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. https://doi.org/10.2307/1178160 ) says
that this genetic mixture of the indigenous 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] សៅរ ៍
(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 (วัดหน ้าพระเมรุ), 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