Nāga [Ved. nāga; etym. of 1. perhaps fr. *snagh=Ags. snaca (snake) & snaegl (snail); of 2 uncertain, perhaps a Non -- Aryan word distorted by popular analogy to nāga1] 1. a serpent or Nāga demon, playing a prominent part in Buddh. fairy -- tales, gifted with miraculous powers & great strength. They often act as fairies & are classed with other divinities (see devatā), with whom they are sometimes friendly, sometimes at enmity (as with the Garuḷas) D i.54; S iii.240 sq.; v.47, 63; Bu. i.30 (dīghāyukā mahiddhikā); Miln 23. Often with supaṇṇā (Garuḷas); J i.64; DhA ii.4; PvA 272. Descriptions e. g. at DhA iii.231, 242 sq.; see also cpds. -- 2. an elephant, esp. a strong, stately animal (thus in combn hatthi -- nāga characterising "a Nāga elephant") & freq. as symbol of strength & endurance ("heroic"). Thus Ep. of the Buddha & of Arahants. Popular etymologies of n. are based on the excellency of this animal (āguŋ na karoti=he is faultless, etc.): see Nd1 201=Nd2 337; Th 1, 693; PvA 57. -- (a) the animal D i.49; S i.16; ii.217, 222; iii.85; v.351; A ii.116; iii.156 sq.; Sn 543; Vv 55 (=hatthināga VvA 37); Pv i.113. mahā˚ A iv.107, 110. -- (b) fig.= hero or saint: S ii.277; iii.83; M i.151, 386; Dh 320; Sn 29, 53, 166, 421, 518. Of the Buddha: Sn 522, 845, 1058, 1101; Miln 346 (Buddha˚). -- 3. The Nāga -- tree (now called "iron -- wood tree," the P. meaning "fairy tree"), noted for its hard wood & great masses of red flowers (=Sk. nāgakesara, mesua ferrea Lin.): see cpds. ˚rukkha, ˚puppha, ˚latā.

 -- âpalokita "elephant -- look" (turning the whole body), a mark of the Buddhas M i.337; cp. BSk. nāgâvalokita Divy 208; -- danta an ivory peg or pin, also used as a hook on a wall Vin ii.117 (˚ka Vin ii.114, 152); J vi.382; -- nāṭaka snakes as actors DhA iv.130; -- nāsūru (f.) (woman) having thighs like an elephant's trunk Jv.297; -- puppha iron -- wood flower Miln 283; -- bala the strength of an elephant J i.265; ii.158; -- bhavana the world of snakes Nd1 448; J iii.275; DhA iv.14; -- māṇavaka a young serpent J iii.276; f. ˚ikā ib. 275; DhA iii.232; -- rājā king of the Nāgas, i. e. serpents J ii.111; iii.275; Sn 379 (Erāvaṇa, see detail SnA 368); DhA i.359; iii.231, 242 sq. (Ahicchatta); iv.129 sq. (Paṇṇaka); -- rukkha the iron -- wood tree J i.35 (cp. M Vastu ii.249); -- latā=rukkha J i.80 (the Buddha's toothpick made of its wood), 232; DhA ii.211 (˚dantakaṭṭha toothpick); -- vatta habits of serpents Nd1 92, also adj. ˚ika ibid. 89; -- vana elephant -- grove Dh 324; DhA iv.15; -- vanika cl. hunter M i.175; iii.132; -- hata one who strikes the el. (viz. the Buddha) Vin ii.195.