214 The Vdstu Ydga. [No. 3, 



Ndga pushpa, Calophyllutti inophyllum, Ndga Valli, the betel-leaf 

 plant (Piper betle), Ndgaphala (Trichosanthes diceca). Words bear- 

 ing ample evidence not only of the Naga origin of the things 

 they indicate, but of the Naga influence on the Aryan settlers. 

 The word Naga is also used for an elephant, for lead, and for tin. 

 Even as the word Uzbak was a term of abuse with the Mogul 

 emperors of Delhi, so was Nag obit among the Aryan, meaning the 

 veriest rascal. 



In the Vastu Yaga for consecrating a tank, a long pole is sunk in 

 the centre of the new excavation, and this pole in Sanscrit is Naga 

 yashti, or the Naga pole. In course of the ceremony, several Nagas 

 presiding over the several quarters of the mandalas, are worshipped, 

 and though in later times, the practice of throwing golden images of 

 serpents, frogs, and tortoises, in a freshly excavated tank is observed, 

 the Naga yashti cannot be said to have any connection with reptiles 

 or snakes. The application of the term Naga to the reptile class, is 

 probably due to the fact of the aborigines living in a wild jungly 

 country, infested by snakes, having been snake-charmers, and great 

 adepts in handling and killing such reptiles ; a figure of metonomy, 

 confounding the Naga aborigines with the Naga serpents. 



Atlanta is worshipped on certain days of the year, and if Atlanta 

 were a reptile and not an allegorical myth of eternity and the creator, 

 we should have had all over India, idols of serpents like those of 

 other gods. In no place, however, have we observed an idol of a 

 serpent, made and worshipped, unless as an appendix to idols of 

 some other more important gods, though Manasa and Nagas are 

 common in our ceremonies. Atlanta chaturdasi is a common cere- 

 mony. It is performed for fourteen years, and after the completion 

 of the period, the devotee ties round his right arm a cotton string 

 made of fourteen threads having fourteen knots. The ceremony is 

 specially serpentine in its name and forms of worship, but nowhere 

 does the actual reptile appear. Ananta is worshipped as "Vishnu, 

 and the cord round the arm, promises perpetual enjoyment of hea- 

 venly bliss. 



Naga panchatni is an auspicious day for the worship of the Nagas. 

 On the occasion, Manasa is worshipped in the Euphorbia plant. This 

 is an instance of tree- worship connected with serpents. It may 



