Uragas

The term "Uraga" originates from Sanskrit, derived from "uṛ" (to move) and "ga" (going), literally meaning "that which moves by crawling." It is a synonym for Naga, a widely recognized term for serpentine beings in Indic religions, first appearing in ancient Vedic texts.

The Ndgas (serpents) dwelling in Patala, the nether world or hell, in popular thought ; the Adepts, High Priests and Initiates of Central and South America, known to the ancient Aryans; where Arjuna wedded the daughter of the king of the Ndgas — Ulupi. Nagalistn or Niiga-worship prevails to this day in Cuba and Hayti, and Voodooism. the chief branch of the former, has found its way into New Orleans. In Mexico the chief ".sorcerers", the "medicine men", are called Nagals to this day ; just as thousands of yt-ars ago the Chaldean and Assyrian High Priests were caHcd Nargals, they being ehiefs of tlie ]Magi (RabMag), the office held at one time by tlie propliet Daniel. The word Ndga, "wise serpent", has become universal, because it is one of the few w(Jrds that have survived the wreck of the first universal language. In South as well as in Central and North America, the aborigines use the word, from Behring Straits down to Uruguay, where it means a "chief", a "teacher", and a "serpent". The very word Uraga may have reached India and been adopted tlirough its connection, in prehistoric times, with South America and Uruguay itself, for the name l)elongs to the American Indian vernacular. The origin of the Uragas, for all that the Orientalists know, may have been in Uruguai, as there are legends about them which locate their ancestors the Nagas in Pdtala, the antipodes ,or America.

Blavatsky's definition of Uragas, with its fascinating leaps across continents and cultures, hints at a profound, ancient web of symbolism. The serpent, a motif as old as humanity's awareness, coils through mythologies worldwide, not merely as a creature of the earth but as a conduit to the subterranean and the sacred. In Hinduism, the Naga, and by extension the Uraga, are far more than mere reptiles; they are embodiments of cosmic energy, guardians of hidden treasures, and possessors of profound wisdom. Mircea Eliade, in his exploration of shamanism and archaic religions, often points to the serpent as a symbol of renewal and rebirth, its shedding of skin mirroring the cyclical nature of existence.

The connection Blavatsky draws to the "adepts" and "initiates" in the Americas is particularly resonant. The serpent's sinuous path can be seen as a metaphor for the arduous yet transformative journey of spiritual ascent, a winding ascent towards enlightenment. This echoes the concept of the Kundalini, the coiled serpent power at the base of the spine, which, when awakened, rises through the chakras, leading to higher consciousness. The "wise serpent" is a recurring archetype, found in Gnostic traditions as well, where it represents not temptation but a deeper, esoteric knowledge, a primal wisdom that predates organized religion. The Uraga, therefore, invites us to consider the ancient, instinctual currents of knowledge that lie beneath the surface of our rational minds, urging a re-engagement with the primordial forces that shape both the cosmos and our inner lives. To understand the Uraga is to acknowledge the profound, often unsettling, wisdom that slumbers in the deep places of the world and the soul.