Nāga Panchamī (Sanskrit: नाग पंचमी) is a Hindu festival celebrated by Hindus in most parts of India. It is celebrated on Panchami in Shravan month. On this day, they worship Nāga Devata (Cobras). Cobras are considered divine in Hindu mythology. People go to temples and snake pits and they worship the snakes. They offer milk and silver jewelry to the Cobras to protect them from all evils. They also fast. This festival is to celebrate the day Lord Krishna defeated the serpent Kalia. On this day swings are put up in the village and people enjoy themselves. The married girls visit their parents during this occasion.
Cobra on the Nag Panchami day
The festival of Nāga Panchami is celebrated by Hindus to pay respect to Nāgas. The five Nāgas worshipped on Nag Panchami are Ananta, Vāsuki, Taxak, Karkotaka and Pingala. According to a Puranic myth Brahma’s son Kashyapa had four wives. Kashyapa’s first wife gave birth to Devas, second to Garudas, third to Nāgas and fourth to Daityas. The third wife of Kashpa was called Kadroo, who gave birth to Nāgas. So Nāgas are also known as Kadroojā. They were the rulers of Pātāl-Loka. There is a Sanskrit shloka to remember important nine Nāgas as under:
Cobra on the Nag Panchami day
The festival of Nāga Panchami is celebrated by Hindus to pay respect to Nāgas. The five Nāgas worshipped on Nag Panchami are Ananta, Vāsuki, Taxak, Karkotaka and Pingala. According to a Puranic myth Brahma’s son Kashyapa had four wives. Kashyapa’s first wife gave birth to Devas, second to Garudas, third to Nāgas and fourth to Daityas. The third wife of Kashpa was called Kadroo, who gave birth to Nāgas. So Nāgas are also known as Kadroojā. They were the rulers of Pātāl-Loka. There is a Sanskrit shloka to remember important nine Nāgas as under:
अनन्तं वासुकिं शेषं पद्मनाभं च कम्बलम् । Anantam Vāsukim Shesham Padmanābham cha Kambalam
शंखपालं धार्तराष्ट्रं तक्षकं कालियं तथा ।। Shankhapālam Dhārtarāshtram Taxakam Kāliyam tathā
एतानि नवनामानि च महात्मनाम् । Etāni navanāmāni cha mahātmanām
शंखपालं धार्तराष्ट्रं तक्षकं कालियं तथा ।। Shankhapālam Dhārtarāshtram Taxakam Kāliyam tathā
एतानि नवनामानि च महात्मनाम् । Etāni navanāmāni cha mahātmanām
Annual festival to honour the great Serpents Nag means serpents and panchami refers to the 5th lunar day. This festival takes place annually on the 5th waxing lunar day of special holy month of Shravana. Monthly the 5th tithi belongs to the Nagas. According to the mythology Sage Kashyapa has many wives who were responsible for the birth of different species on earth. Aditi gave birth to the Adityas ( the 12 Sun gods) and godly linegae whereas his other wife Kadru gave birth to 1000 Nagas. Therefore the Nagas are connected to the gods being born to the same father and are considered divine beings.Fasting on Nag Panchami and celebrating it is the best remedy for Kal Sarpa Yoga.
II Nag Panchmi : The Festival of Snakes II
Shukla Panchami tithi ( 5th lunar day in the bright half of the forthnight) in the month of Shravana
Worship of the Great Nagas, the Serpents
Nag means serpents and panchami refers to the 5th lunar day. This festival takes place annually on the 5th waxing lunar day of the month of Shravana. Monthly the 5th tithi belongs to the Nagas. The Nagas are considered divine beings.
Worship of the Great Nagas, the Serpents
Nag means serpents and panchami refers to the 5th lunar day. This festival takes place annually on the 5th waxing lunar day of the month of Shravana. Monthly the 5th tithi belongs to the Nagas. The Nagas are considered divine beings.
Nagas or snakes represent secret wisdom, knowledge, the ability to control mortality, renewal as well as the negative qualities of sins. Bitterness, possessiveness, greed. By doing this worship we gain the strength of the Nagas and control their more negative traits. Nagas are also known as Sarpas. According to our birth chart, we can get cursed by the Nagas due to our karmas and past life actions and this reflects as the Kal Sarpa Dosha or Sarpa dosha in our charts. Worshipping of the Sarpa and gaining their blessings rather than their anger is essential for those who want to pacify the negative aspects of their birth chart..
