Reading Notes: Kashyapa and Nagas

 



Nagas are supernatural serpents that are depicted as either complete serpents, complete humans with multiple snake hoods protruding from the back, or being half-snake and half-human. They are also known to live in an aquatic realm that is filled with treasures. It is also thought that anthills are portals to this world. Nagas are often seen as a symbol of rebirth, death, fertility, immortality, medicine, health and wealth due to their mystical powers.


According to The Mahabharata, rishi Kashyap and Kadru are the parents of all nagas. Shesha was the eldest, and then came Vasuki, Manasa, and many more. Kashyapa had another wife, who was also Kadru’s sister, Vinata. She gave birth to Vishnu’s vahana, Garuda, an eagle-human hybrid and he became the arch-nemesis of the nagas since eagles consume snakes.

In The Ramayana, Indrajit used the Nagapasha astra on Rama and Lakshmana, which hurled venomous snakes over them. The two fell unconscious and Garuda came to their rescue and got rid of the venomous snakes.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction to Ashley!

Image
My name is Ashley Maggia, which is different from what my class name shows as I have recently gotten married! Since my husband is graduating this spring, we will soon be moving to Madison, WI, which is why the main picture on my blog is the Wisconsin capitol building. Once there, I hope to successfully apply to the University of Wisconsin Medical School for Fall 2022 where I plan to become a doctor and specialize in Cardiology. During my time in college, I have - and still currently - shadow a cardiologist, which is why becoming a cardiologist has become my dream job. I also volunteer at OU Children's, which is a very heartening experience that has taught me multiple things about the importance of healthcare as well as the persona one should have with a patient. This semester I am also conducting research in the biology department. I am currently trying to determine the function of a gene in the female brains of Drosophila , which are a species of small fruit flies. This requires m
Read more

Week 7 Story: The Game of Dice

Image
  Dice: Quantamagazine I was strolling down the streets of Las Vegas, passing by all of the bright lights and the sounds of coin machines when I saw a casino that loomed over all of the others: The Crystal Palace. Now, me being a newbie in the area, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I walked in between those doors. At the time, all I could focus on was the sparkle of the casino, which definitely fit its name perfectly. There were huge crystalline chandeliers hanging from the ceiling that were almost blinding to look at as well as a center bar that was encased with mirrors. Everything in casino seemed breakable to touch or too nice for me to feel comfortable to place my hand upon it. As I gazed around in wonder, I had not noticed two men coming down the stairs until the entire casino was in silence. Standing before me on the grand staircase were the two biggest casino leaders in Las Vegas: Mr. Pandava and Mr. D. No one knows what the mysterious Mr. D's real name is;
Read more