Difference between revisions of "Naga" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Laonaga.JPG|thumb|200px|A naga guarding the Temple of Wat Sisaket in Vientiane, Laos]] | [[Image:Laonaga.JPG|thumb|200px|A naga guarding the Temple of Wat Sisaket in Vientiane, Laos]] | ||
| − | '''Nāga''' ([[Sanskrit]]:{{unicode|नाग}}) | + | '''Nāga''' ([[Sanskrit]]:{{unicode|नाग}}) refers to a mythological race of large serpentine creatures. These creatures abound in the mythologies of [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]]. The use of the term '''nāga''' is often ambiguous, as the word may also refer, in similar contexts, to ordinary snakes (particularly the King Cobra and the Indian Cobra), elephants, or to one of several human tribes known as or nicknamed "Nāgas". A female nāga is a '''nāgī'''. |
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
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The Nagas make numerous appearances in the great epic [[Mahabharata]], though their depiction tends toward the negative, as they are portrayed as the deserving victims of misforture on several occassions. However, nagas are important players in many of the events narrated in the epic, demonstrating themselves to be no more evil nor deceitful than the Epic's protagonists. The epic frequently characterizes Nagas as having a mixture of human and serpent-like traits. For example, the story of how the Naga prince [[Shesha|Sesha]] came to hold the world on his head begins with a scene in which he appears as a dedicated human ascetic. [[Brahman]] is pleased with Shesha, and entrusts him with the duty of carrying the world. From that point on, Shesha begins to exhibit the attributes of a serpent, entering into a hole in the Earth and slithering all the way to bottom, where he then loads the Earth onto his head. (Book I: Adi Parva, Section 36.) | The Nagas make numerous appearances in the great epic [[Mahabharata]], though their depiction tends toward the negative, as they are portrayed as the deserving victims of misforture on several occassions. However, nagas are important players in many of the events narrated in the epic, demonstrating themselves to be no more evil nor deceitful than the Epic's protagonists. The epic frequently characterizes Nagas as having a mixture of human and serpent-like traits. For example, the story of how the Naga prince [[Shesha|Sesha]] came to hold the world on his head begins with a scene in which he appears as a dedicated human ascetic. [[Brahman]] is pleased with Shesha, and entrusts him with the duty of carrying the world. From that point on, Shesha begins to exhibit the attributes of a serpent, entering into a hole in the Earth and slithering all the way to bottom, where he then loads the Earth onto his head. (Book I: Adi Parva, Section 36.) | ||
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The Mahabharata establishes the gigantic bird-man [[Garuda]] as the great nemesis of the Nagas. Garuda and the Nagas actually begin life as cousins. The sage Kasyapa had two wives, Kadru and Vinata, the former of whom desired many offspring, and the latter of whom desired few (albeit powerful). Each got her wish: Kadru laid 1000 eggs which hatched into snakes, and Vinata laid but two, which hatched into the [[Surya]]'s charioteer and Garuda. Kadru went on to make a bet with her sister Vinata, with the overarching condition being that the loser would be enslaved to the winner. Anxious to secure victory, Kadru requested the cooperation of her offspring in order to fix the bet so that she would win. When her offspring balked at the request, Kadru grew angry and cursed them to die a fiery death in the snake-sacrifice of King [[Janamejaya]]. The king of the snakes [[Vasuki]] was aware of the curse, and knew that his brethren would need a hero to rescue them from it. He approached the renowned ascetic Jaratkaru with a proposal of marriage to a snake-maiden, Vasuki's own sister. Out of the union of the ascetic and the snake-maiden was born a son was named [[Astika]], and he was to be the savior of the snakes. | The Mahabharata establishes the gigantic bird-man [[Garuda]] as the great nemesis of the Nagas. Garuda and the Nagas actually begin life as cousins. The sage Kasyapa had two wives, Kadru and Vinata, the former of whom desired many offspring, and the latter of whom desired few (albeit powerful). Each got her wish: Kadru laid 1000 eggs which hatched into snakes, and Vinata laid but two, which hatched into the [[Surya]]'s charioteer and Garuda. Kadru went on to make a bet with her sister Vinata, with the overarching condition being that the loser would be enslaved to the winner. Anxious to secure victory, Kadru requested the cooperation of her offspring in order to fix the bet so that she would win. When her offspring balked at the request, Kadru grew angry and cursed them to die a fiery death in the snake-sacrifice of King [[Janamejaya]]. The king of the snakes [[Vasuki]] was aware of the curse, and knew that his brethren would need a hero to rescue them from it. He approached the renowned ascetic Jaratkaru with a proposal of marriage to a snake-maiden, Vasuki's own sister. Out of the union of the ascetic and the snake-maiden was born a son was named [[Astika]], and he was to be the savior of the snakes. | ||
