Naga

नाग

Naga

Ancientwell-documentedHinduBuddhistJainIndian SubcontinentSoutheast Asia
Origin

Born from the great sage Kashyapa and his wife Kadru, the nagas are among the earliest beings in the cosmos. Their king Shesha holds the world on his thousand hoods; Vasuki served as the churning rope of the cosmic ocean.

Appearance

Human from the waist up, serpent below. In full serpent form, a massive cobra with a jeweled crest. The hood spreads wide and is marked with divine patterns. The most powerful have multiple heads.

Abilities

Control over rain, rivers, and fertility. Guard vast underground treasures. Can grant boons or curses of great potency. Their poison can kill or cure. Serve as cosmic guardians of the underworld realms.

Weaknesses & Wards

Weaknesses

  • mantra
    Garuda Mantra (their ancient enemy is Garuda the eagle)

Wards

  • ritual
    Nag Panchami — milk offerings and prayers to naga deities
  • substance
    Milk and turmeric offered at anthill
Sources
  1. [1]
    Nagas: The Ancient Ones. Sivaramamurti, C. 1967. Nagas in Indian Art. National Museum of India.academic
  2. [2]
    The Mahabharata. Vyasa. c. 4th century BCE. Mahabharata. (Ganguli, K.M., trans. 1896)literary
well-documented