Snake Dieties of Khmer Culture

While visiting Cambodia, and specially the "Angkor Archaeological Park", you
will certainly see many five, seven or nine-headed "Nagas", depicted as
guardian statues, carved on balaustrades and causeways at many temples
and monuments. At "Phimeanakas" temple, for instance, an old Khmer
legend tells that at its top, known as the "Golden Tower", lived a nine-headed
"Naga". Every night, it would appear in the form of a beautiful woman and
the King should sleep with her, before seeing his wives and concubines. If he
failed to do so, a great disaster would occur. But if the "Naga/Woman" did
not show up, the King would die soon. Amazing legends of the Khmer culture.

"Nagas" are divine or semi-divine deities of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

They are half-human half-serpent beings that live in the nether worlds and
can, eventually, take a human form.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia - November 17, 2017: Tourists enter to Angkor Wat temple passing by nagas, snakes,
monuments. It is the largest religious complex in the world and was built in early 12th century.

Naga Queen of Cambodia

At the beginning of the Common Era (circa 0 CE), people from the
subcontinent of India began migrating into Southeast Asia. The first wave of
Indian immigrants intermarried with the local tribes. This gave birth to the
Khmer race of the historical era. The local population continued speaking the
Khmer language, but now had mixed genetics, Indian and the indigenous
culture. Gaudes, R. (1993). Kauṇḍinya, Preah Thaong, and the “Nāgī Somā”: Some
Aspects of a Cambodian (Legend. Asian Folklore Studies, 52(2), 333–358.
) says that this genetic mixture of the indigenous
https://doi.org/10.2307/1178160
population with the Indians is reflected in their mythology. According to
legend, the Khmer are offspring of Kaundinya, a Hindu warrior-prince, and a
Naga princess named Soma. The Hindu prince, a semi-historical character,
had a dream that he was supposed to leave India with a merchant ship and
his bow and arrow. When he arrived, he found Soma in charge. Rather than
fight, he married her and became king. The Khmer are their children. They
are of mixed parentage - the Indians who came to trade and the indigenous
population. Neither one nor the other - but both.

A Naga princess named Soma? The mythical Naga serpent guards the
Buddha at Thailand's northern temples in Chiang Mai. Nine headed Nagas
also guard the temples of Angkor. Does the mythology suggest that
Kaundinya, the Hindu prince, married a snake to give birth to the Khmer
race? If not, what is the connection?

Queen Soma was the ruler of the Kingdom of Funan and widely claimed
as the first monarch of Cambodia (reigned c. 1st century). She was also the
first female leader of Cambodia. She was the consort of Kaundinya I (also
known as "Huntien" and "Preah Thong"). She is known
as Soma (Indian), Liǔyè (Chinese) and Neang Neak (Khmer).

According to Khmer legend, Queen Soma and her husband, Kaundinya I, are
known in Khmer legend as "Preah Thong (Kaundinya) and Neang Neak
(Soma)". According to reports by two Chinese envoys, Kang Tai and Zhu
Ying, the state of Funan was established by an Indian Brahmin merchant
from ancient Kalinga named Kaundinya.

As per the legends, an Indian merchant ship was attacked by the pirates led
by Soma, daughter of the chieftain of the local Nāga clan. The merchants led
by Kaundinya fought back and fended off the attackers but the ship had
been damaged and was beached for repairs. The Indians were wary of a
second attack but Princess Soma was impressed by Kaundinya's bravery and
proposed marriage which was accepted. The union led to the foundation of
the House that became the royal dynasty of Funan which would rule the
region for many generations and the royal legitimacy was also acquired
through the female line in the kingdom. The founding myth also explains the
reason why the serpent (naga) became an important part of Khmer
iconography as is seen thousand years later when this mystical union
remained an important part of the court ceremonies at Angkor during the era
of the Khmer Empire.

In another version, it is said that King Preah Thorng married the daughter
of the Naga, Princess Neang Neak. Through their marraige, the Khmer people
are descended from the Naga. Nagas represent prosperity and the spirit of
the land and water of the Khmer.

It is not surprising based on the story that nagas are a common decoration
on Cambodian temples. They tend to appear on bridges or as seven-headed
statues.

The naga symbol is an important one to the Cambodians. When

Cambodia hosted the GMS Summit 2002, they chose a seven-headed
naga to symbolise the Khmer culture and the cooperation between
the countries at the summit. The word Naga comes from the
Sanskrit, and nag is still the word for snake, especially the cobra. In
myths, legends, scripture and folklore, the category naga comprises
all kinds of serpentine beings.
Under this rubric are snakes, usually of the python kind (despite the
fact that naga is usually taken literally to refer to a cobra,) deities of
the primal ocean and of mountain springs; also spirits of earth and
the realm beneath it, and finally, dragons.

In a Cambodian legend, the naga were a reptilian race of beings who

possessed a large empire or kingdom in the Pacific Ocean region. The
Naga King's daughter married the king of Ancient Cambodia, and
thus gave rise to the Cambodian people. This is why, still, today,
Cambodians say that they are "Born from the Naga.

The Seven-Headed Naga serpents depicted as statues on Cambodian

temples, such as Angkor Wat, apparently represent the seven races within
Naga society, which has a mythological, or symbolic, association with "the
seven colours of the rainbow". Furthermore, Cambodian Naga possess
numerological symbolism in the number of their heads. Odd-headed Naga
symbolise the Male Energy, Infinity, Timelessness, and Immortality. This is
because, numerological, all odd numbers come from One. Even-headed Naga
are said to be "Female, representing Physicality, Mortality, Temporality, and
the Earth."

