga association was most clearly articulated during and immediately after the reign of Anouvong. An important poem from this period San Leupphasun (Lao: ?????????) discusses relations between Laos and Thailand in a veiled manner, using the naga and the garuda to represent the Lao and the Thai, respectively. The naga is incorporated extensively into Lao iconography, and features prominently in Lao culture throughout the length of the country, not only in Vientiane.
Indonesia
In Javanese and Balinese culture, Indonesia, a naga is depicted as a crowned, giant, magical serpent, sometimes winged. It is similarly derived from the Shiva-Hinduism tradition, merged with Javanese animism. Naga in Indonesia mainly derived and influenced by Indic tradition, combined with the native animism tradition of sacred serpents.
Early depictions of circa-9th-century Central Java closely resembled Indic Naga which was based on cobra imagery. During this period, naga serpent are depicted as a giant cobra supported the waterspout of yoni-lingam. The examples of naga sculpture can be found in several Javanese candis, including Prambanan, Sambisari, Ijo, and Jawi.
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. Naga as the lesser deity of earth and water is prevalent in the Hindu period of Indonesia, before the introduction of Islam.
In Balinese tradition, nagas are often depicted battling Garuda. Intricately carved naga are found as stairs railings in bridges or stairs, such as those found in Balinese temples, Ubud monkey forest, and Taman Sari in Yogyakarta.
In a wayang theater story, a snake (naga) god named Sanghyang Anantaboga or Antaboga is a guardian deity in the bowels of the earth. Naga symbolize the nether realm of earth or underworld.
Philippines
In many parts of pre-Hispanic Philippines, the naga is used as an ornament in the hilt ends of longswords locally known as kampilans.
Notable n?gas
- Vasuki, the king of nagas and who coils over the Shiva's neck
- Naga Seri Gumum, who lives in Tasik Chini, a freshwater lake in Pahang, Malaysia
- Ananta-Sesha, on whom Vishnu is in yoga nidra (Ananta shayana)
- Bakunawa, a dragon in Philippine mythology that is often represented as a gigantic sea serpent. Nagas are also present in Kapampangan polytheistic beliefs, such as Lakandanum. (See Deities of Philippine mythology.)
- Kaliya, a snake conquered by Krishna
- Karkotaka, a naga king in Indian mythology who controls weather, that lived in a forest near Nishada Kingdom and bit Nala at the request of Indra controls weather
- Manasa, the Hindu goddess of Nagas and curer of snake-bite and sister of Vasuki
- Mucalinda, a n?ga in Buddhism who protected the Gautama Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment
- Padmavati, the N?g? queen & companion of Dharanendra
- Paravataksha, his sword causes earthquakes and his roar caused thunder.
- Shwe Nabay (Naga Medaw), a goddess or a Nat spirit in Burmese animistic mythology, who is believed to have married a Naga and died from heartbreak after he left her
- Takshaka, the tribal king of the nagas
- Ulupi, a companion of Arjuna in the epic Mahabharata
- Yulong, the Dragon King of the West Sea in the Chinese classical novel Journey to the West, becomes a naga after completing his journey with Xuanzang
In popular culture
- Several Bollywood films have been made about female n?gas, including Nagin (1954), Nagin (1976), Nagina (1986), Nigahen (1989), Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani (2002), Hisss (2010), and the television series Naaginn (2007-2009).
- In Jungle Boy, the Naga is depicted as a large cobra deity that grants the gift of understanding all languages to those who are pure of heart and punishes those who aren't pure of heart in different ways.
- The Nagas are antagonists in the cartoon The Secret Saturdays. They served the ancient Sumerian cryptid Kur and attempted to push Zak Saturday into the dark side after learning that he was Kur reincarnated, but eventually served V.V. Argost when he gained his own Kur powers.
- The Nagas appear in the Warcraft franchise. They are depicted as ancient night elves that have snake-like tails in place of legs, and have other serpentine features such as scales and fins. The Nagas came to be when they were transformed from the ancient night elves by the Old Gods.
- Magic: The Gathering's 2014-2015 block, set on the plane of Tarkir, featured Naga as humanoid snakes versed in powerful venoms and poisons with two arms and no other appendages. They are aligned with the Sultai clan in the sets, Khans of Tarkir and Fate Reforged, and with the Silumgar clan in the Dragons of Tarkir set.
Gallery
See also
References
Further reading
External links
- Nagas in the Pali Canon
- Nagas
- Image of a Seven-Headed Naga
- Nagas and Serpents
- Depictions of Nagas in the area of Angkor Wat in Cambodia
- Nagas and Naginis: Serpent Figures in Hinduism and Buddhism
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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