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In accordance with Kadru's curse, Janamejaya prepared a snake sacrifice of a type described in the scriptures, the [[Puranas]]. He erected a sacrificial platform and hired priests and other professionals needed for the rites. Following the proper form, the priests lit the sacrificial fire, duly fed it with [[clarified butter]], uttered the required [[mantra]]s, and began calling the names of snakes. The power of the rite was such that the named snakes were summoned to the fire and were consumed by it. As the sacrifice took on genocidal proportions, Astika came to the rescue. He approached Janamejaya and praised the sacrifice in such eloquent terms that the king offered to grant him a boon of his choosing. Astika promptly requested that the sacrifice be terminated. Though initially regretful of his offer, Janamejaya was true to his word, and the sacrifice came to an end. (Book I: Adi Parva, Sections 13-58.) | In accordance with Kadru's curse, Janamejaya prepared a snake sacrifice of a type described in the scriptures, the [[Puranas]]. He erected a sacrificial platform and hired priests and other professionals needed for the rites. Following the proper form, the priests lit the sacrificial fire, duly fed it with [[clarified butter]], uttered the required [[mantra]]s, and began calling the names of snakes. The power of the rite was such that the named snakes were summoned to the fire and were consumed by it. As the sacrifice took on genocidal proportions, Astika came to the rescue. He approached Janamejaya and praised the sacrifice in such eloquent terms that the king offered to grant him a boon of his choosing. Astika promptly requested that the sacrifice be terminated. Though initially regretful of his offer, Janamejaya was true to his word, and the sacrifice came to an end. (Book I: Adi Parva, Sections 13-58.) | ||
| − | Kadru wound up winning the bet anyway and Vinata became enslaved to her victorious sister. As a result, Vinata's son Garuda was required to do the bidding of the snakes. Though compliant, he built up a considerable grudge against his masters that he would never relinquish. When he asked the snakes what he would have to do in order to be released from his bondage, they suggested that he would have to bring them [[amrita]], the elixir of immortality which was in the possession of the gods in heaven, chiefly [[Indra]]. Garuda deftly stole the elixir from the gods and brought it to the anxiously waiting nagas, fulfilling their request. Upon handing them the pot of nectar, Garuda requested that they cover it with sharp, spiky Darbha grass while taking their purificatory bath. Placing the elixir on the grass, and thereby liberating his mother Vinata from her servitude, Garuda urged the serpents to perform their religious ablutions before consuming it. As the nagas hurried off to do so, Indra descended from the sky and made off with the elixir, returning it to heaven. When the nagas came back, they licked the darbha grass in absence of the pot, hoping to indulge in the power of the elixir. Instead they cut their tounges, and were left with the forked tounges typical of serpents. From that point onward, the nagas considered Garuda an enemy, and Garuda considered the nagas to be food. | + | Kadru wound up winning the bet anyway and Vinata became enslaved to her victorious sister. As a result, Vinata's son Garuda was required to do the bidding of the snakes. Though compliant, he built up a considerable grudge against his masters that he would never relinquish. When he asked the snakes what he would have to do in order to be released from his bondage, they suggested that he would have to bring them [[amrita]], the elixir of immortality which was in the possession of the gods in heaven, chiefly [[Indra]]. Garuda deftly stole the elixir from the gods and brought it to the anxiously waiting nagas, fulfilling their request. Upon handing them the pot of nectar, Garuda requested that they cover it with sharp, spiky Darbha grass while taking their purificatory bath. Placing the elixir on the grass, and thereby liberating his mother Vinata from her servitude, Garuda urged the serpents to perform their religious ablutions before consuming it. As the nagas hurried off to do so, Indra descended from the sky and made off with the elixir, returning it to heaven. When the nagas came back, they licked the darbha grass in absence of the pot, hoping to indulge in the power of the elixir. Instead they cut their tounges, and were left with the forked tounges typical of serpents. From that point onward, the nagas considered Garuda an enemy, and Garuda considered the nagas to be food. |
| − | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Anantavishnu.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Vishnu]] resting on Ananta-[[Shesha]], with consort [[Lakshmi]].]] |
A number of other stories found in the Mahabharata involve the Nagas. One involves the famous story involving the churning of the milk ocean, which is found in Book I: Adi Parva, Section 18 (in addition to the Kurma Purana). Here the gods and the asuras attempt to work together to churn the milk ocean in hopes of mixing together the elixir of immortality. The serpent king [[Vasuki]] helped the gods in their task by serving as the churning rope. After wrapping the snake around the massive Mount [[Mandara]], the devas pulled him first one way and then the other in order to stir up the depths of the ocean. | A number of other stories found in the Mahabharata involve the Nagas. One involves the famous story involving the churning of the milk ocean, which is found in Book I: Adi Parva, Section 18 (in addition to the Kurma Purana). Here the gods and the asuras attempt to work together to churn the milk ocean in hopes of mixing together the elixir of immortality. The serpent king [[Vasuki]] helped the gods in their task by serving as the churning rope. After wrapping the snake around the massive Mount [[Mandara]], the devas pulled him first one way and then the other in order to stir up the depths of the ocean. | ||
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The Buddhist nāga generally has the form of a large cobra-like snake, usually with a single head but sometimes with a multiplicity. At least some of the nāgas are capable of using magic powers to transform themselves into a human semblance. Accordingly, in some Buddhist paintings, the nāga is portrayed as a human being with a snake or dragon extending over his head. In these anthropomorphic forms, cobra heads often spring from the neck. Legend has it that one nāga 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 man, able to become a monk. The Buddha is often shown conquering the nagas, probably suggestion his ability to overcome the natural world by way of his perfected virtues. Candidates for monkhood must also be able to tame their physical desires in a similar way if they wish to attain nirvana; accordingly, such candidates are called ''nag''. | The Buddhist nāga generally has the form of a large cobra-like snake, usually with a single head but sometimes with a multiplicity. At least some of the nāgas are capable of using magic powers to transform themselves into a human semblance. Accordingly, in some Buddhist paintings, the nāga is portrayed as a human being with a snake or dragon extending over his head. In these anthropomorphic forms, cobra heads often spring from the neck. Legend has it that one nāga 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 man, able to become a monk. The Buddha is often shown conquering the nagas, probably suggestion his ability to overcome the natural world by way of his perfected virtues. Candidates for monkhood must also be able to tame their physical desires in a similar way if they wish to attain nirvana; accordingly, such candidates are called ''nag''. | ||
| − | Nāgas are believed to both live on Mount [[Sumeru]], among the other minor deities, where they stand on guards against the [[Asura (Buddhism)|Asuras]] | + | Nāgas are believed to both live on Mount [[Sumeru]], among the other minor deities, where they stand on guards against the [[Asura (Buddhism)|Asuras]]. They are also the servants of {{IAST|Virūpākṣa}} (Pāli: Virūpakkha), guardian of the western directionone and one of the [[Four Heavenly Kings]]. Nagas are also said to make their homes in various parts of the human-inhabited earth. Some of them are water-dwellers, living in rivers or the ocean; others are earth-dwellers, living in underground caverns, roots of trees, or in anthills, all of which are held to be thresholds leading to the underworld. |
Among the notable nāgas of Buddhist tradition are [[Mucalinda]] and [[Nagarjuna]]. Mucalinda, a naga king, is the protector of the Buddha, and in artistic and mythological illustrations, Muclinda is commonly shown offering the post-nirvana protection from the elements by way of his many heads. According to tradition the [[Prajnaparamita]] [[Terma (Buddhism)|terma]] teachings are held to have been conferred upon [[Nargajuna]] by [[Nagaraja]], the King of the [[naga]]s, who had been guarding them at the bottom of a [[lake]]. Nagarjuna's name itself derives from the conjunction of ''naga'' with the term ''arjuna'', meaning hero. | Among the notable nāgas of Buddhist tradition are [[Mucalinda]] and [[Nagarjuna]]. Mucalinda, a naga king, is the protector of the Buddha, and in artistic and mythological illustrations, Muclinda is commonly shown offering the post-nirvana protection from the elements by way of his many heads. According to tradition the [[Prajnaparamita]] [[Terma (Buddhism)|terma]] teachings are held to have been conferred upon [[Nargajuna]] by [[Nagaraja]], the King of the [[naga]]s, who had been guarding them at the bottom of a [[lake]]. Nagarjuna's name itself derives from the conjunction of ''naga'' with the term ''arjuna'', meaning hero. | ||
