Indonesian Mythology

The Gods and Spirits of Indonesia

ANTABOGA

Javanese Creator God

Also known as Ananta Boga, Anantaboga, Anataboga

World Serpent before time existed

He is so old that he is even older than age itself. Since before the beginning he was given to meditating. Then he became much given to meditating and felt that meditating owed him much in return.

So he meditated into existence a World Turtle for himself called Bedwang. Happy with this, he meditated up another couple of serpents too. Also, after noticing the the World Turtle came complete with a World and an Underworld, he conjured up a black stone lid to cover up and seal off the Underworld bit

This triggered off Underworld activity in the form of a Goddess called Setesuyara and a God Batara Kala. They didn’t like the dark and lifted the lid a bit, which caused Earth and Light to appear. Who in turn protected themselves with a layer of water and several skies. You know how it is with skies and limits — they are always prone to Godly Developments.

In no time at all, there was sun, moon, stars, planets, paradise projects and high rise heavens. Then the skies opened and more water poured down. Soon seas were seen as the first human sightseers materialized. And here we all are.

After all this exciting creation, Antaboga went to live in Heaven. Unfortunately he had a bit of trouble helping build the new palace for Supreme Being Batara Guru. “I just can’t do a thing,” he moaned. “Don’t you guys realize I’m a snake? How can I build anything? I don’t have arms or legs!”

The other gods thought this was a feeble excuse — which it was really, if you consider all the cosmic creation he’d already done. But he started weeping regardless, and his tears turned into amazingly bejeweled eggs.

“Ah, how lovely,” exclaimed Batara Guru. “Just what I need to decorate my new palace.” So everyone was happy — even when the magic egg hatched and the goddess Dewi Sri popped out.

Antaboga has a lot in common with the Hindu Shesha, which is not really a coincidence as they more or less live next door.

Antaboga Facts and Figures

Name: Antaboga
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names: Ananta Boga, Anantaboga, Anataboga

Gender: Male
Type: God
Area or people: Java and maybe Bali in Indonesia
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present

Role:
In charge of: Creating
Area of expertise: Creation

Good/Evil Rating: NEUTRAL, may not care
Popularity index: 12549

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Article last revised on May 11, 2019 by the Godchecker data dwarves.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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