was Mrs. Figg, Crookshanks, now snakes

[rainy_lilac at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 15619

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., tobeybickle at a... wrote:
> In a message dated 3/30/01 2:26:56 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
> rainy_lilac at y... writes:
> 
> 
> > > > What kind of snake is Nagini?
> > > > 
> > > > Doreen
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > Nagini couldn't be a Basilisk, because I'm pretty sure she's 
made 
> > eye contact 
> > > with Wormtail or Voldemort at some point...
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > A Naga is a kind of mythical serpent. Nagini sounds like a 
variation 
> > on the name-- I think it would be translated as "little serpent"! 
> > (Considering that she is 20 feet long, we can see JKR's sense of 
> > humor at work here...) 
> > 
> > I found the following description on the web:
> > 
> > The word Naga is rooted in Sanskrit and means "Serpent". In the 
East 
> > Indian pantheon it is connected with the Serpent Spirit and the
> > Dragon Spirit. It has an quivalency to the Burmese Nats, or 
> > god-serpents. In the Esoteric Tradition it is synonymous for 
Adepts, 
> > or
> > Initiates. In India and Egypt, and even in Central and South 
America, 
> > the Naga stands for one who is wise. 
> > 
> >      Nagarjuna of India, for example, is shown with an aura, or 
halo, 
> > of seven serpents which is an indication of a very high degree of
> > Initiation. The symbolism of the seven serpents, usually cobras, 
are 
> > also on Masonic aprons of certain systems in the Buddhistic ruins 
of
> > Cambodia (Ankhor) and Ceylon. The great temple-builders of the 
famous 
> > Ankhor Wat were considered to be the semi-divine Khmers.
> > The avenue leading to the Temple is lined with the seven-headed 
Naga. 
> > And even in Mexico, we find the "Naga" which becomes
> > "Nagal." In China, the Naga is given the form of the Dragon and 
has a 
> > direct association with the Emperor and is known as the "Son of
> > Heaven"...while in Egypt the same association is termed 
> > "King-Initiate". The Chinese are even said to have originated with 
the 
> > Serpent
> > demi-gods and even to speak their language, Naga-Krita. For a 
place 
> > that has no serpents, Tibet, they are still known in a symbolic 
sense
> > and are called "Lu!" (Naga). Nagarjuna called in Tibetan, Lu-trub. 
> > 
> >      In the Western traditions we find the sae ubiquity for the 
Naga, 
> > or Serpent. One simple example is the Ancient Greek Goddess,
> > Athena. She is known as a warrior Goddess as well as the Goddess 
of 
> > Wisdom; her symbol being the Serpent as displayed on her
> > personal shield. Of course, in Genesis the Serpent is a Naga who 
> > instructs the new infant (humanity) in what is called the 
Knowledge of
> > Good and Evil. The Christian church has, unfortunately transformed 
the 
> > Initiate-Teacher into a tempting and negative demon-character.
> > An apocryphal tradition says that Apollonius of Tyana, while on a 
> > visit to India, was taught by the "Nagas" of Kashmir. (See The 
Life of
> > Apollonius, by Philostratos.)  It is felt by many scholars of the 
> > Western Tradition that the life of Apollonius was taken from the 
New
> > Testament, or that the narratives of the New Testament have been 
taken 
> > from the life of Apollonius. This is felt because of ! the
> > undisputed and clear similarities of construction fo that 
particular 
> > narrative. 
> > 
> >      Naga is one of a handful of rare words surviving the loss of 
the 
> > first universal language. In Buddhism, Wisdom has always been 
ties,
> > symbollically, to the figure of the Serpent. In the Western 
Tradition 
> > it can be found as used by the Christ in the Gospel of Saint 
Matthew
> > (x.16), "Be ye therefore as serpents, and harmless as doves." 
> > 
> >      In all mythological language the snake is also an emblem of 
> > immortality. Its endless representation with its tail in its mouth
> > (Ouroboros), and the constant renewal of its skin and vigor, 
enliven 
> > teh symbols of continued youth and eternity. 
> > 
> >      The Serpent's reputation for positive medicinal and/or 
> > life-preserving qualities have also contributed to the honors of 
the 
> > Serpent as
> > STILL seen by the employment of the Caduceus. To this very day, 
the 
> > Hindus are taught that the end of every Universal Manifestation
> > (Kalpa) all things are re-absorbed into Deity and the the interval 
> > between "creations." He reposes upon the Serpant Sesha (Duration) 
who
> > is called Ananta, or, Endlessness. (See Ophiolatreiaby Hargrave 
> > Jennings) 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> Actually, I always assumed Nagini was named after Nagaina, the 
mother cobra 
> in Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Nagaina was probaby named from the 
mythology 
> you mention, because the story involves English colonists in India.


Nagini is also apparently a popular name in India. I found it in a 
website about baby-names.