Significance of Nag Panchami

“Panchami habba, panchammi habba…

Uladava dinn naakk, anna barlilla yak kariyakk…” goes the song.


My elder brother at Bangalore even today, recollects and reminds everyone that as a child of 4-5 years old, I use to sing this song quite often. More than the song or significance of the Nag Panchami, it was the “Swing” I was attracted to a lot. And I loved one to be tied at my house too. Of course, my brothers have fulfilled almost all of my small and wonderful desires I craved for right from childhood till now.

Nag Panchami is a festival during which religious Hindus in some parts of India worship live Nagas-The snakes  (cobras) or images of snakes. It is celebrated on the fifth day after Amavasya (New Moon day) of the month of Shravan or Shravana or Saawan as it is called in the North India.

Traditionally, it is a practice of newly married women to visit their parental house to celebrate the festival. Especially in villages in India, a traditional aspect of the celebration involves joyous swinging by young women on swings temporarily hung on tree branches.


The History of Nag Panchami:

There are legends, stories behind the celebration of Nag Panchami.


The custom of snake-worship is believed to have come from the "Naga" clan, a highly developed tribe who lived in ancient India. The Indus Valley civilization of 3000 B.C. gives ample proof of the popularity of snake-worship among the Nagas, whose culture was fairly wide-spread in India even before the Aryans came. Later, the Indo-Aryans began to worship many of the snake deities of the Nagas and some of them even found mention in the Hindu Puranas.

The traces of existence of snake-worship dates back to Rig Vedic period. In the 8th Ashtaka of the Rig Veda, the earth is addressed as the Sarpa-rajni or "the queen of the serpents or the queen of all that moves".

The Yajur-Veda provides a more definite account of serpent-worship; the Samhita of this Veda contains prayers to the Sarpas(snakes) who are addressed as denizens of the heavens, the skies, the rays of the sun, the waters, the vegetables and the like.

Carved or painted figures of snakes can be found on the walls of many Hindu temples that exist from the medieval era. Images of snake worship rituals can also be spotted in the world famous Ajanta caves.

In medieval India figures of snakes were carved or painted on the walls of many Hindu temples. In the carves of Ajanta images of the rituals of snake worship are found.

The mention of the Nagas and the Sarpas is also found in the Mahabharata. In the sacred Hindu text BhagavadGita, one witnesses how Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that Vasuki and Ananta represent him amongst the Sarpas and the Nagas respectively. Janamejaya Sarpa Yaga is very famous episode of Mahabharata

The Hindu Puranas(Sanskrit encyclopedic texts) also mention the Nagas and the Sarpas. In the Bhagavata Purana, Vasuki and eleven other Nagas are mentioned as forming the string of the sun's chariot, one serpent being held to be sacred to each month. The Markandeya Purana embodies the well-known story of the marriage of Madalasa, a Naga princess of superb beauty, with King Kulvalasva.

In the Panchatantra authentic evidence is found of the occurrence of serpent-worship in the post-Vedic ages of Ancient India. As it has been established that the Panchatantra was composed sometime between the first and sixth centuries, it is believed that the tradition of snake-worship existed in India prior to the sixth century A.D.

The celebrated French traveller Jean Baptiste Tavernier(1605-1689.A.D), in the course of his visit to India in the seventeenth century, saw the serpent worshipped in the form of an idol. Though Tavernier has neither mentioned the name of the festival nor given any further details, the description corresponds with the Nagapanchami festival as it is observed throughout India at the present day.

Again, it is obvious that during Summer, snakes go deep into the earth to safeguard from heat and come out only in search of prey. During the rainy season, they come out as the surface is cool. It is during the rainy season, we notice snakes hear and there. And that is time also when the field is prepared for crops sowing and so on. It is a way to reciprocate these creatures helping farmers by eating away mice and rats. so, in order to thank them, and requesting or   praying them not to harm humans, the festivity is observed.

In Karnataka, from Amavasya day, many don't even chop or even prepare chapati dough. Knives and other chopping blades are not used. As it would signify chopping of Snakes. Again, those vegetables are cooked which can be made into pieces by using fingers. Again, no fried items are made. It is interesting to know the practices followed by people to respect animals. Maybe such practices are also followed in other places.

The Telugu speaking populations residing in both the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana , offer prayers to snakes on Sravana  and Karthika masams. Some  observe "Nagula Chavathi"

On Nag Panchami day, different varieties of ladoos are made and served to the Nag Devata along with milk.

A Hindu Mythology story about origin of snakes:

According to Varaha Purana, Lord Brahma's son sage Kashyapa or Kasyapa had many wives. most of them the daughters of Daksha prajapathi. His wives (who are daughters of Daksha) are : Aditi mother of the Devas, Diti the mother of the Daityas or Demons , Arishta, the mother of the Gandharvas , Kadru, the mother of the Nagas (snakes), Vinata the mother of Aruna (Charioteer of Lord Suryanarayana's chariot-time right before sunrise) and Garuda, Danu the mother of the Danavas (who are generally considered part of the Asuras), Kalaka the mother of the monster Kalkanja, Khasa, the mother of the Yakshas , Krodhavasa the mother of the Pishachas (flesh eating monsters), Muni the mother of Maumeya, Puloma the mother of the monster Pauloma, Somathi the mother of Sumathi (who married Sagara -the Ocean).

