Naigamesha - Revision history

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			{{Short description\|Hindu and Jain childhood god}}
	[[File:Brooklyn Museum - Harinegameshin Carrying the Embryo Fragment of a Leaf from a Dispersed Kalpasutra.jpg\|thumb\| Harinegameshi carrying the embryo, fragment of a leaf from a dispersed [[Kalpasutra (Jain)\|Kalpasutra]], Brooklyn Museum]]		[[File:Brooklyn Museum - Harinegameshin Carrying the Embryo Fragment of a Leaf from a Dispersed Kalpasutra.jpg\|thumb\| Harinegameshi carrying the embryo, fragment of a leaf from a dispersed [[Kalpasutra (Jain)\|Kalpasutra]], Brooklyn Museum]]
	[[File:Nejamesa horned god of India.png\|thumb\|Naigamesha, [[Mathura Museum]], [[Kushan Empire]], 1st-3rd century CE.<ref>"Naigamesa was a popular deity in the Kushana period and we have at least eight figures of this god from Mathura assignable to c. 1st to 3rd century A.D. (GMM., E. 1, 15.909, 15, 1001, 15. 1046, '''15. 1115''', 34.2402, 34. 2547, SML., J 626, etc)" in {{cite book \|last1=Joshi \|first1=Nilakanth Purushottam \|title=Mātr̥kās, Mothers in Kuṣāṇa Art \|date=1986 \|publisher=Kanak Publications \|page=41 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=geYjAAAAMAAJ \|language=en}}</ref>]]		[[File:Nejamesa horned god of India.png\|thumb\|Naigamesha, [[Mathura Museum]], [[Kushan Empire]], 1st-3rd century CE.<ref>"Naigamesa was a popular deity in the Kushana period and we have at least eight figures of this god from Mathura assignable to c. 1st to 3rd century A.D. (GMM., E. 1, 15.909, 15, 1001, 15. 1046, '''15. 1115''', 34.2402, 34. 2547, SML., J 626, etc)" in {{cite book \|last1=Joshi \|first1=Nilakanth Purushottam \|title=Mātr̥kās, Mothers in Kuṣāṇa Art \|date=1986 \|publisher=Kanak Publications \|page=41 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=geYjAAAAMAAJ \|language=en}}</ref>]]
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	==In Hinduism==		==In Hinduism==
	In Hinduism, Naigamesha is associated with [[Kartikeya]], the god of war. Naigamesha is an epithet and a form of Kartikeya, where he is generally depicted goat-headed. In other instances, Naigamesha is described as the son or brother of the war god. Hindu texts like the ''[[Brahmanas]]'', the ''[[Grhyasutras\|Grihya sutras]]'' and medicinal texts mention a similar deity with a [[Sheep\|ram]] head.<ref name="Dalal2014"/> As a fearsome follower of Kartikeya, Naigamesha was feared and worshipped to ward off evil. ~~later~~, he evolved into the patron of childbirth.<ref name="Kala1980"/>		In Hinduism, Naigamesha is associated with [[Kartikeya]], the god of war and is frequently mentioned as Naigameya. Naigamesha is an epithet and a form of Kartikeya, where he is generally depicted goat-headed. In other instances, Naigamesha is described as the son or brother of the war god. Hindu texts like the ''[[Brahmanas]]'', the ''[[Grhyasutras\|Grihya sutras]]'' and medicinal texts mention a similar deity with a [[Sheep\|ram]]'s head.<ref name="Dalal2014"/> As a fearsome follower of Kartikeya, Naigamesha was feared and worshipped to ward off evil. Later, he evolved into the patron of childbirth.<ref name="Kala1980"/>