The Nagas at the entrance of Angkor Wat

The Nāga नाग or Nagi are divine, semi-divine deities, or a semi-divine race
of half-human half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala) and
can occasionally take human form. Rituals devoted to these supernatural
beings have been taking place throughout south Asia for at least two
thousand years. They are principally depicted in three forms: wholly human
with snakes on the heads and necks, common serpents, or as half-human
half-snake beings in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. A female naga is a
"Nagi", "Nagin", or "Nagini". Nagaraja is seen as the king of nāgas and
nāginis. They are common and hold cultural significance in the mythological
traditions of many South Asian and Southeast Asian cultures. They are the
children of the Rishi Kashyapa and Kadru.
(Naja naja). A synonym for nāgá is phaṇin (फणिन्). There are several words
for "snake" in general, and one of the very commonly used ones
is sarpá (सर्प). Sometimes the word nāgá is also used generically to mean
"snake".[5] The word is cognate with English 'snake', Germanic: *snēk-
a-, Proto-IE: *(s)nēg-o- (with s-mobile).

Vasuki the snake

used in churning of the ocean. Carvings from Angkor

Patanjali as Śeṣa

The mythological serpent race that took form as cobras can often be found in
Hindu iconography. The nāgas are described as the powerful, splendid,
wonderful and proud semidivine race that can assume their physical form
either as human, partial human-serpent or the whole serpent. Their domain
is in the enchanted underworld, the underground realm filled with gems, gold
and other earthly treasures called Naga-loka or Patala-loka. They are also
often associated with bodies of waters — including rivers, lakes, seas, and
wells — and are guardians of treasure. Their power and venom made them
potentially dangerous to humans. However, they often took beneficial
protagonist role in Hindu mythology; in Samudra manthan folklore, Vasuki,
a nāgarāja who abides on Shiva's neck, became the churning rope for
churning of the Ocean of Milk. Their eternal mortal enemies are the Garudas,
the legendary semidivine birdlike-deities.

Vishnu is originally portrayed in the form sheltered by Śeṣanāga or reclining

on Śeṣa, but the iconography has been extended to other deities as well. The
serpent is a common feature in Ganesha iconography and appears in many
forms: around the neck use as a sacred
thread (Sanskrit: yajñyopavīta) wrapped around the stomach as a belt, held
in a hand, coiled at the ankles, or as a throne. Shiva is often shown
garlanded with a snake Maehle (2006: p. 297) states that "Patanjali is
thought to be a manifestation of the serpent of eternity".
Literature
The Mahabharata epic is the first text that introduces nāgas, describes them
in detail and narrates their stories. The cosmic snake Shesha,
the nāgarajas (nāga kings) Vasuki, Takshaka, Airavata and Karkotaka and
the princess Ulupi are all depicted in the Mahabharata.

BUDDHISM

Mucalinda sheltering Gautama Buddha (Buddha in Naga Prok attitude) at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai,

Thailand/Crowned golden Naga woodcarving at Keraton Yogyakarta, Java ///Crowned Naga flanked the stairs entrance

of Pura Jagatkarta

In Javanese and Balinese culture, Indonesia, a naga is depicted as a

crowned, giant, magical serpent, sometimes winged. It is similarly derived
from the Shiva-Hinduism tradition, merged with Javanese animism. Naga in
Indonesia mainly derived and influenced by Indic tradition, combined with
the native animism tradition of sacred serpents. In Sanskrit the
term naga literally means snake, but in Java it normally refer to serpent
deity, associated with water and fertility. In Borobudur, the nagas are
depicted in their human form, but elsewhere they are depicted in animal
shape.
Early depictions of circa-9th-century Central Java closely resembled Indic
Naga which was based on cobra imagery. During this period, naga serpents
were depicted as giant cobras supporting the waterspout of yoni-lingam. The
examples of naga sculpture can be found in several Javanese candis,
including Prambanan, Sambisari, Ijo, and Jawi. In East Java,
the Penataran temple complex contain a Candi Naga, an unusual naga
temple with its Hindu-Javanese caryatids holding corpulent nagas aloft.

Dungeons & Dragons Yuan-ti Art Forgotten Realms Monster Manual, Medicine Buddha Sutra, legendary
Creature, dragon png

As in Hinduism, the Buddhist nāga generally has sometimes portrayed

as a human being with a snake or dragon extending over his head. [15] One
nāga, in human form, attempted to become a monk; and when telling it that
such ordination was impossible, the Buddha told it how to ensure that it
would be reborn a human, and so able to become a monk.
The nāgas are believed to both live on Nagaloka, among the other minor
deities, and in various parts of the human-inhabited earth. Some of them are
water-dwellers, living in streams or the ocean; others are earth-dwellers,
living in caverns.
The nāgas are the followers of Virūpākṣa (Pāli: Virūpakkha), one of the Four
Heavenly Kings who guards the western direction. They act as a guard upon
Mount Sumeru, protecting the dēvas of Trāyastriṃśa from attack by
the asuras.
Among the notable nāgas of Buddhist tradition is Mucalinda, Nāgarāja and
protector of the Buddha. In the Vinaya Sutra (I, 3), shortly after his
enlightenment, the Buddha is meditating in a forest when a great storm
arises, but graciously, King Mucalinda gives shelter to the Buddha from the
storm by covering the Buddha's head with his seven snake heads. Then the
king takes the form of a young Brahmin and renders the Buddha homage.
In the Vajrayāna and Mahāsiddha traditions, nāgas in their half-human
form are depicted holding a nāgas-jewel, kumbhas of amrita, or a terma that
had been elementally encoded by adepts.
The two chief disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta and Moggallāna are both
referred to as Mahānāga or "Great nāga". Some of the most important
figures in Buddhist history symbolize nāgas in their names such
as Dignāga, Nāgāsēna, and, although other etymons are assigned to his
name, Nāgārjuna.

