In Hindu and Buddhist mythology, the Naga is a serpent-like being often depicted as half-human and half-cobra.
Nāgas are divine or semi-divine serpent beings associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, water, fertility, protection, and the subterranean realm. Their forms are flexible: art and literature may show them as ordinary snakes, human figures crowned by cobra hoods, or beings whose bodies combine human and serpent features. The female form is commonly called a nāginī or nagini.
Nāgas appear in major Sanskrit traditions, including the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas. They are often described as powerful, proud, and capable of changing shape. Some stories portray them as guardians of treasures, sacred waters, or hidden realms; others emphasize their role as dangerous but respected supernatural forces.
The word nāga is strongly associated with the cobra, especially the Indian cobra, but translating every Naga simply as “cobra” loses the mythological meaning. Nāgas are also sometimes compared with dragons because Southeast Asian traditions developed related imagery, yet they are not identical to European dragons. Garuda is another common mix-up: in Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Garuda is a great bird and traditional enemy of the nāgas.