Kadru the mother of a thousand snakes , some of the prominent are "Ananth, Vasuki, Sesha, Padmanabha, Khabhalam, Shankha palam, Dhatharashtram, Taksha and Kaliya". There is sloka in Sanskrit which regards Nine Nagas as Great- The sloka says one who remembers these nine great snakes shall be fearless and bestowed with the victory.

When all these snakes started tormenting human beings, lord Brahma cursed them that they would be annihilated due to the curse of their own mother. This is another story that connectes to this story. All the snakes got terrified and promised to mend their ways. They then requested lord Brahma to give them a place to live. Then, lord Brahma instructed them to go to three different netherworlds-Sutal, Vital and Patal. He also warned them that during Vaivaswat manvantar Janmejay would perform a grand Yagna with the objective of destroying the wicked snakes but the victorious among them would manage to survive. It was shravaan Shuddh Panchami ( The fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu month Shravan-July-August). On this day the entire snake family got a new lease of life.


Astika

Astika was the son of Jaratkaru and serpent goddess Manasa. According to Mahabharata, Astika saved the life of a serpent Takshaka, the king of snakes, during the Sarpa Satra. The snake sacrifice was organised to avenge the death of his father Parikshit due to snake bite of Takshaka. Astika convinced the king to end the victimisation of the serpent race. The day is said to be Shukla Paksha Panchami in the Hindu month of Shravan and since then the day is celebrated as Nag Panchami.

Ancient Indians both feared and revered the snakes. The tradition still continues. Hindus worship snakes in temples as well as in their natural environments. In Hindu ritual and spiritual tradition, a snake is not an evil creature but a divinity representing eternity as well as materiality and life as well as death. It signifies the three processes of creation: creation, preservation and destruction.

Several myths, beliefs, legends and scriptures are associated with snakes in India among Hindus. Several Hindu temples houses snake idols and images carved on rocks. Several Hindu deities and demi-gods and snakes are associated. Lord Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Ganesha, Subramnaya (who is known to be in snake form), Goddess Durga, Raja Rajeshwari, Bhuvaneshwari are either depicted wearing a snake around his neck or arms as an ornamental thing or five headed snake hooded up stationed behind these deities. Lord Vishnu is seen performing yoga nidra on Shesha Naga in Kshera Samudra (Milky Ocean).

These idols and images are worshiped with flowers, diyas, milk and incense sticks to gain wealth, fame and knowledge. This is to clear them from ‘Sarpa Dosha’. Many young unmarried girls and women offer regular puja to snake idols installed in the temples in order to get good bridge groom. Similarly married women offer prayers to beget child in her womb (married women who have problem with conceiving child). It is believed that snakes bring progeny and prosperity. The DNA structure is similar to coiled snakes idols installed in the temples. The worshiping of snakes is also regarded as bestow of "progeny". It is believed that issue less couple or couple who does not have children is due to "Sarpa dosha" and asked to offer prayers to snakes idol installed in the temple .

Subramanya Swamy is as regarded as an incarnation of the snakes. So, one who observe Shashti Vrittam don't take "salt" don't eat "bottle gourd. snake gourd". Similarly, Lakshmana brother of Rama and Balaram- brother of Krishna are also regarded as an incarnation of snake Sesha.

Nagula Chavithi is an auspicious day to observe Naga Puja. Nagula Chavithi is observed on the fourth day i.e., Cahturthi after Deepavali Amavasya during Karthika masam. Some even oberve Nag Panchami and Naga Sashti too. Nagula Chavithi, a festival to worship Nag Devatas (Serpent Gods), is mainly a women festival. Nagula Chavithi is observed by married women for their wellbeing of their children. During the Chavithi festival, women keep fast and observe Naga Puja. Devotees offer milk and dry fruits to Sarpa Devata at the Valmeekam or Putta (snake pits). On Naga Chaturthi day, Ashtanag (seven hooded cobra) is worshipped.

Snakes and Kundalini

Kundalini or the sexual energy hidden in the muladhara chakara is compared to a coiled snake. When the body is subjected to strictness and purification through celibacy and other practices, the heat (tapas) generated in the process activates the kundalini. Then, like a coiled serpent it ascends gradually through the higher chakras until it reaches the highest chakra, the Sahasrara, whereby a yogi experiences enlightenment and the highest bliss.

Human tongue is sometimes symbolized with snake. Like a snake has two tongues, some humans have two tongues too. That is visible in their speech. As Snake bite hurts so is the speech can hurt.