Nagula Chavithi – The Worship of Snake Gods
Serpents are worshipped in the form of demi-gods by the devotees across our country twice a year. The fourth day in the month of Sravanam (Chavithi) and the month of Kartika are celebrated as Nagula Chavithi.
The next days of these respective months are Garuda Panchami and Naga Panchami.
The worship of serpents is considered a dutiful prayer to obtain health, wealth, vitality and good children. Especially for farmers, snakes are considered their benefactors as they protect the crops from rats and other creatures. They also pray to them very reverentially to protect them from their anger in case they hurt the snakes inadvertently.
The worship of the snake gods has been amply described not only in ancient literature but also in traditional paintings, art and culture. There are two forms of adoring the snake-gods. They are prayed in the form of a statue installed in a temple, mostly under the tree or in their natural habitations called snake pits. During these festive days, devotees offer milk, eggs, a sweet made of jaggery and ‘til’ or sesame seeds to the snake gods.
They decorate the snake pits with turmeric, kumkum and flowers. The two major ‘doshas’ are attributed to the snake god when He is angry. They are Naga Dosha and Kalasarpa Dosha. It is believed if any ancestor killed the snake and its siblings, the members of his family would become childless.
Rahu represents the head of a snake and Ketu represents the tail. They are worshipped to avoid delay in the marriage of children and childbirth.
Nagula Chavithi – History
Kashyapa married two daughters of Prajapati Daksha, named Kadru and Vinata. While granting boons, he asked his wives what type of children they desired. Kadru requested her husband to get many number of valiant children. As per her wish, she became the mother of the Naga race. The names of major Nagas are Sesha, Vasuki, Takshaka, Astika and Kaaliya.
Lord Sesha also known as Adisesha formed as a bed for Lord Vishnu when the Lord takes rest in the Ocean of Milk. It is believed that he bears the universe on his thousand hoods. Whenever Lord Vishnu took incarnations of Rama to protect ‘dharma,’ Adisesha also took the form of Laxmana in Tretayuga. Vasuki is associated with Lord Shiva.
He also helped the Devatas and Asuras during the churning of the Milky Ocean. He was used as a rope to get ambrosia for immortality.
Takshaka is the valiant form of all snake gods. He was the king of Khandava Forest. In retaliation for Arjuna’s act of burning the woods, he slays his grandson. Astika is another famous snake god and is the son of Jaratkaru and Manasa. He protected the Nagas at the instance of his mother when Janamejaya conducted ‘yagna’ to destroy the entire clan of the serpents in revenge for Takshaka killing his father Parikshit.
The recital of Manasa Devi Stotram is said to ward off evil from the snakes. The great Yoga Sutras were written by Patanjali, who is the incarnation of Adisesha. They are for awakening the Kundalini Shakti through practice. The Seven Chakras represent the shape of a snake and one is said to have attained the same if one completes all the Chakras.
Nagula Chavithi – Performance of Puja
In the Skanda Purana, Lord Shiva explained to Parvathi how to perform the prayers on the day of Nagula Chavithi or Naga Panchami. The devotees have to wake up early in the morning, take a head bath and draw pictures of snakes on either side of the threshold.
They should pray to them with reverence. People also go to the snake pits, decorate them and pray to the snake gods to protect them, their children and family. It is believed that a prayer to the snake-gods gives growth in the family and the removal of diseases, especially earaches.
This is one festival which is participated by elders, children, men and women irrespective of creed and belief. One can see the gods in physical form when one worships snake gods. The snakes have more powers than human beings because they are associated with Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Subrahmanya and Mother Manasa Devi.
Nava Naga Strotram
Anantam, Vasukim, Sesam,
Padmanabham cha Kambalam |
Sankhapalam, Dhrtarastram,
Taksakam, Kaliyam tatha |
If one chants the Nava Naga Strotram, the snake-gods will be pleased and they bless the devotees with children, protect the family, remove all worries and grant success in all their efforts.
