Nagananda (Joy of the Serpents) is a Sanskrit play attributed to emperor Harsha (ruled 606 C.E.
Through five acts, it tells the popular story of a prince of divine magicians (vidyādharas) called Jimútaváhana, and his self-sacrifice to save the Nagas.
The unique characteristic of this drama is the invocation to Buddha in the Nandi verse, which is considered one of the best examples of the dramatic compositions.
Jimutavahana with his friend Atreya, the Vidushaka is in search of a suitable place of residence on the Malaya Mountains, southern part of the Western Ghats, as his old parents have expressed a desire to stay there.
Through her conversation with her maid they learn that she is a maiden and that Gauri revealed herself to her in a dream and conferred a boon that the Emperor of Vidhyadharas, Jimutavahana will marry her.
Many days later, prince Mitravasu, the brother of Malayawati, arrives with grave news that Matanga has seized control of Jimutavahana's kingdom.
He wears a red robe(originally given to him by his in-laws for his marriage), marking him as the sacrifice and sits on the altar, awaiting Garuda's arrival.
Filled with regret, Garuda fetches a vessel of Amrita from Indra and sprinkles the nectar on Jimutavahana's corpse as well as the bones of all his victims.
The play prominently figures in the repertoire of Kūṭiyāṭṭam, Kerala's traditional Sanskrit theater and the scene in which Garuḍa lifts up Jīmūtavāhana was enacted on an open stage.
The play was produced in January 2008 at Panaji; Goa ( India ) in Marathi by Prabhakar Sanskritic Sanstha following the conventions propagated in the Natyasastra.