Naga

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Naga or nāga can refer to:

In mythology:

• Naga (mythology), a race of supernatural beings usually depicted with both snake and human attributes.
  • In India, nāga are depicted as subterranean and as an opponent to the eagle-like garuda.
  • In Southeast Asian mythologies, the Nāga is revered as the original ancestor of the Cambodian people.
  • In the Mahavamsa, Nāgas are reported as an aboriginal tribe living in Sri Lanka.
• Naga (fantasy); members of any fantasy race with both snake and human characteristics may be called nagas.

In demography:

• Naga people, an ethnic group living in Nagaland and Manipur state in the northeastern part of India.
• Naga (clan), a clan of Jats in India.

In geography:

• Naga District, Mie, a former district in Mie prefecture, Japan.
• Naga District, Wakayama, a former district in Wakayama prefecture, Japan.
  • Naga, Wakayama, a town in that district.
• The name of several political territories in the Philippines:
  • Naga City, Camarines Sur
  • Naga, Cebu
  • Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay

In linguistics:

• In Sanskrit and many languages derived from it, Naga means snake.
• in Sanskrit and Pali, Naga can also mean elephant , as in the Naga Sutta.
• In Malay, ndonesian and Javanese, Naga means dragon.

In games:

• Naga (Warcraft), a fictional race of reptilian sea-monsters mutated from elves in the Warcraft Universe.
• Naga (Monster Rancher), a species of monster from the Monster Rancher video games.
• Naga (Dungeons & Dragons); these include spirit nagas, dark nagas, aquatic nagas, and guardian nagas.
• Nagah, a race of wereserpents in Werewolf: The Apocalypse.

Naga may also mean:

• Naga the Serpent, a character in the Slayers animated series.
• Naga Jolokia pepper, an extremely hot chile pepper.
• Naga (comics), a supervillain in the Marvel Universe and enemy of Sub-Mariner.
• The North American Grappling Association, a wrestling association.
• Naga Sadow, an ancient sith from star wars.