A granite nagaraja guardstone from Sri

Lanka///Nāga at the steps of a building in the Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok

The Nāga Saṃyutta of the Pali Canon consists of suttas specifically devoted
to explaining nature of the nāgas.
Lotus Sutra: In the "Devadatta" chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the daughter of
the dragon king, an eight year old longnü , nāgakanyā), after listening
to Mañjuśrī preach the Lotus Sutra, transforms into a male Bodhisattva and
immediately reaches full enlightenment. Some say this tale appears to
reinforce the viewpoint prevalent in Mahayana scriptures that a male body is
required for Buddhahood, even if a being is so advanced in realization that
they can magically transform their body at will and demonstrate the
emptiness of the physical form itself. However many schools of Buddhism
and classical, seminal Chinese exegeses interpret the story to repudiate this
viewpoint, stating the story demonstrates that women can attain
Buddhahood in their current form.
According to tradition, the Prajñapāramita sutras had been given by the
Buddha to a great nāga who guarded them in the sea, and were conferred
upon Nāgārjuna later. In Thailand and Java, the nāga is a
wealthy underworld deity. For Malay sailors, nāgas are a type of dragon with
many heads. In Laos they are beaked water serpents.
Sri Lanka
The Naga people were believed to be an ancient tribe and origins of Sri
Lanka. There are references to them in several ancient text such
as Mahavamsa, Manimekalai and also in other Sanskrit and Pali literature.
They are generally being represented as a class of superhumans taking the
form of serpents who inhabit a subterranean world. Texts such as
Manimekalai represent them as persons in human form.
Cambodia

Cambodian seven-headed naga at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh///Neak Pean

Stories of Nāgas have existed for thousands of years in the Khmer society
since the Funan era. According to reports by two Chinese envoys, Kang
Tai and Zhu Ying, the state of Funan was established in the 1st century CE by
an Indian prince named Kaundinya I, who married a Nāga princess
named Soma. They are symbolized in the story of Preah Thong and Neang
Neak. Kaundinya was given instruction in a dream to take a magic bow from
a temple and defeat a Nāga princess named Soma, the daughter of the Nāga
king. They fell in love during the battle and later married, their lineage
becoming the royal dynasty of Funan. Kaundinya later built a
capital, Vyadhapura, and the kingdom came to be known
as Kambojadeśa or Cambodia .The love story is the source of many standard
practices in modern-day Khmer culture, including wedding ceremonies and
other rituals. The Khmer people believe they are the descendants of the
Nāgas. Many Khmer people still believe they exist, and will one day
reappear, coming back home bringing prosperity for their people.
Although many temples from the Funan Era had been destroyed
through wars, nature and time, Nāgas can still be seen in ancient temples
from the Chenla Era and the Angkor Era. For example, like the temple
modern day named "The Coiled Nāgas Temple" (Prasat Neak Pean) was once
called, "Emperor's Wealth Temple" (Prasat Reakcha Srey).
Nāga in the Khmer culture represent rain, or a bridge between the mortal
realm and the realm of devas (Heaven, and they can transform into half
human or fully human. They act as protectors from invisible forces, deities,
or other humans with malicious intention. Furthermore, Cambodian Nāga
possess numerological symbolism in the middle of their heads. Odd-headed
Nāga symbolize masculinity, infinity, timelessness, and immortality. This is
because, numerologically, all odd numbers come from the number one (១).
Even-headed Nāga are said to be representing femininity, physicality,
mortality, temporality, and the Earth. Odd headed Nāgas are believed to
represent immortality and are carved and used throughout Cambodia.
Neak Pean (or Neak Poan) ("The entwined serpents")
at Angkor, Cambodia is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a
circular island in Jayatataka Baray, which was associated with Preah
Khan temple, built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. It is the "Mebon"
of the Preah Khan baray (the "Jayatataka" of the inscription).
Some historians believe that Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical
lake in the Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness. The name
is derived from the sculptures of snakes (Nāga) running around the base of
the temple structure, neak being the Khmer rendering of the Sanskrit naga.
"They are Nanda and Upananda, two nagas traditionally associated with
Lake Anavatapta.
Neak Pean was originally designed for medical purposes (the ancients
believed that going into these pools would balance the elements in the
bather, thus curing disease); it is one of the many hospitals that Jayavarman
VII built. It is based on the ancient Hindu belief of balance. Four connected
pools represent Water, Earth, Fire and Wind. Each is connected to the central
water source, the main tank, by a stone conduit "presided over by one of
Four Great Animals (maha ajaneya pasu) namely Elephant, Bull, Horse, and
Lion, corresponding to the north, east, south, and west quarters....The stone
conduits in the little pavilions are fashioned to represent the heads of the
Four Great Animals...the only exception being that on the east, which
represents a human head instead of a bull's”. Originally, four sculptures
stood on the floor of the lake. The only remaining statue is that of the horse
Balaha, a form of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, saving sailors from the
ogresses of Tamradvipa. The temple on the lake was originally dedicated to
Avalokitesvara. Willetts believed that "this is Jayavarman as he would have
wished to have appeared to his people.”
Zhou Daguan refers to Neak Pean in his visit to Angkor in the late 13th
century.

Odd-Headed Nāga (Name, origin, and connotations):

