She was born in Mindon, believed to be the daugher of a water dragon. When she went on a pilgrimage to Shwe Settaw Pagoda, she and the black smith Maung Tint Dei, who had absconded from Tagaung met quite by chance. They fell in love and got married there. The couple gave birth to two sons who would have become in future 2 Nats as Taung Ma Gyi Shin Nyo and Myauk Min Shin Phyu Nats.
When Maung Tint Dei’s sister queen Saw Mei Yar came and called him back to Tagaung, he agreed and temporarily lelf his wife and 2 sons there, however, later on she heard the bad news that made her died of heart failure, and instantly she became Shwe Nabay Nat (Naga Medaw). Being the daughter of water dragon, there put water dragon’s head-dress worn on her image head. Some researchers remarked that when Maung Tint Dei had gone back to Tagaung, as she was a female dragon, she had laid 2 eggs in the water which were supposed to have been carried away by the current. Thus a hermit found and salvaged it, in due course the 2 eggs hatched out 2 baby boys, hermit reamed then Shin Phyu and Shin Nyo.