Festival of Hindu, Nagpanchami (Devanagari: नाग पंचमी)

Advertisement

Nagpanchami (Devanagari: नाग पंचमी)

Nagpanchami (Devanagari: नाग पंचमी)

• The literary meaning of 'Nag Panchami' is “Snake (Cobras)”

• Indian mythological scriptures such as Agni Purana, Skanda Purana, Narada

•  Purana and Mahabharata give details of history of snakes extolling worship of snakes

• This festival is based on a mythological story in which a pious, chaste and devoted lady saves the life of her husband by worshipping a serpent or serpent god

• Only the newly married women participate in this festival

• The festival lasts for about a fortnight

• Every morning the newlywed women perform worship with flowers and sweets

• Other elderly women sing songs related to the story

  

  Nagpanchami (Devanagari: नाग पंचमी)

• Stories based on the myth or stories dealing with religious events are narrated

• This festival starts from the fifth day after the full moon and lasts till the third day after the new moon in Shravan that is July

• Shukla Paksha Panchami during Shrawan month is observed as Nag Panchami

• Usually, Nag Panchami day falls two days after Haritalika Teej

• Women also pray for the wellness of their brothers and family

• It should be noted that even today a large number of people of rural areas in Mithila die of snake bite

• According to Garuda Purana offering prayers to the snake on this day is auspicious and will usher good tidings in one’s life. This is to be followed by feeding Brahmins

History of Nagpanchami

Nepal

• Kathmandu valley used to be a big lake

• Nags became very angry when human drained the lake to make it livable
• To protect themselves against the anger of Nagas, people gave nags certain areas as pilgrimage destinations, and promise to worship them on the day, returning harmony in nature

• That is continued to date

Other

Nagpanchami

• In the Mahabharata epic, Janamejaya, the son of King Parikshit of Kuru dynasty was performing a snake sacrifice known as Sarpa Satra, to avenge for the death of his father from a snake bite by the snake king called Taksaka

• A sacrificial fireplace had been specially erected and the fire sacrifice to kill all snakes in the world was started by a galaxy of learned Brahmin sages

• The sacrifice performed in the presence of Janamejaya was so powerful that it was causing all snakes to fall into the Yagna kunda (sacrificial fire pit)

• When the priests found that only Takshaka who had bitten and killed Parisksihit had escaped to the netherworld of Indra seeking his protection, the sages increased the tempo of reciting the mantras (spells) to drag Takshaka and also Indra to the sacrificial fire

• Takshaka had coiled himself around Indra’s cot but the force of the sacrificial yagna was so powerful that even Indra along with Takshaka was dragged towards the fire
• This scared the gods who then appealed to Manasadevi to intervene and resolve the crisis

• She then requested her son Astika to go to the site of the yagna and appeal to Janamejaya to stop the Sarpa Satra yagna

• Astika impressed Janamejaya with his knowledge of all the Sastras (scriptures) who granted him to seek a boon

• It was then that Astika requested Janamejeya to stop the Sarpa Satra

• Since the king was never known to refuse a boon given to a Brahmin, he relented, in spite of protects by the rishis performing the yagna

• The yagna was then stopped and thus the life of Indra and Takshaka and his other serpent race were spared

• This day, according to the Hindu Calendar, happened to be Nadivardhini Panchami (fifth day of bright fortnight of the lunar month of Shravan during the monsoon season) and since then the day is a festival day of the Nagas as their life was spared on this day

• Indra also went to Manasadevi and worshipped her

Worship

• On the Nag Panchami day Nag, cobras, and snakes are worshipped with milk, sweets, flowers, lamps and even sacrifices

Nagpanchami (Devanagari: नाग पंचमी)

• Images of Nag deities made of silver, stone, wood, or paintings on the wall are first bathed in water and milk and then worshipped with the reciting of the following mantras

• Fast is observed on this day and Brahmins are fed

• Some people keep fast one day before Nag Panchami and fasting day before Nag Panchami is known as Nag Chaturthi or Nagul Chavith

• The piety observed on this day is considered a sure protection against the fear of snake bite

• At many places, real snakes are worshipped and fairs held

• On this day digging the earth is taboo as it could kill or harm snakes which reside in the earth

• In some regions of the country, milk is offered along with crystallized sugar, rice pudding (kheer in local parlance)

• A special feature is of offering a lotus flower which is placed in a silver bowl

• In front of this bowl, a rangoli (colored design pattern) of snake is created on the floor with a brush made of wood or clay or silver or gold with sandalwood or turmeric paste as the paint

• The design pattern will resemble a five hooded snake

• Devotees then offer worship to this image on the floor
• In villages, the anthills where the snakes are thought to reside, are searched

• Incense is offered to the anthill as prayer along with milk (a myth of folklore to feed milk to the snakes) to ensnare snakes to come out of the anthill

• After this, milk is poured into the hole in the anthill as a libation to the snake god

• On this occasion doorways and walls outside the house are painted with pictures of snakes, auspicious mantras (spells) are also written on them

• It is believed that such depictions will ward off poisonous snakes

Nag Panchami celebration in Nepal

• post pictures of Nags above the doors of their homes to keep off evil spirits

• They worship the nag by offering a symbol of milk (the white color liquid from the paste of rice)

• People keep milk for snakes near snake holes

• People make cotton garland, use cow dung and rice flour’s serpent’s from and worship it with cow’s milk, lava, barley, sesame, nuts and with some other religious items

• It is believed that if Nag-Panchami is observed properly every year the Nags provide us good health wealth and blessing during our life

• If Nags are angry they make us sick and no medicine can heal

• Puran says the earth is lifted by Shesh Nag on his head
• Lord Vishnu is sleeping on its coil inside the Ocean
• Kali Nag, Bashuki Nag, Astha Nag, Padma Nag; and the Karkot Nags are the very powerful Nags