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==Other nāga traditions== | ==Other nāga traditions== | ||
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| + | ===Nāgas in Cambodia=== | ||
| + | [[Image:NagaPhnomPenh.jpg|thumb|280px|right|Cambodian Naga at the Royal Palace in [[Phnom Penh]]]] | ||
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| + | According to [[Cambodian]] legend, the '''nāga''' were a race of reptilian beings who possessed a large empire in the Pacific Ocean region. The Nāga King's daughter married an Indian Brahmana named Kaundinya, and from their union sprang the Cambodian people. This is why Cambodians today claim that they are "Born from the Nāga". The Seven-Headed Nāga serpents depicted as statues on Cambodian temples, such as [[Angkor Wat]], apparently represent the seven races within Nāga society which has a symbolic association with "the seven colors of the rainbow". Furthermore, the number of heads on the Cambodian Nāga possess numerological symbolism: Odd-headed Nāga symbolise the infinite, timeless and immortal male energy, because numerologically, all odd numbers are said to rely on the number one. Even-headed Nāga are said to be female, representing the oppostie characteristics of physicality, mortality, temporality, and the Earth. | ||
===Naga in Lake Chinni=== | ===Naga in Lake Chinni=== | ||
In Malay and Orang Asli traditions, nāgas are a variation of dragon with many heads. Sailors are particularly wary when travelling the lake Chinni located in [[Pahang]], which is said to be 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. Notably, Kemboja is the former name of what is now Cambodia. | In Malay and Orang Asli traditions, nāgas are a variation of dragon with many heads. Sailors are particularly wary when travelling the lake Chinni located in [[Pahang]], which is said to be 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. Notably, Kemboja is the former name of what is now Cambodia. | ||
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===Nāgas in the Mekong=== | ===Nāgas in the Mekong=== | ||
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| − | The legend of the Nāga is a strong and sacred belief held by Lao and Thai people living along the Mekong River. Many pay their respects to the river because they believe the Nāga still rule in it, and locals hold an annual sacrifice for | + | The legend of the Nāga is a strong and sacred belief held by Lao, Javanese and Thai people living along the Mekong River. In [[Thailand]] and [[Java (island)|Java]], the nāga is a wealthy [[underworld]] deity. In [[Laos]], by contrast, they are beaked water serpents. Many members of all three cultures pay their respects to the river because they believe the Nāga still rule in it, and locals hold an annual sacrifice for its benefit. Local residents believe that the Nāga can protect them from danger, so they are likely to make a sacrifice to Nāga before taking a boat trip along the Mekong River. |
| − | + | In addition, every year on the night of 15th day of 11th month in the Lao lunar calendar at the end of Buddhist Lent, an extraordinary phenomenon occurs in the area of the Mekong River stretching over 20 kilometres between Pak-Ngeum district, about 80 kilometres south of the Lao capital Vientiane, and Phonephisai district in Nong Khai province, Thailand; that is, fireballs spew up from the river. Everyone had doubts about this extraordinary occurrence, but later accepted what they knew as facts about the fireball: it was not staged by humans, but happened naturally. So from then on, villagers on both sides of the river called this phenomenon the Nāga's Fireball. They believe that Nāga under Mekong River shoot the fireball into the air to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent, because Nāga also meditate during this time.<ref>http://www.thaifolk.com/doc/literate/payanak/payanak_e.htm</ref> | |
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
Revision as of 04:11, 17 November 2007
Nāga (Sanskrit:नाग) refers to a mythological race of large serpentine creatures. These creatures abound in the mythologies of Hinduism and Buddhism. The use of the term nāga is often ambiguous, as the word may also refer, in similar contexts, to ordinary snakes (particularly the King Cobra and the Indian Cobra), elephants, or to one of several human tribes known as or nicknamed "Nāgas". A female nāga is a nāgī.