-1 Headed Nāga: mostly seen in modern days; carved on objects as
protection, temples, monastery, King’s residence, residence of a
deity .ymbolizes, that even if everything in this world is gone, there’s still
this Nāga left bringing victory and happiness to all
-3 Kalyak: born between the mortal realm and devas' realm, they live at the
bottom of the ocean and is the guardian of wealth, often depicted as evil
(nothing to do with the symbolism)
Symbolizes the Trimurti; (left Vishnu, middle Shiva and right Brahma) but
also the three realm [heaven (devas' realm), earth (mortal realm) and hell
(norok realm)]. In Buddhism, the central head represents Buddha, the right
head represents Dharma and the left one represents the monks.
-5 Anontak/Sesak: born out of the elemental elements on Earth, they're
immortals
Symbolizes the directions; East, West, North, South and Middle
(Ganges river, Indus river, Yamuna river, Brahmaputra river (Brahma's Son
River), Sarasvati river). In Buddhism, the dragon heads represent the 5
Buddhas: Kadabak, Kunsontho, Koneakumno, Samnak Koudom Gautama
Buddha and Seare Metrey.
-7 Muchlentak: originated from the bottom of the Himalayas, they bring
peace and prosperity to humans, they're deities who control the seven
oceans and seven mountains called ‘Seytontaraksatakboriphorn.' They are
also the Nāga that sheltered Gautama Buddha for 7 days and 7 nights
(Mucalinda). Often depicted as guardian statues, carved as balustrades on
causeways leading to main Khmer temples, such as those found in Angkor
Wat. They also represent the seven races within Naga society, which has a
mythological, or symbolic, association with “the seven colors of the
rainbow.”
Symbolizes the Sun, the Moon and five other planets; ចន្ទ (Moon)[also
Monday] (Mars)[Tuesday] (Mercury)[Wednesday (Jupiter)[Thursday] (Venus)
[Friday] សៅរ៍ (Saturn)[Saturday] (Sun)[Sunday]
-9 Vasukak: Is the king who rules the Earth (Vasuki). For this Nāga, when
carved on both sides, the front heads represent reincarnation and the behind
represent death.
Symbolizes power of the nine immortals of the universe; power of the
lighting and thunder of the East), power of the fire of the Southeast power of
the law and order of the South power of the spirits and demonic creatures of
the Southwest, power of the rain of the West power of the wind of the
Northwest, power of the wealth and aesthetic of the North power of
destruction of the Northeast of Brahma (creation and preservation) in the
middle

In Brahmanism and Buddhism, there are four different Nāga race:

1) Primitive Dragons such as the European dragon who can spit fire.
2) The Spiritual Dragons who are the guardians of wealth, they protect
treasure in the ocean. They can take on a half human form.
3) The Divine Nāgas, who can travel to heaven, they came from Lord Indra’s
realm (the divine realm), they can take on a full human form.
4) The Supreme and Divine Nāgas, like Vasuki the guardian of Lord Vishnu,
who alone can fight all the Garuda race.
All of them have great powers and can set off storms, rain, tempest and
create lands from the sea.
Indonesia
naga, (Sanskrit: “serpent”) in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, a member
of a class of mythical semidivine beings, half human and half cobra. They are
a strong, handsome species who can assume either wholly human or wholly
serpentine form and are potentially dangerous but often beneficial to
humans. They live in an underground kingdom called Naga-loka, or Patala-
loka, which is filled with resplendent palaces, beautifully ornamented
with precious gems. The creator deity Brahma relegated the nagas to the
nether regions when they became too populous on earth and commanded
them to bite only the truly evil or those destined to die prematurely. They
are also associated with waters—rivers, lakes, seas, and wells—and are
guardians of treasure.

naga

Naga and nagi, stone statue from Bihar Sharif, Bihar, India, 9th century; in
the Indian Museum, Kolkata.

Three notable nagas are Shesha (or Ananta), who in the Hindu myth of
creation supports Narayana (Vishnu) as he lies on the cosmic ocean and on
whom the created world rests; Vasuki, who was used as a churning rope
to churn the cosmic ocean of milk; and Takshaka, the tribal chief of the
snakes. In modern Hinduism the birth of the serpents is celebrated on Naga-
panchami in the month of Shravana (July–August).

The female nagas (naginis or nagis) are serpent princesses of striking

beauty. The dynasties of Manipur in northeastern India, the Pallavas in
southern India, and the ruling family of Funan (ancient Indochina) each
claimed an origin in the union of a human being and a nagi.

In Buddhism, nagas are often represented as door guardians or, as

in Tibet, as minor deities. The naga king Muchalinda, who sheltered
the Buddha from rain for seven days while he was deep in meditation, is
beautifully depicted in the 9th–13th century Mon-Khmer Buddhas of what are
now Thailand and Cambodia. In Jainism
the Tirthankara (saviour) Parshvanatha is always shown with a canopy
of naga hoods above his head.
Naga sculptures flanking the entrance to Wat Hua Wiang, Mae Hong Son,
Thailand.

In art, nagas are represented in a fully zoomorphic form, as hooded cobras

having one to seven or more heads; as human beings with a many-hooded
snake canopy over their heads; or as half human, with the lower part of the
body below the navel coiled like a snake and a canopy of hoods over the
heads. Often they are shown in postures of adoration, as one of the major
gods or heroes is shown accomplishing some miraculous feat before their
eyes.
Brass receptacle from Krui, Sumatra, in the shape of a naga (mythical serpent); in
the Royal Tropical Institute Museum, Amsterdam. Height 5 cm.Courtesy of the
Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam

Mucalinda, Muchalinda or Mucilinda is the name of a nāga, a snake-like

being, who protected the Gautama Buddha from the elements after
his enlightenment.
It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under
the Bodhi Tree, the heavens darkened for seven days, and a prodigious rain
descended. However, the mighty King of Serpents, Mucalinda, came from
beneath the earth and protected with his hood the one who is the source of
all protection. When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed
his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned in joy to his palace.
The subject of Buddha meditating under the protection of Mucalinda is very
common in Lao Buddhist art. A particularly striking gigantic modern rendition
is present in Bunleua Sulilat's sculpture park Sala Keoku.
The webcomic Sinfest featured a version of this in a sunday strip in 2010.

