NAGADEVATHAS-1 Puranic Nagas
Puranic Nagas are serpentine beings in Hinduism, believed tobe the sons of Kadru andsage Kashyapa, who inhabitthe underworld (Patala). They are prominent figures in Hindu mythology, oftenserving as guardians or having significant roles in epics like the Mahabharata. Prominent examples include Adi Shesha (Sheshanaga), upon whom Lord Vishnurests, and Vasuki, oneof the ropes used during thechurning of the ocean of milk. Origin and nature Parentage: According to the Mahabharata, the Nagas were bornto Kadru, who was one of Kashyapa's wives. This makes them related to Garuda, whowas born to Kadru's co-wife, Vinata, leading to their enmity. Realm: They are said to live in the subterranean world of Patala, a realm rich intreasures and ruled by powerful Naga kings. Appearance: They are depicted as serpent-like beings, sometimes with multiple heads, and are often associated with water and the underworld. Prominent PuranicNagas Adi Shesha (Shesha): The eldest of the thousand serpentsborn to Kadru. He has a thousand hoods and is the couch upon which Lord Vishnurests during his cosmic slumber. Vasuki: A powerful Naga king who played acrucial role in the churning of the ocean of milk (Samudra Manthan), acting asthe rope for the Mandar Mountain. Takshaka: Another king of the Nagas, he wasthe cause of the Takshaka's venomous bite that killed Parikshit and led to Janamejaya's serpentsacrifice, which was only stopped by the intervention of SaintAstika. Karkotaka: A transformative Naga known for hispowerful abilities. Padma: A wise Naga king who represents theconnection of Nagas to knowledge and righteousness. Shankhapala: A benevolent Naga who embodies theprotective and moral aspects of the Nagas. Significance inworship and culture Ashta Nagas: These are eight principal Nagas that are widelyworshipped. Their names vary slightly depending on the source, but ofteninclude Ananta, Vasuki, Takshaka, Karkotaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Shankhapala, and Kulika. Naga Panchami: A festival celebratedon the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Sravana in honorof the serpents, stemming from the events of the Mahabharata. Guardians: Nagas are frequently depicted as guardians of hiddentreasures, water sources, and the underworld, and are sometimes revered asprotectors of village. In various Asian religious traditions, the Nāgas are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings thatreside in the netherworld(Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-humanform, or are so depicted in art. Furthermore, nāgas are also known asdragons and water spirits. A female nāga is called a Nagini (Hindi: Nagin). According to legend, theyare the children of the sage Kashyapa and Kadru. Rituals devoted to these supernatural beings have beentaking place throughout South Asia for at least 2,000 years. They are principallydepicted in three forms: as entirely human with snakes on the heads and necks,as common serpents, or as half-human, half-snake beings in Hinduism andBuddhism. Nagaraja Nagaraja is the title given to the king of the nāgas.Narratives of these beings hold cultural significance in the mythologicaltraditions of many South Asian and Southeast Asian cultures, and withinHinduism and Buddhism. Communities such as the Nagavamshi, Khmer and Sri Lankan Tamils claimdescent from this race. Etymology In Sanskrit, a nāgá isa snake, most often depicted by the Indian cobra. There are several words for"snake" in general, and one of the very commonly used ones is sarpá .Sometimes the word nāgá is also used generically to mean "snake". Hinduism Nāgas, as a serpent-shaped group of deities that often takeform as cobras, are prominent in Hindu iconography, throughout Hindu texts(especially in the first book of the Mahabharata) and in local folk traditionsof worship. In some regions of theHimalaya, nāgas are regarded as the divine rulers of the region - as in KulluValley, in Berinag and in the valley of the Pindar River, which is believed tobe ruled by the ninefold Naiṇī Devī. Both in the Nilamata Puranaof Kashmir and in the Swayambhu Purana of Kathmandu, the respective regionbegins its history as a lake, populated by nāgas, which is later drained. Ramayana and Maha Bharatha Ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Mahabharata, the Ramayana,and the Puranas describe the nāgas as a powerful, splendid and proudsemi-divine species that can assume their physical form either as human (oftenwith a halo of cobra hoods behind their head), as a partially human serpent, oras a whole serpent. Their domain is in the enchanted underworld, the undergroundrealm filled with gems, gold and other earthly treasures called Naga-loka orPatala-loka. They are also often associated with bodies of waters—includingrivers, lakes, seas, and wells—and are guardians of treasure. Their power and venom make them potentially dangerous tohumans. However, in Hindu mythology, theyoften take the role of benevolent protagonists: in the Samudra Manthana,Vasuki, a nagaraja who abides on Shiva's neck, became the churning rope forchurning of theOcean of Milk. Theireternal archival is the Garuda, the legendary semi-divine bird-like deity. Prominent deities and Serpents Vishnu is originally portrayed in the formsheltered by Sheshanāga or reclining