Standing Nagaraja (Serpent King)
India (Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh)
Nagas (serpent deities) are associated with water and agricultural abundance, but at the same time they are venomous and bring floods and destruction. Serpent worship goes back to remote antiquity and numerous representations of nagarajas (serpent kings) are known from as early as the second century B.C. Thus it is not surprising that with the emergence of the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist religious traditions we see the integration of naga deities. Although the names of many nagarajas are preserved in Indian literature, specific identification is difficult unless the sculpture is inscribed.
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