	==Iconography==		==Iconography==
	Depictions of Naigamesha are rare and are generally confined to North India and the pre-third century era. They are many depictions of the deity found in the region around [[Mathura]], dating from the 1st–3rd century.<ref>Van der Geer p. 173</ref><ref name="Dalal2014">{{cite book\|author=Roshen Dalal\|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide\|publisher=Penguin Books Limited\|isbn=978-81-8475-277-9\|page=797}}</ref>		Depictions of Naigamesha are rare and are generally confined to North India and the pre-third century era. They are many depictions of the deity found in the region around [[Mathura]], dating from the 1st–3rd century.<ref>Van der Geer p. 173</ref><ref name="Dalal2014">{{cite book\|author=Roshen Dalal\|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide\|date=18 April 2014\|publisher=Penguin Books Limited\|isbn=978-81-8475-277-9\|page=797}}</ref>
	Terracotta figurines of Naigamesha from 2nd century BCE to 4th century CE are also been discovered.<ref name="Kala1980">{{cite book\|author=Satish Chandra Kala\|title=Terracottas in the Allahabad Museum\|year=1980\|publisher=Abhinav Publications\|isbn=978-0-391-02234-8\|page=65}}</ref>		Terracotta figurines of Naigamesha from 2nd century BCE to 4th century CE are also been discovered.<ref name="Kala1980">{{cite book\|author=Satish Chandra Kala\|title=Terracottas in the Allahabad Museum\|year=1980\|publisher=Abhinav Publications\|isbn=978-0-391-02234-8\|page=65}}</ref>

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	==References==		==References==
	* {{cite book\|author=Alexandra Anna Enrica van der Geer\|title=Animals in Stone: Indian Mammals Sculptured Through Time\|year=2008\|publisher=BRILL\|isbn=90-04-16819-2}}		* {{cite book\|author=Alexandra Anna Enrica van der Geer\|title=Animals in Stone: Indian Mammals Sculptured Through Time\|year=2008\|publisher=BRILL\|isbn=978-90-04-16819-0}}

			==External links==
			{{commons category-inline\|Naigamesha}}

			{{Jainism Topics}}
			{{Authority control}}

	[[Category:Hindu gods]]		[[Category:Hindu gods]]
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	[[Category:Animals in Hinduism]]		[[Category:Animals in Hinduism]]
	[[Category:Heavenly attendants in Jainism]]		[[Category:Heavenly attendants in Jainism]]
			[[Category:Mythological caprids]]
			[[Category:Mythological deer]]

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[[File:Brooklyn Museum - Harinegameshin Carrying the Embryo Fragment of a Leaf from a Dispersed Kalpasutra.jpg|thumb| Harinegameshi carrying the embryo, fragment of a leaf from a dispersed [[Kalpasutra (Jain)|Kalpasutra]], Brooklyn Museum]]
[[File:Nejamesa horned god of India.png|thumb|Naigamesha, [[Mathura Museum]], [[Kushan Empire]], 1st-3rd century CE.<ref>"Naigamesa was a popular deity in the Kushana period and we have at least eight figures of this god from Mathura assignable to c. 1st to 3rd century A.D. (GMM., E. 1, 15.909, 15, 1001, 15. 1046, '''15. 1115''', 34.2402, 34. 2547, SML., J 626, etc)" in {{cite book |last1=Joshi |first1=Nilakanth Purushottam |title=Mātr̥kās, Mothers in Kuṣāṇa Art |date=1986 |publisher=Kanak Publications |page=41 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=geYjAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref>]]
'''''Naigamesha''''' ({{lang-sa|नैगमेष}}, {{IAST|Naigameśa}}), also known as '''''Harinegameshi''''', is a goat-headed or deer-headed deity, associated with children. He also appears in [[Jain]] as well as [[Hindu]] traditions, associated with the war-god [[Kartikeya]] and [[childbirth]].

==Associations==
Naigamesha is known by a variety of names: Negamesha, Nemesha, Naigameshin, Negamesi, Harinegameshi. The last is translated as "Negamesi, the general of Hari ([[Indra]])". Another interpretation says that it is derived from ''harina'' (deer) and ''mesha'' ([[sheep|ram]]).<ref name="Dalal2014"/>

Naigamesha is the benefactor and protector of children in Jainism. While the Greek satyr [[Pan (god)|Pan]] is depicted with the lower body of a goat, Naigamesha has a goat head; in both cultures, the goat denotes fertility.<ref>Van der Geer pp. 170–171</ref> He is worshipped to beget children.<ref name="Dalal2014"/>

==Jain texts==
[[File:Naigamesha looks over Mahavira's birth.jpg|thumb|Naigamesha (left) looks over Mahavira's birth; the infant Mahavira is held in his mother's arms. Folio from the ''[[Kalpa Sutra]]'' (1450–1500).]]

