The Nagas

the serpent deities

TraditionVedic and later Hindu

The coiled ones beneath the surface, keepers of what is hidden and potent.

The Nagas, also called Sarpas, are the divine serpents of Hindu tradition, dwelling in waters and in the realms below the earth. They are guardians of hidden treasure and hidden knowledge, honored in observances such as Naga Panchami to this day. They carry the double nature of the serpent, dangerous when wronged and protective when honored.

Presides over Ashlesha .

Sources name the presiding deity variously as the Sarpas or the Nagas; both refer to the divine serpents.