Aungzwamagyi

Aungzwamagyi nat

Aungzwamagyi (Burmese: အောင်စွာမကြီး; also called Bo Aung Zwa) is one of the 37 nats in the Burmese pantheon of nats. He is the nat representation of Aung Zwa, a commander in the service of Crown Prince Narapatisithu of Pagan, and the assassin of King Naratheinkha. He is portrayed sitting on a throne, playing a harp and wearing a headdress and a sash.^[1]

In 1173, Aung Zwa on Narapatisithu's orders assassinated Naratheinkha who had tried to take one of Narapatisithu's queens as his own. Aung Zwa led a group of 80 soldiers, and infiltrated the palace. He found the king in the privy, and killed him there.^[2]

Narapatisithu had promised Aung Zwa the three queens of Naratheinkha for his efforts. But the new king reneged on his promise, after hearing pleas by his three sisters-in-law not to be given to a commoner like Aung Zwa. (The queens were also Narapatisithu's cousins.)

The king told Aung Zwa that:

Nga Aung Zwa Nge, I made thee a promise indeed but if I were to give thee one of my sisters-in-law, it would be held a sin against my grand-sires and great-grand-sires. I will make thee great, and give thee a daughter of a great nobleman.

Aung Zwa, disgusted, said: Pish!

Narapatisithu killed him at once, saying He hath braved me to my face.

References

1. Hla Thamein. "Thirty-Seven Nats". Yangonow. Archived from the original on 24 June 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-03.
2. GE Harvey (1925). History of Burma. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd. pp. 53–54.