According to the ''[[Kalpa Sutra]]'', Naigamesha, on the orders of the king of the gods [[Indra]], transferred the embryo of the [[Tirthankar]] [[Mahavira]] from the womb of the [[Brahmin]] (priest class) woman Devananda to the [[Kshatriya]] (ruling caste) [[Trishala]], who finally delivers Mahavira. According to the [[Shvetambara]] text ''Neminanathacharita'', which recalls the life of the Tirthankar [[Neminatha]], [[Krishna]] – a cousin of Neminatha and generally venerated as Hindu deity – worships Naigamesha to beget a son from his second wife [[Satyabhama]]; a son who equals his first-born [[Pradyumna]], from his first wife [[Rukmini]]. Other texts portray Satyabhama praying to the deity.<ref name="Dalal2014"/>

==In Hinduism==
In Hinduism, Naigamesha is associated with [[Kartikeya]], the god of war. Naigamesha is an epithet and a form of Kartikeya, where he is generally depicted goat-headed. In other instances, Naigamesha is described as the son or brother of the war god. Hindu texts like the ''[[Brahmanas]]'', the ''[[Grhyasutras|Grihya sutras]]'' and medicinal texts mention a similar deity with a [[Sheep|ram]] head.<ref name="Dalal2014"/> As a fearsome follower of Kartikeya, Naigamesha was feared and worshipped to ward off evil. later, he evolved into the patron of childbirth.<ref name="Kala1980"/>

==Iconography==
Depictions of Naigamesha are rare and are generally confined to North India and the pre-third century era. They are many depictions of the deity found in the region around [[Mathura]], dating from the 1st–3rd century.<ref>Van der Geer p. 173</ref><ref name="Dalal2014">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|publisher=Penguin Books Limited|isbn=978-81-8475-277-9|page=797}}</ref>
Terracotta figurines of Naigamesha from 2nd century BCE to 4th century CE are also been discovered.<ref name="Kala1980">{{cite book|author=Satish Chandra Kala|title=Terracottas in the Allahabad Museum|year=1980|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-0-391-02234-8|page=65}}</ref>

In a 1st–3rd century depiction from Kankali Tila near Mathura (currently in [[Mathura Museum]]), Naigamesha is depicted with a goat's head and short, backward turning horns, a long beard ([[goatee]]) and "drooping" ears. Another sculpture from the 10th–13th century depicts him in the company of Hindu deities. The group of seven Hindu mother-goddesses, the [[Saptamatrika]] – who are associated with children – are surrounded by their usual companions [[Shiva]] and [[Ganesha]] as well as Naigamesha. The goat-features mirror the earlier depiction. In addition, Naigamesha is depicted with three children; one held in his left arm, another seated near his left foot and a third standing near the right leg, which conveys his association with children.<ref>Van der Geer pp. 172–3, xxxii</ref>

Besides his goat-head, Naigamesha may also be shown having a deer head and may be depicted transferring the embryo of Mahavira in narrative panels. He is also depicted as seated on a throne, flanked by children on his lap or shoulders. Female attendants or a goat-headed woman sometimes accompany the god.<ref name="Dalal2014"/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|author=Alexandra Anna Enrica van der Geer|title=Animals in Stone: Indian Mammals Sculptured Through Time|year=2008|publisher=BRILL|isbn=90-04-16819-2}}

[[Category:Hindu gods]]
[[Category:Childhood gods]]
[[Category:Horned deities]]
[[Category:Animal gods]]
[[Category:Animals in Hinduism]]
[[Category:Heavenly attendants in Jainism]]