Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Manasa
Manasa, statue in Sundarbans, West Bengal, India.
Manasa
Hindu deity
Manasa, goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and general prosperity. As the protector of children, she is often identified with the goddess Shashti (“the Sixth”; worshipped on the sixth day after birth). The written texts that contain her myth, the Manasa-mangals, date from the 16th–17th century but are probably based on an earlier oral tradition. She is also celebrated in a variety of songs, dances, and dramas in the villages. Manasa may be related to the nagas, legendary half-human, half-cobra figures in India.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Matt Stefon.
Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.