Mucalinda, the nāga king who shielded Buddha as he sat in meditation, was a favorite motif
for Cambodian Buddhist sculptors from the 11th century. This statue is dated between
1150 and 1175 CE/ RIGHT This multi-headed nāga is part of a decorative lintel from the end
of the 9th century.
EXTREME RIGHT Naga Prok attitude Buddha statue in the ubosot of Wat Shvetachatra Woravihara, Bangkok

Naga Prok attitude : pang nak prok, translated as "sheltered-by-the-naga

Buddha",is an attitude of Buddha in Burmese, Khmer, Lao and Thai art of
which the seated Buddha in either the meditation attitude, or maravijaya
attitude, is sheltered by or covered with a multi-headed nāga. The naga,
whose name is Mucalinda, usually has seven or nine heads and appeared to
coil the base of the Buddha statue.
The attitude refers to the episode after reaching the enlightenment. He
travelled to various kingdoms to teach and spend the rest of his time
meditating. One night, a heavy storm raged on the forest where he was
meditating. A nāga by the name of Mucalinda (มุจลินท์; Mujalind) saw him
meditating under such harsh weather. The Mucalinda decided to coil around
his āsana (seat) and use himself as the shield to protect the Guatama from
raindrops.
The attitude is assumed to be pioneering since the early Khmer art.

Naga-enthroned Buddha. Bronze, about 1100 AD. Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia

The Buddha represents the union of compassion and wisdom. The naga represents the Khmer
people of Cambodia.
The Buddha enthroned on the naga was often a representation of the king. But this Buddha is
crowned and bejeweled. In his hands, he holds a conical mound of rice. This indicates that this is
more than a representation of a king; this is a Buddha who will ensure the prosperity of the land.

RIGHT Sand stone Khmer-style Buddha statue from 11th century CE, found at Wat Na
Phra Men (วัดหน้าพระเมรุ), Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

Mucalinda sheltering Gautama Buddha (Naga Prok attitude); 12th century Khmer Sandstone with traces of
pigment and gold, Honolulu Academy of Arts

Pillar with Naga Mucalinda protecting the throne of the Buddha. Railing pillar from Jagannath
Tekri, Pauni (Bhandara District). 2nd-1st century BCE. National Museum of India.
The Naga people were believed to be an ancient tribe who once
inhabited Sri Lanka and various parts of Southern India. There are references
to them in several ancient texts such as Mahavamsa, Manimekalai and also
in other Sanskrit and Pali literature. They are generally being represented as
a class of superhumans taking the form of serpents who inhabit a
subterranean world.
Certain places such as Nagadeepa in Jaffna and Kalyani in Gampaha are
mentioned as their abodes.[3] The names of some Naga kings in Sri Lankan
legends such as Mani Akkhitha (Mani Naga) and Mahodara are also found in
Sanskrit literature among superhuman Nagas and the cult of Mani Naga
prevailed in India up to medieval times.
The Jaffna Peninsula was mentioned in Tamil literature as Naka Nadu, in Pali
literature as Nagadeepa and in Greek gazetteer as Nagadiba or Nagadibois.
The name Nagabhumi was also found on an ancient coin
from Uduthurai, Jaffna and in a Tamil inscription from Pudukkottai referring
to the Jaffna peninsula.
The word "Naga" literally means "snake" or "serpent" in Sanskrit, Pali.
Origin: According to Manogaran, some scholars also "have postulated that
the Yakshas and Nagas [...] are the aboriginal tribes of Sri Lanka".Scholars
like K. Indrapala regard them as an ancient tribe who started to assimilate
to Tamil culture and language from the 3rd century BCE According to him, in
the end of . the 9th century or probably very long before that time, the
Nagas assimilated into the two major ethnic groups of the island.
According to V. Kanakasabhai, The Oliyar, Parathavar, Maravar and Eyinar
who were widespread across South India and North-East Sri Lanka are all
Naga tribes. According to several authors they may have been a . Many
Tamil poets who contributed to the Sangam literature attached Naga
prefixes and suffixes to their names to indicate their Naga descent
Buddha's visit to Nagadeepa. Detail from Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara

Mahavamsa
The chronicle states that the Buddha, during his second visit to the island,
pacified a dispute between two Naga Kings of Nagadeepa, Chulodara and
Mahodara over the possession of a gem-studded throne. This throne was
finally offered to the Buddha by the grateful Naga kings who left it in
Nagadeepa under a Rajayathana tree (Kiri Palu) as an object of worship.
Since then the place became one of the holiest shrines of Buddhists in the
island for many centuries. The references to Nagadeepa in Mahawamsa as
well as other Pali writings, coupled with archaeological and epigraphical
evidences, have established that Nagadeepa of the Mahawamsa is the
present Jaffna Peninsula.
The chronicle further states that in the eighth year after the Enlightenment,
the Buddha visited the island for the third time, on an invitation of
Maniakkhita, the Naga king of Kalyani (Modern day Kelaniya) who is the
uncle of the Naga king of Nagadeepa.
Manimekalai
In the Tamil epic Manimekalai, the heroine is miraculously transported to a
small island called Manipallavam where there was a seat or foot stool
associated to the Buddha. The seat in Manipallavam is said to have been
used by the Buddha when he preached and reconciled the two kings of Naga
land, and that it was placed in Manipallavam by the king of gods, Indra. The
legend speaks of the great Naga king Valai Vanan and his
queen Vasamayilai who ruled over Manipallavam in the Jaffna Peninsula.
Their daughter, the princess Pilli Valai had a liaison at the islet with the
early Chola king Killivalavan; out of this union was the prince Tondai Eelam
Thiraiyar born, who historians note was the early progenitor of the Pallava
Dynasty. He went on to rule Tondai Nadu from Kanchipuram. Nainativu was
referred to as Manipallavam in ancient Tamil literature following this union.
Royals of the Chola-Naga lineage would go on to rule other territory of the
island, Nagapattinam and Tondai Nadu of Tamilakam.
By the time Buddhism had reached Tamilakam, the twin epics of ancient
Tamil Nadu Silappatikaram (5–6th century CE) and Manimekalai (6th century
CE) were written, speaking of Naga Nadu across the sea
from Kaveripoompuharpattinam. The island according to the Tamil epic was
divided into two territory, Naga Nadu and Ilankaitheevam Naga Nadu, or the
whole island was also known as Cherantheevu, derived from Dravidian
words Cheran (meaning Naga) and theevu (meaning island).
Identifying Manipallavam
The similarity of the legend about the Buddha's seat given in the Mahavamsa
to that in the Manimekalai has led certain scholars to identify the
Manipallavam with Nagadeepa (currently Nainativu), which has caused the
history to be extracted out of the legend.
Cīttalai Cāttanār, the author of the Manimekalai, reflected the perception at
the time that Naga Nadu was an autonomous administrative entity, kingdom
or nadu stretching across coastal districts, distinguished from the rest of the
island also ruled intermittently by Naga kings.
The Naga king Valai Vanan was stated in the Manimekalai to be the king
of Naga Nadu, one of the two territories in Sri Lanka, the other being
IlankaitheevamSeveral scholars identify Naga Nadu with the Jaffna Peninsula,
and Manipallavam with Nainativu. Other scholars identify Karaitivu as
Manipallavam.
Senarath Paranavithana rejects the identification of Manipallavam with
Nainativu and the Jaffna Peninsula, because Manimekalai states the island to
have been uninhabited, whereas the Jaffna Peninsula have been inhabited
centuries before the date of the epic. He also notes that Manimekalai does
not mention that the two Naga kings had their abode in Manipallavam as
stated in the Mahavamsa, nor did it mention that the holy seat was placed
there by Gautama Buddha, but by Indra. Further states Canto IX, II. 13–22
that an earthquake destroyed a city in Gandhara which in turn affteced
100 yojanas of Naga Nadu, thus rejecting the identification of Naga Nadu
with Jaffna Peninsula.
Ramayana
In the Indian epic Ramayana, the mythological island Lanka has been often
identified with Sri Lanka. The inhabitants of Lanka were mentioned as non-
humans, mainly referring to the Rakshasas and Yakshas, but also mentioning
the Nagas. Indrajit, the son of Ravana was married to Sulochana, a Naga
princess
Buddha Snake Animal Serpent Reptile Thailand Wild

