In Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Nāga are divine, supernatural water-serpent deities that are often depicted as having human heads and the tails of snakes. Nāgas are prominent in Southeast Asian folklore and are important figures in Hinduism and Buddhism, especially in mainland Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. As serpent deities, Nāgas are associated with water, seas, oceans, and rivers, and are often depicted as guardians of treasure and holders of secrets. They represent fertility and possess divine powers over rain and water.
Hindu Mythology
In Hindu mythology, Nāgas are often depicted as antagonists to the gods but can also act as their allies. They typically live in the underworld or in water and have magical powers. It is believed that Nāgas originally were divine, animistic snakes associated with waters. Some Nāgas attained the rank of protectors andBringers of rain. The sacred churning of the ocean between the gods and demons as mentioned in Hindu mythology involved Vasuki, the king of Nāgas, willingly offering himself to be used as the churning rope. He is depicted as being used to churn the ocean of milk to produce things like the amṛta, the Elixir of Immortality.
Some important Nāgas in Hindu mythology include Vasuki, Shesha, Takshaka, Karkotaka among others. Vasuki is regarded as the king of all Nāgas and aided the gods in the famous churning of the oceans. Shesha is the divine Nāga associated with the supreme god Vishnu and serves as his symbol in Hindu art. Depicted as having thousands of hoods, Shesha holds all the planets of the universe on his hoods and constantly sings the glories of Vishnu. Takshaka is considered an important but malevolent Nāga in Hindu texts while Karkotaka is regarded as an unruly and fearsome Nāga.
Buddhist Mythology
In Buddhist mythology, Nāgas are regarded as powerful, beneficent mythical beings and divine protectors who inhabit the underwater world but have the power to take human form and intermarry with humans. They are generally depicted as helpful to the Buddha and early Buddhists. For example, when the Buddha was meditating after attaining enlightenment, the divine Nāga Mucalinda rose from his place beneath the earth and enveloped the Buddha in his many coils to protect him from a storm for seven days.
Nāgas are portrayed as guardians of Buddhist teaching, protectors of Buddhist sites, and friends of Buddhist practitioners in various Buddhist texts. Due to their association with water and underground regions, Nāgas are considered the protectors of hidden treasures, medicinal herbs, and sacred Buddhist sites in Southeast Asia. Powerful Buddhist Nāgas like Manasvin, Uppalavanna, Chabbisodhana, and Chula are revered in Buddhist mythology. Nāga were especially prominent in Sri Lankan Buddhism where they are considered guardians against disasters and drought.
Symbolism and Cultural Significance
Due to their association with waters, rainfall and fertility, Nāgas take on spiritual, cultural and symbolic significance in Hinduism and Buddhism across mainland Southeast Asia. They are revered as powerful divine beings that can bring bountiful rains and protect villages from disasters. Nāgas also represent the cycle of life, death, and rebirth since snakes shed their skin and appear to be born anew.
In Hindu contexts, Nāgas often symbolize energies, esoteric experiences and inner transformation. They are sometimes used as yantras or mystical diagrams that are thought to offer protection. In Buddhism, serpent images represent wisdom and intuitive knowledge. Iconography of the Buddha with Nāgas around his throne, neck or body signify his mastery over worldly desires and fears.
Many Southeast Asian royal families claimed to be descended from divine Nāgas as a way to assert their legitimacy, power and divine sanction as rulers. Ritual propitiation of Nāgas was important to ensure prosperity and positive rain patterns. Cultural activities, attire and art featuring serpents served to honor their cosmic power and blessing. Nāgas are strongly tied to indigenous animism, shamanism and folk spiritual practices in the region as guardians of local communities.
Southeast Asia
In Southeast Asian folk traditions, Nāgas are prominent cultural and religious figures, associated with natural places like springs, ponds, lakes and rivers. Offerings are regularly made at sites believed to be inhabited by Nāgas to seek their blessings. Various ethnic groups in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar have their own traditions related to Nāgas. Specific serpent cults flourish, and people avoid harming snakes, believing them to be divinities or their incarnations.
Powerful Nāgas are especially revered in Khmer, Thai, Lao and Burmese folklore, and local Nāga spirits act as guardians. For example, the Nāga are connected with Phnom Kulen, an important pilgrimage site in Cambodia, and the spirit of the Chao Phraya River in Thailand. Myanmar honours the Thirty-Seven Nats, some of whom are Nāga spirits. Mon architects accorded a special niche to serpents in their architecture, highlighting their importance.
Regional Traditions
In the northeastern Indian region known as Assam, closely related Nāga traditions flourish among the Bodo, Mishing and other ethnic groups. The Bodos have folk dances involving serpent costumes and iconography. The Moran and Mottok clans of the Mishing claim descent from the mythical Nāga kingdom of Pāhang.
In the Indian state of Nagaland, the dominant Naga ethnicity revere their ancestral link to the mighty Nāga clans. They had a semi-divine origin mythology and strong serpent taboos. The Meitei people of Manipur trace their royal bloodline back to divine unions between early Meitei kings and Nāga princesses.
Legacy
Nāgas have endured as pivotal figures across cultures due to their association with vitality, rain, rebirth and the mysteries of the waters. Their legends spread from Hinduism and Buddhism across mainland Southeast Asia, reflecting how indigenous folk traditions incorporated the serpent deities. Diverse regional variations on the Nāga theme continue to this day among the ethnic groups of Northeast India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Nāgas illustrate humankind’s abiding awe, both creative and fearful, towards the serpent.
