Today's Serpent Section

Today's serpent section comes from a Hindu website regarding the Naga's

Naga worship: Naga Chauthi or Naga Panchami

On the fifth day of the bright half of Shravan month of Hindu calendar, people worship the snake or nag. The day is known as Nag Panchami. Nag Panchami has a special significance and is celebrated by the devotees with lot of faith, fear and devotion. It is firmly believed that the serpent lord associated with Lord Subrmanya who will be pleased by this worship will mitigate their sufferings and bring happiness. On this day, people visit temples specially dedicated to snakes and worship them.

Nag Panchami is observed in different ways in different parts of India and it is an important all India festival. In Bengal and parts of Assam and Orissa the blessings of Mansa, the queen of serpents are sought by worshipping her in all the religious adoration. In Punjab Nag Panchami is known by the name of "Guga-Navami". A huge snake is shaped from dough, which is kneaded from the contribution of flour and butter from every household. The dough-snake is then placed on a basket and taken round the village in a colorful procession in which women and children sing and dance and onlookers shower flowers. When the procession reaches the main square of the village all the religious rites are performed to invoke the blessings of the snake god and then the dough snake is ceremoniously buried. In Nepal also, Nag Panchami is celebrated by worshipping the Karkotag, Vasuki and Sesh Nag. This is one of the ancient Hindu festivals and has a mention in Hindu Puranas.

In Jainism and Buddhism snake is regarded as sacred having divine qualities. It is believed that a cobra snake saved the life of Buddha and another protected the Jain Muni Parshwanath. Today as an evidence of this belief, we find a huge serpent carved above the head of the statue of Muni Parshwanath.

In South India, the serpent is given a pride of place and you will find Naga idols installed in almost all temples and even on roadside platforms. It is believed that any harm done to snakes create miseries and sufferings. Serpent worship is very widely followed. The major Hindu gods, Lord Shiva has serpent as an ornament round his neck and Lord Vishnu has serpent Adhisesha as his bed and he is called Seshashayana (person sleeping on snake)
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