Etymology
In Sanskrit, a nāgaḥ (नागः) is a cobra, a specific type of snake (hooded snake). The Indian Cobra, is still called nāg in Hindi and other languages of India today. A synonym for nāgaḥ is phaṇin (फणिन्). There are several words for "snake" in general, and one of the very commonly-used ones is sarpaḥ (सर्पः). Sometimes the word nāgaḥ is also used generically to mean "snake". [1]
Nāgas in Hinduism
Stories involving the nāgas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in predominantly Hindu regions of Asia, including India, Nepal, and the island of Bali. In India, nāgas are considered nature spirits and the protectors of bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, seas, springs, and wells. If properly worshipped, they bring rain, and therefore wealth and fertility. However, they are also thought to bring disasters such as floods, famine and drought if they are slighted by humankind's disrespectful actions in relation to the environment, since such action impinges upon their natural habitats.
Perhaps the most famous naga in the Hindu tradition is Sesha, the world serpent with a hundred heads. He is often portrayed along with Vishnu, who is either sheltered by or reclined upon him. Balarama, brother of Lord Krishna who is sometimes considered an incarnation of Vishnu himself, has also been identified as an incarnation of Shesha. The serpent is not exclusively linked with Vishnu, and is also a common feature in Ganesha iconography and appears in many forms, usually around the neck or around the belly, wrapped around the stomach as a belt, held in a hand, coiled at the ankles, or as a throne. Shiva is also commonly shown garlanded with a snake around his neck, and Shiva lingas are often shown sheltered by the many heads of the naga.
Nagas in the Mahabharata
The Nagas make numerous appearances in the great epic Mahabharata, though their depiction tends toward the negative, as they are portrayed as the deserving victims of misforture on several occassions. However, nagas are important players in many of the events narrated in the epic, demonstrating themselves to be no more evil nor deceitful than the Epic's protagonists. The epic frequently characterizes Nagas as having a mixture of human and serpent-like traits. For example, the story of how the Naga prince Sesha came to hold the world on his head begins with a scene in which he appears as a dedicated human ascetic. Brahman is pleased with Shesha, and entrusts him with the duty of carrying the world. From that point on, Shesha begins to exhibit the attributes of a serpent, entering into a hole in the Earth and slithering all the way to bottom, where he then loads the Earth onto his head. (Book I: Adi Parva, Section 36.)
The Mahabharata establishes the gigantic bird-man Garuda as the great nemesis of the Nagas. Garuda and the Nagas actually begin life as cousins. The sage Kasyapa had two wives, Kadru and Vinata, the former of whom desired many offspring, and the latter of whom desired few (albeit powerful). Each got her wish: Kadru laid 1000 eggs which hatched into snakes, and Vinata laid but two, which hatched into the Surya's charioteer and Garuda. Kadru went on to make a bet with her sister Vinata, with the overarching condition being that the loser would be enslaved to the winner. Anxious to secure victory, Kadru requested the cooperation of her offspring in order to fix the bet so that she would win. When her offspring balked at the request, Kadru grew angry and cursed them to die a fiery death in the snake-sacrifice of King Janamejaya. The king of the snakes Vasuki was aware of the curse, and knew that his brethren would need a hero to rescue them from it. He approached the renowned ascetic Jaratkaru with a proposal of marriage to a snake-maiden, Vasuki's own sister. Out of the union of the ascetic and the snake-maiden was born a son was named Astika, and he was to be the savior of the snakes.
In accordance with Kadru's curse, Janamejaya prepared a snake sacrifice of a type described in the scriptures, the Puranas. He erected a sacrificial platform and hired priests and other professionals needed for the rites. Following the proper form, the priests lit the sacrificial fire, duly fed it with clarified butter, uttered the required mantras, and began calling the names of snakes. The power of the rite was such that the named snakes were summoned to the fire and were consumed by it. As the sacrifice took on genocidal proportions, Astika came to the rescue. He approached Janamejaya and praised the sacrifice in such eloquent terms that the king offered to grant him a boon of his choosing. Astika promptly requested that the sacrifice be terminated. Though initially regretful of his offer, Janamejaya was true to his word, and the sacrifice came to an end. (Book I: Adi Parva, Sections 13-58.)