Panchami, the fifth step away from the Sun and the fifth towards the Sun belongs to the Nagas. Nagas are serpents. Originally the nagas were poisonous, violent and deadly. They were killing the humans with their venom. Humans begged Brahma to save them from these terrible serpents. He promised them protection. Brahma cursed the serpents that they will face a serious decline. The serpents fell to their feet and begged ‘Oh Brahma, you created us wicked, how can you complain, we are only following the path we were created for, please reduce our venom and give us a separate abode from the humans’. Brahma relented and gave them the underworld (Patala, Vitala and Sutala) and a boon that if they bite those who trouble them then they would not be punished. But the humans can kill those who are insolent and fierce. Nagas came to symbolise all that is secret and hidden, the possessors of great occult powers. They carry the poison in a pouch and their body is not filled with poison. They only use this poison when forced to do so. The poison can be used for healing or for killing. The nagas have the capacity for both good and bad. If we take the story of the nagas as a parable that poison exists within all of us, the moment we learn to recognise these poisons, we are able to live with them. Then it should only emerge under dire circumstances. Panchami have a great ability to control and overcome their sins. Panchami represents the primary struggle of man between good and evil nature.
Lord Brahma forgave the Sarpas on Nag Panchami day and therefore this is the special day to celebrate in their honour.
In Indian tradition we have always honored all aspects of life and nature. Nagas or serpents have been honoured as part of this tradition and their special day is on Nag Panchami day. All major gods of India have a special connection to the Nagas. Vishnu rests on Sheshnaga, Shiva wears them as ornaments, Ganesha wear a serpent belt., Subramaniya ( lord Murugha and Kartikeya) has special ability to deal with the Sarpas- his vehicle the peacock can kill the snakes. Lord Krishna could fight the snake Kalinga as he had worshipped Lord Subramania.
Goddess Manasa Devi is the queen of the Nagas. She is the daughter of Kashyapa and Kadru and the sister to the great snake Vasuki. Originally a tribal goddess,but after she helped Shiva when he drank the poison during the churning of the ocean of milk and cured him of it, she is widely worhsipped by all. Worshipping any one of the above deities will help you deal with the issues that the Nagas represent.
Panchami, the fifth step away from the Sun and the fifth towards the Sun belongs to the Nagas. Nagas are serpents. Originally the nagas were poisonous, violent and deadly. They were killing the humans with their venom. Humans begged Brahma to save them from these terrible serpents. He promised them protection. Brahma cursed the serpents that they will face a serious decline. The serpents fell to their feet and begged ‘Oh Brahma, you created us wicked, how can you complain, we are only following the path we were created for, please reduce our venom and give us a separate abode from the humans’. Brahma relented and gave them the underworld (Patala, Vitala and Sutala) and a boon that if they bite those who trouble them then they would not be punished. But the humans can kill those who are insolent and fierce. Nagas came to symbolise all that is secret and hidden, the possessors of great occult powers. They carry the poison in a pouch and their body is not filled with poison. They only use this poison when forced to do so. The poison can be used for healing or for killing. The nagas have the capacity for both good and bad. If we take the story of the nagas as a parable that poison exists within all of us, the moment we learn to recognise these poisons, we are able to live with them. Then it should only emerge under dire circumstances. Panchami have a great ability to control and overcome their sins. Panchami represents the primary struggle of man between good and evil nature.
Lord Brahma forgave the Sarpas on Nag Panchami day and therefore this is the special day to celebrate in their honour.
In Indian tradition we have always honored all aspects of life and nature. Nagas or serpents have been honoured as part of this tradition and their special day is on Nag Panchami day. All major gods of India have a special connection to the Nagas. Vishnu rests on Sheshnaga, Shiva wears them as ornaments, Ganesha wear a serpent belt., Subramaniya ( lord Murugha and Kartikeya) has special ability to deal with the Sarpas- his vehicle the peacock can kill the snakes. Lord Krishna could fight the snake Kalinga as he had worshipped Lord Subramania.
Goddess Manasa Devi is the queen of the Nagas. She is the daughter of Kashyapa and Kadru and the sister to the great snake Vasuki. Originally a tribal goddess,but after she helped Shiva when he drank the poison during the churning of the ocean of milk and cured him of it, she is widely worhsipped by all. Worshipping any one of the above deities will help you deal with the issues that the Nagas represent.
Nag Panchami is an important celebration for all specially for those who have Kal Sarpa yoga, Rahu Ketu issues in their chart, inability to have children, Sapra dosha due to past life problems.
