A naga is a mythical, semi-divine being that is half-human and half-cobra. They are a strong and handsome species that can assume either wholly human or wholly serpentine form, and are potentially dangerous but often beneficial to humans. Nagas live in an underground kingdom called Naga-loka, or Patala-loka, which is filled with resplendent palaces, beautifully ornamented with precious gems. In Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, nagas are members of a class of mythical semi-divine beings. They are depicted in art 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.
In South India, a cobra nest may become a shrine to the mythical naga, and women offer the snakes milk, fruit, and flowers, and entice them out with songs and incense. Nagas are also worshiped in their own right, and in Cambodia, for instance, the naga is revered as the ancestor of the Cambodian people and protector of the Buddha. In Buddhist societies, nagas are sometimes thought of as local deities that became part of Buddhism, retaining their powers to assist people.
It is important to note that the term "naga" can also refer to a cobra in Sanskrit.