Others
Ptolemy in his 1st century map of Taprobane mentions Nagadibois. Ptolemy
mentions in 150 CE that King Sornagos, a descendant of this lineage, ruled
from the early Chola capital of Uraiyur during this time
Irrigation
It is also believed they were great irrigation engineers who built water
storages. The Giant's Tank dam and reservoir system in Mannar, Sri Lanka is
considered by some (Such as Author, Mudaliyar C. Rajanayagam) to have
been built by the Nagas based on the extensive ruins and the presence of
villages with surrounding the port with Naga name (e.g. Nagarkulam,
Nagathazhvu and Sirunagarkulam).
Snake worship
Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus since ancient times have regarded the cobra as a
divine being by the passing down of Naga traditions and beliefs. Further, a
cobra can be found entwining itself round the neck of the Hindu god Shiva as
the serpent-king Vasuki. Cobras can also be found in images of god Vishnu.
Religion
There is substantial evidence to say that Nagas were Buddhist followers after
the 4th century B.C . One such example is Buddha's second visit Sri Lanka
mentioned in both the Manimekalai and Mahavamsa
Naga Kingdom of Angkor Wat

The Naga Kingdomf of Angkor Wat is a Naga state in Southeast Asia.

The Naga Kingdom of Angkor Wat is a nation which was established in the area around the
Khmer ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. With the assistance of various types of paranormal
creatures, tourism around the ruins were all but stamped out. A coalition of the Naga and many
intelligent paracritters established a national government and created a safe haven for their kind
away from metahumanity.

In the 2060s, the Naga revealed themselves as a sapient species and officially declared the
founding of the Naga Kingdom of Angkor Wat. Due to the cultural reverence held for the Naga in
the Far East which had developed during the half century since their discovery, the founding of
the kingdom did not result in any war, blockade, embargo, or sanctions by the neighboring
states. https://shadowrun.fandom.com/wiki/Naga_Kingdom_of_Angkor_Wat
Head on a Naga Bridge in Angkor

The 7-Headed Naga at Angkor Wat temple, Cambodia. Built by the Khmer King
Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. A detailed Chakra in the middle of the naga,
symbolising Bhagwan vishnu's most powerful weapon

Angkor Wat: Detail, broken fragment of a naga balustrade/Pediment carved with Naga Tower(right pic)
POWER AS AMRIT in the Eternal Struggle between Hinduism and
Buddhism in Cambodia Dr Uday Dokras

Angkor Wat: an ancient city hidden in the jungle for over 400 years,
abandoned by its people, overtaken by trees. Imagine. A Hindu civilization
that dominated Southeast Asia for over 600 years, that built the largest
religious temple in the world. Later on became Buddhist. Gone>

Now, when the first tourists arrive at the wondrous temples of Angkor, and
the 20 musicians — amputees, blind, scarred, all destitute — hope that by
dusk their playing will have earned them enough to sustain their families for
another day. Together, they support more than 100 children and wives.
The musicians' lives mirror Cambodia's agony: 3 million dead in three
decades of a savage war, American bombing, the Khmer Rouge reign of
terror, a civil conflict and now coping in a country where a third of the people
earn less than one dollar a day.

Several members of Ankor's two orchestras confess that they had teetered
on the verge of suicide before finding hope by banding together to play the
music of their ancestors.

The Khmer people were originally Hindu. Surprising - given that

Cambodia is over 3,000 kilometres from India. Monsoon rains carried India
traders to Cambodia, along with their religion, art and architecture. The
temple itself was constructed by the Khmer king for the Hindu god Vishnu
and converted to a Buddhist temple in the 14th century, over 200 years
later. Tenets of Buddhism were already permeating the region by the end of
the 12th century. New monuments featured Buddha and bodhisattvas. Old
monuments were subtly converted to Buddhist shrines, though Hindu
imagery was left in place.

