Antaboga
{{Short description|Serpent deity in Javanism and Sundanism}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Indonesian
| name = {{hlist|{{lang|jv|Antaḅoga}}|{{lang|jv|Antabhoga}}}}
| image = 275px
| alt = Antaboga
| caption = A 19th century Balinese-style drawing by I Ketut Gedé, depicting a Balinese man named Juarsa worshipping Antaboga.
| affiliation =
| father =
| mother =
| deity_of = King of Worldly Serpents
| other_names = {{lang|kaw|Anantabhoga}} {{in lang|kaw}}
| spouse =
| siblings =
| children =
| consort =
| script = {{plist|
- Javanese: {{Script/Java|ꦄꦤ꧀ꦠꦨꦺꦴꦒ}}
- Sundanese: {{Script/Sund|ᮃᮔ᮪ᮒᮽᮧᮌ}}
- Balinese: {{Script/Bali|ᬅᬦ᭄ᬢᬪᭀᬕ}}}}
| script_name = Javan-Bali scripts
| abode =
| venerated_in = Javanism, Sundanism, Balinese Hinduism
| texts = {{hlist|{{lang|su|Wawacan Sulanjana}}|{{lang|jv|Tantu Pagelaran}}}}
}}
Antaboga ({{ety|kaw|Anantabhoga}}; {{langx|jv|ꦄꦤ꧀ꦠꦨꦺꦴꦒ}}; {{langx|su|ᮃᮔ᮪ᮒᮽᮧᮌ}}; {{langx|ban|ᬅᬦ᭄ᬢᬪᭀᬕ}}), or colloquially also known as the Javan Dragon Snake deity is a serpent deity in Javanism and Sundanism (later also adopted in Balinese Hinduism).{{Cite news|first=Galih|last=Pranata|title=Mengenal Sang Hyang Antaboga, Naga dalam Mitologi Jawa dan Bali |publisher=National Geographic Indonesia |url=https://nationalgeographic.grid.id/read/132850798/mengenal-sang-hyang-antaboga-naga-dalam-mitologi-jawa-dan-bali |date=24 August 2021|access-date=2024-08-04 |language=id}}
Nomenclature
{{lang|jv|Antaboga}} is a Javanese-origin name, derived or inherited from {{lang|kaw|Anantabhoga}} in Old Javanese meaning {{lit|endless food}}.{{cite web | title=Naga | website=Sonobudoyo | date=2024-12-01 | url=https://sonobudoyo.jogjaprov.go.id/id/tulisan/read/naga#:~:text=Antaboga%20berarti%20makanan%20yang%20tidak,satu%20unsur%20penyusun%20alam%20semesta. | access-date=2025-03-19}} According to the Balinese literatures, the term might possibly rooted from two Sanskrit words, namely {{lang|sa|Āṉanta}} (अनन्त, {{lit|infinite}}) and {{lang|sa|Bhoga}} (भोग, {{lit|to enjoy, to benefit}}). In Hindu traditions, he is identified with Sheshanaga.
Mythology
At the beginning of time, only Antaboga existed. Antaboga meditated and created the world turtle named Bedawang from which all other creations sprang.{{cite book|last=Tresidder|first=Jack |title=The Complete Dictionary of Symbols|publisher=Chronicle Books|date=2005-03-03|isbn=0-8118-4767-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MV25OktTqLIC&dq=Antaboga&pg=PA36|page=36}} In Javanese and Balinese mythology, Antaboga has two offsprings, a male named Bambang Naga Tatmala and a female one named Dewi Nagagini.
According to Sundanese myth, Antaboga was also responsible for the birth of Dewi Sri, the rice goddess of Java and Bali. According to Wawacan Sulanjana, Dewi Sri emerges from the tears that turned into an egg, shed by Antaboga.{{cite web |url=http://www.sunda.org/sundanese/myths.htm |title=Early Mythology - Dewi Sri |publisher=Sunda.org |date= |accessdate=2012-08-26 |archive-date=2012-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905215151/http://www.sunda.org/sundanese/myths.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://my.opera.com/mrtaufik/blog/2008/03/01/mitos-nyi-pohaci-sanghyang-asri-dewi-sri |title=(Indonesian) Mitos Nyi Pohaci/Sanghyang Asri/Dewi Sri |publisher=My.opera.com |date=2008-03-01 |accessdate=2012-08-26}}
These days many of the old myths and legends are celebrated in the wayang performance that became a vehicle to combine the syncretic philosophies from outside with those philosophies and ideas already rooted within the local cultures and traditions.
Depictions
{{Indonesian mythology and folklore}}
File:Traditional indonesian instruments04.jpg in Javanese gamelan set]]
In Javanese art, Antaboga is often depicted as a crowned serpent. As a divine serpent symbolism, it is applied into ornaments and decorative carvings. Generally it will appear on gong decorations as a symbol of the Javanese dragon. Artefacts of ancient objects are also generally decorated with Javanese dragon figures, such as keris, temple doors, stairs railings and other Javanese ornaments.
Antaboga is possibly derived from the actual native Javan dragon snake (Xenodermus javanicus), originally and traditionally venerated in Javanism folk religious belief, widely practiced by the local Javanese since pre-Islamic era (before the Islamization of Demak Kingdom, which later transformed as Demak Sultanate).{{cn|date=December 2024}}