Kadru wound up winning the bet anyway and Vinata became enslaved to her victorious sister. As a result, Vinata's son Garuda was required to do the bidding of the snakes. Though compliant, he built up a considerable grudge against his masters that he would never relinquish. When he asked the snakes what he would have to do in order to be released from his bondage, they suggested that he would have to bring them amrita, the elixir of immortality which was in the possession of the gods in heaven, chiefly Indra. Garuda deftly stole the elixir from the gods and brought it to the anxiously waiting nagas, fulfilling their request. Upon handing them the pot of nectar, Garuda requested that they cover it with sharp, spiky Darbha grass while taking their purificatory bath. Placing the elixir on the grass, and thereby liberating his mother Vinata from her servitude, Garuda urged the serpents to perform their religious ablutions before consuming it. As the nagas hurried off to do so, Indra descended from the sky and made off with the elixir, returning it to heaven. When the nagas came back, they licked the darbha grass in absence of the pot, hoping to indulge in the power of the elixir. Instead they cut their tounges, and were left with the forked tounges typical of serpents. From that point onward, the nagas considered Garuda an enemy, and Garuda considered the nagas to be food.
A number of other stories found in the Mahabharata involve the Nagas. One involves the famous story involving the churning of the milk ocean, which is found in Book I: Adi Parva, Section 18 (in addition to the Kurma Purana). Here the gods and the asuras attempt to work together to churn the milk ocean in hopes of mixing together the elixir of immortality. The serpent king Vasuki helped the gods in their task by serving as the churning rope. After wrapping the snake around the massive Mount Mandara, the devas pulled him first one way and then the other in order to stir up the depths of the ocean.
Later on in Book I: Adi Parva, Section 216, the naga princess Ulupi bears a son Iravat by the Pandava hero Arjuna. Though he had the support of many nagas, Iravat was eventually slain by the Rakshasa Alamvusha at the battle of Kurukshetra in Book VI: Bhishma Parva, Section 91. Matali, the charioteer of the god Indra approached the naga Aryaka with the proposal that his handsome grandson Sumukha marry his daughter Gunakesi. Aryaka denied the request, citing the fact that Garuda had already declared his intent to devour the comely youth, having previously murdered his father. Matali, however, persuaded Indra and Vishnu to give Sumukha a draught of amrita, which Sumukha drank, rendering him impervious to any assault by the lord of the birds. The young couple were happily married.
Worship
Nagas are objects of great reverence in some parts of southern India where it is believe that they bring fertility and prosperity to their worshippers. Here they are closely associated with South Asian kingship. Hence, expensive and grand rituals are conducted in their honour. One of the foremost is Nagamandala. This festival beginning in conjunction with the monsoon season in Coastal Karnataka and Kerala and commemorates the significance of the serpent as a symbol of fertility and life. The ritual is carried out by two groups of performers: the 'paatri' (a Brahmin) who becomes possessed by the cobran god after inhaling areca flowers, and the Naagakannika, a male dressed in the disguise of a female serpent. This character sings and dances around an elaborate serpent design drawn upon the ground in five different natural colors. This dance continues all through the night while Brahmins utter mantras in Sanskrit.[2]
Nāgas in Buddhism
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The Buddhist nāga generally has the form of a large cobra-like snake, usually with a single head but sometimes with a multiplicity. At least some of the nāgas are capable of using magic powers to transform themselves into a human semblance. Accordingly, in some Buddhist paintings, the nāga is portrayed as a human being with a snake or dragon extending over his head. In these anthropomorphic forms, cobra heads often spring from the neck. Legend has it that one nāga 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 man, able to become a monk. The Buddha is often shown conquering the nagas, probably suggestion his ability to overcome the natural world by way of his perfected virtues. Candidates for monkhood must also be able to tame their physical desires in a similar way if they wish to attain nirvana; accordingly, such candidates are called nag.
Nāgas are believed to both live on Mount Sumeru, among the other minor deities, where they stand on guards against the Asuras. They are also the servants of Virūpākṣa (Pāli: Virūpakkha), guardian of the western directionone and one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Nagas are also said to make their homes in various parts of the human-inhabited earth. Some of them are water-dwellers, living in rivers or the ocean; others are earth-dwellers, living in underground caverns, roots of trees, or in anthills, all of which are held to be thresholds leading to the underworld.