Resurgence: A brief resurgence of Hinduism came with one Khmer leader in

the 13th century, before it lapsed back into Buddhism a century later.
Religious upheaval in Angkor Wat is considered an important factor leading
to the collapse of this great civilization.

Suryavarman II practiced a form of Hinduism known as Vaishnavism, which

is devotion to the god Vishnu above all others. Although Hinduism is
generally regarded as a polytheistic religion by westerners, it is actually
henotheistic, meaning there is only one god with many different aspects. In a
henotheistic belief system, a single god is considered too immense to be
grasped by the human mind and so appears in a multiplicity of personalities
all of which focus on a single different aspect of human life.

In Hinduism, Brahma is the supreme deity who creates the world while, in
his form as Vishnu he preserves life and, as Shiva, takes life away and
rewards humans for their toil with death, which then continues the cycle of
rebirth or leads to union with the oversoul. Angkor Wat reflects the course of
life, death, and eternity according to Vaishnavism, removing Brahma as the
supreme god and replacing him with Vishnu.

Vishnu appears to human beings in many forms throughout the centuries

as avatars - like the popular Hindu god Krishna - to guide and instruct
people. The most famous example of this comes from the religious
text Bhagavad-Gita (“Song of God”) when Krishna visits Prince Arjuna on the
battlefield of Kurukshetra to explain the nature of existence and one's
purpose in life. The temple of Angkor Wat is designed to fulfill this same
purpose through its ornamentation which tells the story of the human
condition, the immanence of the gods, and how one is to best live one's life.

SURYAVARMAN II ELEVATED THE POSITION OF THE COMMON PEOPLE, USING

RELIGION, BY DECREEING THE WORSHIP OF VISHNU, A DEITY WHO WAS
A PROTECTOR OF ALL.

The rise of Vaishnavism in Cambodia was a direct result of the conflicts

between the Khmers and the neighboring Champa. Suryavarman I (r. c.
1006-1050 CE) extended the frontiers of his realm into Thailand during his
reign and came into conflict with the cities of the Champa. The Champa's
religion was Buddhism (which was also the faith of the Khmer elite) which
was viewed with hostility by most Khmer who saw it as a threat to their faith.
Vishnu, as a protector-god, rose in popularity through these conflicts and the
backlash against Buddhism.

By the time of Suryavarman II's reign, the form of Hinduism known

as Brahmanism, which favored the elite, was growing more popular in the
region and Buddhism had also gained more adherents. Suryavarman II
elevated the position of the common people, using religion, by decreeing the
worship of Vishnu, a deity who was a protector of all, not the supreme
creator aspect nor the destructive aspect but the mediator between human
beings and the divine who had also proven himself a benevolent guardian.
One of the most popular stories of Vishnu's kindness and cleverness in the
interests of human beings is The Churning of the Ocean (also known as The
Churning of the Ocean of Milk) in which he tricks the demons into
surrendering the amrita (ambrosia) which will make the gods immortal and
preserve eternal order. This story is among the most famous bas-reliefs
found at Angkor Wat and supports the claim that the building was originally
conceived of as a temple of worship rather than a funerary site.
Stories in Stone

Angkor Wat is designed to represent Mount Meru, the spiritual and physical
nexus in Hinduism which is the center of all reality. The five peaks of Mount
Meru are represented by the five spires of the temple. Brahma and the
Devas (demigods) were thought to live on Mount Meru and it is famously
referenced in The Mahabharata when Yudhishthira and his brothers travel to
the gates of heaven. One by one the brothers die until only Yudhishthira and
his faithful dog are left. When they reach the border of heaven, the
gatekeeper tells Yudhishthira that he may enter for the worthy life he lived
but that dogs are not allowed in heaven. Yudhishthira rejects any paradise
which does not include dogs and turns away, but the gatekeeper stops him
and reveals himself as Vishnu who was only testing him one last time before
allowing him entrance.
1
The devas and asuras still exist in the form of gigantic sculptures of
the former Khmer Empire in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. They stand,
enormous legs braced on the ground, as they pull the serpent Vasuki as
a rope, and churn away at the Ocean of milk. They live in an eternal tug-
of-war in the temples of Angkor Wat, Banteay Samre, Bayon , the
causeway to Preah Khan. At Angkor Wat the depiction of the combat
goes back to a thousand years. It stretches on a wall 49 metres in length
of this temple, the largest religious site in the world, and a famed
example of cultural transfer. the huge image of the eight armed Vishnu
— with the head replaced by that of the Buddha after the country
became Buddhist — is still worshipped.

1. Gods and demons

Cambodia's Hinduism can be traced back to the Funan Kingdom which

ruled between 100BC and 500AD. During this period, kings worshiped Vishnu
and Shiva. When the Khmer Empire came to power, Hinduism remained the
dominating religion until Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181-1218).

How did Buddhism affect the Khmer empire? Well, in

Kampuchea, Buddhism became the transmitter of Khmer language and
culture. With the rise of Siam in the west and Vietnam in the east, the
classical Angkor empire disappeared and the beginning of present-day
Cambodia began. Cambodia became from this time forward a Theravada
Buddhist nation. So did Sanskrit Language the main official language in
which all governmental and religious activity was done. The maximum
number of Sanskrit inscriptions is to be seen in Cambodia rather than here.
Siva linga pratishta (worship) is seen in almost every village. A 500-year old
inscription shows how the same astronomical calculation practised in India
was also practised in the Khmer empire (Cambodia). In Khmer, they
consecrated the Ramayana and the Mahabharata — and the chapters were
recited daily in the temples.

For us, Hindus, for the visitors to Angkor as well as for many others,
the piece de resistance at the Angkor Wat temple comprises the twin bas
reliefs, hundreds of metres long, depicting sculpted scenes from the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The chisel appears to have magically
turned into a brush that painted simian movements representing all the fury
and the excitement of the vanaras as they threw themselves into the great
battle to help Rama. On another wall, we are taken straight into the
Kurukshetra war.