How to celebrate Nag Panchami
On this day, Milk and cooked rice is offered to snakes carried by snake charmers. Clay snakes are brought home to be worshipped and immersed in the sea / river in the evening. Serpents are worshipped on Shravan Shukla Panchami. On this day, on both the sides of door 2 idols of serpents are made of cowdung.In this vow, people fast on the Panchami day and take food only in the evening. People visit temples specially dedicated to snakes and worship them. Shiva temples are also favoured places for worshiping as snakes are considered dear to him. Some go to worship the snake which is believed to be hiding in the holes ofanthills. Or else a five hood snake is made by mixing "gandh" (a fragrant pigment),"haladi" (turmeric powder), "chandan" (sandal) and "kesar" (saffron) and placed on a metal plate and worshipped.
Fast
You should fast the whole day – not eating anything fried on this day even after you break the fast.
End the fast after sunset. Keep your meal pure vegetarian. Eating Kheer (milk pudding) and milk is good in this day.
Chant
Moksha mantra/ Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra for Lord Shiva 108 times.
Om Tryambhakam yajamahe sugnadhim pushtivardhanan
Urvarukamiva bandhanan mrityor moksheya mamratat Om
We worship the three eyed one (Shiva) who is fragrant and nourishes all beings. Just like a cucumber falls off its creeper and is detached from its bondage, Shiva will help us liberate the soul from death and find moksha (self-realisation) and amrita (Nectar of immortality).
Pray
Lords Shiva, Krishna or Subramaniya. If possible go to a temple and give an idol made in silver of the nagas and worship with raw milk, turmeric, vermillion ( Kumkum) and flowers on the Shiva lingham. You can pray to Lord Krishna and Subramaniya to protect you from the negative qualities of the nagas and get their blessings.
As Rahu Ketu and Sarpa deal with psychological aspects of life, this prayer is to get mental peace.
People also make shape of the nagas in dough or a cut out and worship this if they are unable to get a small figure of Nag made for this day. This festival is not celebrated with pomp and ceremony but with devotion and belief.
Donate
Feed the poor on this day. Donate money to charity. Give dakshina and gifts to the priests.
Following are the stories connected to the celebration of this day :
Krishna and the Kaliya Snake : Once Young Krishna was playing with the other cowboys, when suddenly the ball got entangled in the high branch of a tree. Krishna volunteered to climb the tree and fetch the ball. But below the tree there was a deep part of the river Yamuna, in which the terrible snake Kaliya was living. Everybody was afraid of that part of the river. Suddenly Krishna fell from the tree into the water. Then that terrible snake came up. But Krishna was ready and jumping on the snake’s head he caught it by the neck. Kaliya understood that Krishna was not an ordinary boy, and that it would not be easy to overcome him. So Kaliya pleaded with Krishna: "Please, do not kill me." Krishna full of compassion asked the snake to promise that henceforth he would not harass anybody. Then he let the snake go free into the river again. Suddenly Krishna fell from the tree into the water. Then that terrible snake came up. But Krishna was ready and jumping on the snake’s head he caught it by the neck. Kaliya understood that Krishna was not an ordinary boy, and that it would not be easy to overcome him. So Kaliya pleaded with Krishna: "Please, do not kill me." Krishna full of compassion asked the snake to promise that henceforth he would not harass anybody. Then he let the snake go free into the river again.
The Snake and the Farmer : A farmer was ploughing his field. At the edge of the field there was an anthill which he inadvertently destroyed with the plough, and thus the young serpents that were hiding in it were killed. The mother snake had casually gone out. When she came back she could not find her young ones. At last she found them cut into pieces. She was furious and understood that the farmer had killed them. She was bent on taking revenge. At night when the farmer was sleeping with his wife and children, the snake came full of anger. She began to bite the feet of the farmer, and then one by one the feet of his wife and children. All began to cry. But the eldest daughter happened to be out of the house that night. Then the snake remembered that on the occasion of her wedding, the girl had gone to the house of her father-in-law. "I will not spare her either," the snake resolved. The snake ran towards the neighbouring village. She stopped before the door of a house, and saw a young girl inside. She recognized her as the farmer’s eldest daughter. The snake went in determined to bite her. But then she saw the young girl with joint hands worshipping the snake she had made out of "gandh", and the nine "nagkule" (young snakes). She had offered them "nagane" (gram soaked and parched), "lahya" (rice blown out by parching), and "durva" (grass sacred to Ganpati), and she was praying with great devotion, "O God Snake, don’t be angry if I have committed any mistake. Accept my worship. Look after my people at home and in my father-in-law’s house. Do not bite anyone. Forgive any fault we may have committed inadvertently." With this the snake was pleased and came before the girl. She opened her eyes and got frightened at the sight of the snake. But the snake said, "Don’t be afraid. I shall not bite you. Tell me who you are and where your house is." Then the snake knew well that the girl was the farmer’s daughter and felt very sorry for having killed all her people. The snake told the girl what had happened, but told her not to cry. She gave her some nectar and told her to sprinkle it on her dead people, and with this they all came back to life.
