Naga

Ananta Shesha protects Vishnu

The nāgā́ḥ (also pluralised as naga) are serpentine-like creatures who reside in lakes and rivers and the seventh ring of the netherworld. They feature in Hindu mythology and have subsequently been spread to Southeast Asian myth. They are sometimes portrayed in human form and are usually neutral or benevolent beings, rather than the few who are malevolent. It is mostly featured in Hindi movies

Dhyā́na Mahā́yā́na Buddhism

In Far Eastern lore, naga literally are dragons.

Prominent Nagas

• Ananta Shesha - the world serpent who shelters Vishnu, brother of Manasa and Vasuki
  • Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna, sometimes considered Anata Shesha's avatar
• Karkotaka, who controls weather
• Mucalinda, the naga who shelters the Buddha
• Padmavati, a naga queen prominent in Jainism
• Takshaka, who led the nagas from the Khandava Forest to Takshila, to set up their new kingdom, killed Parikshit and almost sacrificed by his son Janamejaya (saved by Astika, son of Manasa)
• Ulupi, a wife of Arjuna
• Vasuki, kings of the nagas who helped the gods churn the ocean and retrieve, amongst other gifts, the Nectar of Immortality, brother of Manasa and Ananta
• Manasa, a snake goddess who cures bites, mother of Astika and sister of Vasuki and Ananta
• Kaliya, a snake who poisoned the Yamuna River and was subsequently conquered by Krishna.

Gallery

Nāgá/Gallery

In popular culture

• Nagini, the feminine form of Naga, is the name of Voldemort's pet snake in the Harry Potter series
• Naga, the guardian/pet of the current avatar Korra in the Avatar : The Legend of Korra series
• The Naga are a species of malicious faeries in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series
• In the Secret Saturdays, the Naga are shown as antagonists that appears to be servants of Kur, and shown to be allied with V.V. Argost.