Among the notable nāgas of Buddhist tradition are Mucalinda and Nagarjuna. Mucalinda, a naga king, is the protector of the Buddha, and in artistic and mythological illustrations, Muclinda is commonly shown offering the post-nirvana protection from the elements by way of his many heads. According to tradition the Prajnaparamita terma teachings are held to have been conferred upon Nargajuna by Nagaraja, the King of the nagas, who had been guarding them at the bottom of a lake. Nagarjuna's name itself derives from the conjunction of naga with the term arjuna, meaning hero.
Traditions about nāgas are also very common in all the Buddhist countries of Asia. In many countries, the nāga concept has been merged with local traditions of large and intelligent serpents or dragons. In Tibet, the nāga was equated with the klu (pronounced lu), spirits that dwell in lakes or underground streams and guard treasure. In China, the nāga was equated with the lóng or Chinese dragon.
Other nāga traditions
Nāgas in Cambodia
According to Cambodian legend, the nāga were a race of reptilian beings who possessed a large empire in the Pacific Ocean region. The Nāga King's daughter married an Indian Brahmana named Kaundinya, and from their union sprang the Cambodian people. This is why Cambodians today claim that they are "Born from the Nāga". The Seven-Headed Nāga serpents depicted as statues on Cambodian temples, such as Angkor Wat, apparently represent the seven races within Nāga society which has a symbolic association with "the seven colors of the rainbow". Furthermore, the number of heads on the Cambodian Nāga possess numerological symbolism: Odd-headed Nāga symbolise the infinite, timeless and immortal male energy, because numerologically, all odd numbers are said to rely on the number one. Even-headed Nāga are said to be female, representing the oppostie characteristics of physicality, mortality, temporality, and the Earth.
Naga in Lake Chinni
In Malay and Orang Asli traditions, nāgas are a variation of dragon with many heads. Sailors are particularly wary when travelling the lake Chinni located in Pahang, which is said to be 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. Notably, Kemboja is the former name of what is now Cambodia.
Nāgas in the Mekong
The legend of the Nāga is a strong and sacred belief held by Lao, Javanese and Thai people living along the Mekong River. In Thailand and Java, the nāga is a wealthy underworld deity. In Laos, by contrast, they are beaked water serpents. Many members of all three cultures pay their respects to the river because they believe the Nāga still rule in it, and locals hold an annual sacrifice for its benefit. Local residents believe that the Nāga can protect them from danger, so they are likely to make a sacrifice to Nāga before taking a boat trip along the Mekong River.
In addition, every year on the night of 15th day of 11th month in the Lao lunar calendar at the end of Buddhist Lent, an extraordinary phenomenon occurs in the area of the Mekong River stretching over 20 kilometres between Pak-Ngeum district, about 80 kilometres south of the Lao capital Vientiane, and Phonephisai district in Nong Khai province, Thailand; that is, fireballs spew up from the river. Everyone had doubts about this extraordinary occurrence, but later accepted what they knew as facts about the fireball: it was not staged by humans, but happened naturally. So from then on, villagers on both sides of the river called this phenomenon the Nāga's Fireball. They believe that Nāga under Mekong River shoot the fireball into the air to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent, because Nāga also meditate during this time.[3]
Notes
- ↑ For the specific terminology for cobra see p. 432, Vaman Shivram Apte, The Student's English-Sanskrit Dictionary (Motilal Banarsidass: 2002 reprint edition) ISBN 81-208-0299-3.
- ↑ http://www.udupipages.com/home/temple/naga.html
- ↑ http://www.thaifolk.com/doc/literate/payanak/payanak_e.htm
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Beer, Robert (1999). The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (Hardcover). Shambhala. ISBN-10: 157062416X, ISBN-13: 978-1570624162
- Claudia Müller-Ebeling, Claudia and Christian Rätsch and Surendra Bahadur Shahi (2002). Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas. Transl. by Annabel Lee. Rochester, Vt.: Inner Traditions.
- Maehle, Gregor (2007). Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy (Paperback). New World Library. ISBN-10: 1577316061 & ISBN-13: 978-1577316060
- Norbu, Chögyal Namkhai (1999). The Crystal and The Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-135-9
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
- Snake Worship in southern India.
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