Naag Panchami: Day to honour serpents
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KUBER CHALISE
Hindus celebrate the fifth day of the bright half of Shrawan as the day of serpents – Naag Panchami. Vedic sagas, visualised a pair of snakes with opposed heads as Kundalini, the supreme power-centre in the human body, inspired by the energy of their spiraling bodies. Naags, it is stated that are the harbinger of rain, without which life cannot exist. Thus, the extraordinary vitality and mysterious dynamism of the serpents might have provoked powerful emotional response in the Neolithic agriculturists and the Vedic Aryans that they were consequently mytholised and attributed with power.
“In old Europe , the snake represented the power in the earth that supports life and the transformation of life on its surface. The snake was recognised as the actual force behind the creation.” But in Nepal , which is an agricultural country, have its own reasons and myths to worship Naag – the snake serpents. According to ancient Hindu scriptures, Naags are the ornaments of Lord Shiva. Hindus honour and worship not only the Gods but also their mounts. Such as Garuda, the conveyance of Lord Vishnu is worshipped and the stone Garuda can be seen outside every Vishnu temple. Likewise bull, a mount of Lord Shiva and crow of Lord Yamaraj, the god of death are also worshipped respectively. But there is yet another story to celebrate Naag Panchami. Once a farmer while ploughing his field killed two young serpents. The mother snake had causally gone out. When she came back and found her children cut into pieces, she became furious and wanted to take revenge.
At night she went to the farmer’s house and bit the whole family. When she tried to bite the farmer’s daughter, the daughter offered her a bowl of milk and prayed her not to harm. Snakes are believed to like milk, so the mother snake then pleased with the girl blessed her with life and gave the life back to her parents also.
Thus, on this day people craft the images of the snakes using cow dung on the either side of the entrance of their houses. Nowadays a picture of Naag- serpents is also placed above the door and worshipped. To please them milk is offered. It is believed that if worshipped and offered milk to the serpent – the Naag, on this day, they will not harm throughout the life.
Kathmandu valley, once upon a time, was a big lake and it is natural that various serpents lived here and ruled the valley lake.
After many years, a great saint Mahamanjushree gave an outlet to the water of this lake and the serpents residing here also left. But the Karkotak Naag – the king of all the serpents residing here was requested to stay at Taudaha, near the valley to guard the assets of the valley, according to Bhasa Bansawali.
Karkotak Naag is thus believed to be residing at the Taudaha till date. According to Hindu tradition, serpents are believed to be the caretakers of the wealth. Festivities throng Taudaha on this day to worship Karkotak Naag.
The oldest Egyptian and the Babylonian used to worship the nature: fire, water, tree, mountain and the Naag – serpents and so did we in our Vedic culture. Aryans also believe in the harmony of all the five elements: fire, earth, water, air and space for a balanced life.
Naag basically are related to the earth element thus before ploughing the field and building the houses, they are worshipped to ensure the safe and unhindered completion of the work.
According to the Vedas and Purans, there lived a tribe in some parts of India and even in Nepal , who worshipped Naag, and called themselves the descendents of Naag- the Naagkul like the demigods – Yakasha and Gandharvas.
According to the Mahabharat, a Hindu epic, there are eight famous species of Naag; namely Ananta, Basuki, Padhma, Mahapadhma, Takashyak, Kulir, Sangkha and Manibhadra.
On Naag Panchami, all these eight Naags are worshipped and offered milk, which helps in reducing the fatality rate of snakebite, according to the scriptures.
