[HPforGrownups] Snakes/Nagini (was JKR Dictionary?)

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 12192

Amy Z wrote:

> When I see "Nagini" I always think of "naga," Sanskrit for snake (no,
> I don't know Sanskrit, but I've studied Buddhism a lot and you pick
> these things up).  Nagas have a very positive connotation--they are
> wiser and more spiritually advanced than most humans.  The term is
> even used as a synonym for the Buddha sometimes, and Nagarjuna, one
> of the greatest Buddhist thinkers of all time, was named for the nagas
> who are said to have instructed him.

Yeah, but most of us will make the Rikki-Tikki-Tavi connection, where
Nag and Nagaina were definitely *not* good. (Of course, Kipling named
them that because of nagas.) I think the lady cobra's name was Nagaina,
something like that, but very close to Nagini and the connection clicked
for me. Anyone else a Kipling fan? Or see the animated version some eons
ago? Am I the only one that thought of this?

--Amanda


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]