Scene Of Hell. Asuras Hitting People With Asuda/The other hell,handicap orchestra

Jayavarman was an indefatigable builder and the Bayon temple built by

him is grand and unique. More than 200 colossal heads, said to be of the
Boddhisatva Avalokitesvara, the compassionate one, crown the towers
on all sides making sure the temple is never forgotten by anyone who
sets eyes on it. It is thought the heads were fashioned to resemble the
ruler. Bayon’s sculpted walls portray scenes of war and daily life and
serve as valuable records of the history of the empire. It was from the
Elephant Terrace outside Bayon that Jayavarman VII would watch his
military parades; there are huge elephants carved on the walls and their
trunks act as supporting pillars to the structure. A few metres’ walk bring
us to the apparently simple looking Terrace of the Leper King. But once
you enter the structure, it is like a maze with beautiful carvings of
women, marine life, and the gods on the walls. The leper king is believed
to be Yasovarman, who was afflicted by the disease. But some scholars
think the moss eroded figure of Yama, the God of Death, has given rise
to this belief.

France, whose colony Cambodia was till 1953, has helped bring many of
these ancient temples to light, rescuing them from the forest like
wilderness. Numerous other countries have contributed to their
restoration, among them India, China, Japan, Poland and Germany.

Mural from
the museum of the white elephant at Phnom Phen
For, as we stand by the pond at Ankor Wat t
Seated outside many of the temples are musicians playing softly on their
instruments. They are all disabled landmine victims, bringing home to us the
harsh realities of the people who have survived war and a ruthless regime, the
Khmer Rouge. This is a land that forges a special bond with us Hindus. emple
and see its magnificence reflected in the water, we feel our own history, faith
and beliefs are reflected in it.

BUDDHISM; After the 14th century, the land turned to Buddhism owing to the
influence of Sri Lanka. Somewhere around the 13th to 14th century, some
Brahmanas went from Rameswaram to Cambodia. They took the Thevaram,
Divya Prabhandam and Pooja Vedas from here to Cambodia — some people say
that they came from Chidambaram. In Cambodia there are still such priests.

Hanuman is regarded as a god in Cambodia and the Hanuman dance is

spellbinding. There is so much evidence of our cultural impact in Cambodia that we
need to study it in great detail.Side by side with the Buddhas, the
Hindu scriptures live in an eternal tug-of-war in the temples of Angkor Wat,
Vishnu — with the head replaced by that of the Buddha after the country turned
Buddhist and the Bas Relief of Churning of the Oceans or Samudra Manthan. The
most important story represented at Angkor Wat is the samudra manthan (churning
of ocean), a story about the victory of good over evil. In the story that is depicted on
the wall, 88 devas are fighting 92 asuras (demons) in order to reclaim order and
power for the gods who have lost the battle

This story of Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean) originates from

Hindu mythology and is described in the books like Bhagvata Purana, Vishnu Purana
and Mahabharata . All these books are considered as directional in Hinduism. The
books describe how the Devas (gods) and the Asuras (demons) churned the ocean
under the aegis of Vishnu, to produce the divine elixir of immortality ( Amruta).
Hinduism spread to many countries during the ancient times. and the depiction of
Samudra Manthan story at Angkor Wat is a testimony to that.

Thiland Airport

The southern section of the east gallery of Angkor Wat adorns the Samudra
Manthan or the Churning of the Ocean episode. This carving depicts
88 asuras (demons) on the left, and 92 devas (gods), with crested helmets,
churning up the sea to extract from it the elixir of immortality (Amruta). The
demons hold the head of the serpent Vasuki and the Gods hold its tail. At the
centre of the sea, Vasuki is coiled around Mt Mandara, which turns and
churns up the water in the tug of war between the demons and the gods.
Vishnu, incarnated as a huge turtle, lends his shell to serve as the base and
pivot of Mt Mandara. Brahma, Shiva, Hanuman (the monkey God) and
Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth and prosperity) all feature in the carvings.
Legend behind Samudra Manthan
Once Indra – the King of Gods, while riding on an elephant came across sage
Durvasa who offered him a special garland. Indra accepted the garland but
put it on the trunk of the elephant. The elephant was irritated by the smell
and it threw the garland on the floor. This enraged the sage as the garland
was a dwelling of Sri (fortune) and was to be treated with respect. Durvasa
Muni cursed Indra and all devas to be bereft of all strength, energy, and
fortune. Post this incident, devas lost all the battles to asuras and the asuras
gained control of the universe.

Devas sought help from Lord Vishnu who told them that the only way to get
back their power is through consuming holy nectar which lies under the
ocean. The holy nectar can be brought out only by churning the ocean. Since
devas were bereft of any power they approached the asuras to jointly churn
the ocean for the nectar of immortality. Devas, however, already had an
understanding with Lord Vishnu that the holy nectar will be handed over to
them.

Samudra Manthan (Churning of the Ocean)

The churning of the milk – ocean was an elaborate process. Mount Mandara
was used as churning rod and Vasuki, the King of Serpents, became the
churning rope. Lord Vishnu himself had to intercede in so many ways to aid
the process. But as the pole entered the water it kept sliding into depths of
the ocean. To stop this, Vishnu took the form of a tortoise and placed the
mountain on his back. This image of Vishnu as the tortoise was his second
avatar called ‘Kurma.’ Once the pole was balanced, it was tied to the gigantic
snake, Vasuki, and the gods and demons started pulling it from either side.
All kinds of herbs were cast into the ocean and many creatures and objects
were produced from the ocean which were then divided between asuras and
devas.

Asura , Devas participating in the Samudra Manthan (photo from Angkor

Thom city Cambodia)Vasuki , the serpent was used as the rope for Churning
the Ocean