Fast
You should fast the whole day – not eating anything fried on this day even after you break the fast.
End the fast after sunset. Keep your meal pure vegetarian. Eating Kheer (milk pudding) and milk is good in this day.
Chant
Moksha mantra/ Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra for Lord Shiva 108 times.
Om Tryambhakam yajamahe sugnadhim pushtivardhanan
Urvarukamiva bandhanan mrityor moksheya mamratat Om
We worship the three eyed one (Shiva) who is fragrant and nourishes all beings. Just like a cucumber falls off its creeper and is detached from its bondage, Shiva will help us liberate the soul from death and find moksha (self-realisation) and amrita (Nectar of immortality).
Pray
Lords Shiva, Krishna or Subramaniya. If possible go to a temple and give an idol made in silver of the nagas and worship with raw milk, turmeric, vermillion ( Kumkum) and flowers on the Shiva lingham. You can pray to Lord Krishna and Subramaniya to protect you from the negative qualities of the nagas and get their blessings.
As Rahu Ketu and Sarpa deal with psychological aspects of life, this prayer is to get mental peace.
People also make shape of the nagas in dough or a cut out and worship this if they are unable to get a small figure of Nag made for this day. This festival is not celebrated with pomp and ceremony but with devotion and belief.
Donate
Feed the poor on this day. Donate money to charity. Give dakshina and gifts to the priests.
Following are the stories connected to the celebration of this day :
Krishna and the Kaliya Snake : Once Young Krishna was playing with the other cowboys, when suddenly the ball got entangled in the high branch of a tree. Krishna volunteered to climb the tree and fetch the ball. But below the tree there was a deep part of the river Yamuna, in which the terrible snake Kaliya was living. Everybody was afraid of that part of the river. Suddenly Krishna fell from the tree into the water. Then that terrible snake came up. But Krishna was ready and jumping on the snake’s head he caught it by the neck. Kaliya understood that Krishna was not an ordinary boy, and that it would not be easy to overcome him. So Kaliya pleaded with Krishna: "Please, do not kill me." Krishna full of compassion asked the snake to promise that henceforth he would not harass anybody. Then he let the snake go free into the river again. Suddenly Krishna fell from the tree into the water. Then that terrible snake came up. But Krishna was ready and jumping on the snake’s head he caught it by the neck. Kaliya understood that Krishna was not an ordinary boy, and that it would not be easy to overcome him. So Kaliya pleaded with Krishna: "Please, do not kill me." Krishna full of compassion asked the snake to promise that henceforth he would not harass anybody. Then he let the snake go free into the river again.
The Snake and the Farmer : A farmer was ploughing his field. At the edge of the field there was an anthill which he inadvertently destroyed with the plough, and thus the young serpents that were hiding in it were killed. The mother snake had casually gone out. When she came back she could not find her young ones. At last she found them cut into pieces. She was furious and understood that the farmer had killed them. She was bent on taking revenge. At night when the farmer was sleeping with his wife and children, the snake came full of anger. She began to bite the feet of the farmer, and then one by one the feet of his wife and children. All began to cry. But the eldest daughter happened to be out of the house that night. Then the snake remembered that on the occasion of her wedding, the girl had gone to the house of her father-in-law. "I will not spare her either," the snake resolved. The snake ran towards the neighbouring village. She stopped before the door of a house, and saw a young girl inside. She recognized her as the farmer’s eldest daughter. The snake went in determined to bite her. But then she saw the young girl with joint hands worshipping the snake she had made out of "gandh", and the nine "nagkule" (young snakes). She had offered them "nagane" (gram soaked and parched), "lahya" (rice blown out by parching), and "durva" (grass sacred to Ganpati), and she was praying with great devotion, "O God Snake, don’t be angry if I have committed any mistake. Accept my worship. Look after my people at home and in my father-in-law’s house. Do not bite anyone. Forgive any fault we may have committed inadvertently." With this the snake was pleased and came before the girl. She opened her eyes and got frightened at the sight of the snake. But the snake said, "Don’t be afraid. I shall not bite you. Tell me who you are and where your house is." Then the snake knew well that the girl was the farmer’s daughter and felt very sorry for having killed all her people. The snake told the girl what had happened, but told her not to cry. She gave her some nectar and told her to sprinkle it on her dead people, and with this they all came back to life.
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