In Mandaeism, an anana (, (at 8:42)) is a heavenly cloud in the World of Light that is considered to be the dwelling place of uthras. An anana can also be interpreted as a female consort.
The Mandaic term anana was also frequently used to refer to women in the Mandaean community.
Names of ananas Right Ginza Book 17, Chapter 1 lists the names of several ananas and their uthras, many of which are gufnas (personified grapevines).
Anana(s) Uthra(s) Notes Nhur-Hiia-Anana Mara ḏ-Rabuta Kimṣat-Anana little Pirun Ptula ("the Virgin") Hibil Šahrat-ʿbdat-u-Kišrat Great Mighty Mana and Niṭufta Yasmus Šarat, the great hidden first gupna Sidar-Kasia Yura Tatagmur first-born son of Yušamin Pihtat-u-Nihrat-u-Nipqat-mn-gu-mia (two clouds) Nṣab and Anan-Nṣab Barat and Ethrauribat Sar and Sarwan Nhar and Khar Šilmai and Nidbai
In Right Ginza Book 3, Adakas Ziwa is paired with Anana ḏ-Nhura ("cloud of light").
In the Asut Malkia, Bihrat Anana is mentioned as the name of an anana.Drower, Ethel Stefana. 1937. The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran. Oxford At The Clarendon Press.
Niṭufta Niṭufta (at 8:35 and 8:48) is a similar concept in Mandaeism. In Qulasta prayers such as the Asut Malkia, the word niṭufta (spelled niṭupta ), which originally means 'drop' or 'droplet' and has sometimes also been translated as 'cloud', is also often used as an appellation to refer to the consorts of uthras.Macúch, Rudolf (1965). Handbook of Classical and Modern Mandaic. Berlin: De Gruyter. It can also be interpreted as the semen or seed of the Father (Hayyi Rabbi), or a personified drop of "water of life". The Asut Malkia mentions Šarat and Kanat as names of individual niṭuftas.
Similarly, the Apocalypse of Adam (one of the Nag Hammadi texts) mentions droplets and clouds from heaven.
See also Shkinta Gufna Uthra
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