on Shesha, but the iconography has beenextended to other deities as well. Ganesha-The serpent is a common feature inGanesha iconography, and appears in many forms: around the neck, use as asacred thread wrapped around the stomach as a belt, held in a hand, coiled atthe ankles, or as a throne. Shiva is often shown garlanded with asnake. Sage Patanjali is thought to be a manifestation ofthe serpent of eternity". Folk traditions In South India, termite hills are believed to be the dwellingplace of female nagammas. Literature The Mahabharata epic is the first text that introduces nāgas;it describes them in detail and narrates their stories. The cosmic snakeShesha, the nagarajas (nāga kings) Vasuki, Takshaka, Airavata and Karkotaka,and the princess Ulupi,are all depicted in the Mahabharata. The Brahma Purana describes the reign of Adishesha asthe king of the serpents in Patala: During the night the light of the moon is not utilised forits coolness but only for illumination. O brahmins, the forests, rivers, lakes, and lotus ponds, thecooing of the cuckoo and other sweet birds, the pleasing skies, the unguentsand the continuous notes and sounds of musical instruments such as the lute,flute and Mṛdaṅga drums, O brahmins—all these and other beautiful things are enjoyed by virtue of their good luckby Dānavas, Daityas and Nāgas residing in Pātāla. The Tāmasī form ofViṣṇu, named Śeṣa is beneath the lower regions. Daityas and Dānavas are not capable of recounting hisgood qualities. He is honoured by Devas andcelestial sages. He is spoken of as Ananta. He has a thousand hoods and he isclearly bedecked in Svastika ornaments devoid of impurities. He illuminates allquarters by thousand jewels on his hoods. — Brahma Purana, Chapter 19 The Kamba Ramayana describes the role of Vasuki in theSamudra Manthana: The devas and the asuras decided to get Amrta (Ambrosia—thecelestial honey of immortality) by churning the sea of milk. The Devas went tobring Mandara-mountain, to be used as the churning rod. Their attempt wasfutile. The asuras made a trial with the same result. The Bhūtagaṇas (Guards)of Śiva also made a vain attempt. On the instruction of Viṣṇu, Garuḍa went and brought the mountain aseasily as an eagle takes away a frog. Now Vāsuki should be brought. The Devas and Gandharvas failedin that attempt also. Garuḍa who was haughty of his strength and speed, wentto the city of the nāgas (serpents) and requested Vāsuki to come to the sea ofMilk. Vāsuki replied that if the matter was so urgent he had no objection forbeing carried to that place. He took the middle part of Vāsuki in his beak and flew up higher andhigher and reached beyond the horizon. Still the lower half ofVāsuki was lying on the ground. So he took Vāsuki in his beak as folded in two.Still the result was the same. Garuḍa became aware of theimpossibility of carrying Vāsuki and returned, ashamed and disappointed.Viṣṇu rebuked him for his arrogance. After this, Śiva stretched his hand to Pātāla.Vāsuki became a smallbangle on that hand. Thus Vāsuki was brought to the shore of the sea ofMilk. — Kambar, Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda The Devi Bhagavata Purana describes the legend ofManasa: Manasā is the mind-born daughter of Maharṣi Kaśyapa;hence she is namedManasā; or it maybe She who plays with the mind is Manasā. Or it maybe She whomeditates on God with her mind and gets rapture in Her meditation of God isnamed Manasā. She findspleasure in Her Own Self, the great devotee of Viṣṇu, a Siddha Yoginī. For three Yugas She worshipped Śrī Kṛṣṇa and then She becamea Siddha Yoginī. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Gopīs, seeing the body of Manasālean and thin due to austerities, or seeing her worn out like the Muni JaratKāru called her by the nameof Jarat Kāru. Hence Her name has come also to be Jarat Kāru. Kṛṣṇa,the Ocean of Mercy, gave her out of kindness, Her desired boon; She worshipped Him and Śrī Kṛṣṇaalso worshipped Her. Devī Manasā is known in the Heavens, in the abode of theNāgas (serpents), in earth, in Brahmāloka, in all the worlds as of very faircolour, beautiful and charming. She is named Jagad Gaurī as she is of a veryfair colour in the world.Her other name is Śaivī and she is the disciple of Śiva. She is named Vaiṣṇavīas she is greatly devoted to Viṣṇu. She saved the Nāgas in the SnakeSacrifice performed by Pariksit, she is named Nageśvarī and Nāga Bhaginī andShe is capable to destroy the effects of poison. She is called Viṣahari. Shegot the Siddha yoga from Mahādeva; hence She is named Siddha Yoginī — Devi Bhagavata Purana, Chapter 47 Do you know about theNine Naag Devatas in Ancient Hinduism ? The names of the 9 Naag Devatas are: 1) Ananta2) Vasuki3) Shesha4) Padmanabh5) Kambal6) Shankhapal7)Dhrutrashtra8) Takshaka9) Kalia My note- There is small change of names. Hence retold Nagas are fierce deities, full of occult power and prone tobe offended, but on the other hand all the major Indic religions, HinduBuddhist and Jain have given them a prominent place of honour which endures tothis day. They were great benefactors to manavas or humans. Srimad Bhagavad (5:24-31): Some more interesting information I will cover as part 2 Gopalakrishnan 14-10-2025 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/2120616506.1889389.1760445243402%40mail.yahoo.com.
