Hindu Festivals 16 A.

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Dearf friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is eternal.

 

16a.NAGA PANCHAMI.

(Sravana Suddha )

 

It is on the fifth day of the bright half of the Shravana that Naga Panchami,

or the festival of snakes, is celebrated. The setting sun is witness to

mile-long processions of gaily-decorated bullock carts, cheerfully trundling to

the nearby Shiva temple. The excitement and merry-go-round of a fair takes over

until, lasting well into the night. The snakes that the men had captured from

the deep forests,the week before can now return to where they came from.

 

Snake worship, no doubt owes its origin to man's natural fear of these

reptiles. Hindu books are filled with stories and fables about snakes and

pictures and images of them meet you at every turn. Worshippers search for

holes, where snakes are likely to be found. When they have found a hole, they

make periodic visits, placing before it milk, bananas, and other food that the

snake is likely to fancy.

Because of its cyclical moulting, the serpent is believed to be immortal by

the Hindus, and eternity is thus illustrated in the form of a serpent eating its

tail. Temples have also been erected in honour of snakes. There is particularly

a famous one in Mysore, at a place called Koke Subramanya, which is also the

name of the great snake (it is on this snake that Lord Vishnu reclines while

sleeping in the sea), so often mentioned in Hindu fables.

 

The Naga culture was fairly widespread in India before the Aryan invasion, and

continues to be an important segment of worship in certain areas. After the

invasion, the Indo-Aryans incorporated the worship of snakes into Hinduism, as

is apparent in prevailing worship and mythology. The thousand-headed Anantha is

Vishnu's couch and also holds up the earth, while snakes play an ornamental role

in the case of Shiva.

 

Snake worship is more common in peninsular India than in the north. On this

day, ploughing a field is forbidden. Legend has it that on this day, while

tilling his land, a farmer accidentally killed some young serpents. The mother

of these serpents took revenge by biting and killing the farmer and his family,

except one daughter, who happened to be praying to the Nagas. This act of

devotion resulted in the revival of the farmer and the rest of his family.

 

On this day, the women draw figures of snakes on the walls of their houses

using a mixture of black powder, cow dung and milk. Then offerings of milk,

ghee, water and rice are made. It is believed that in reward for this worship,

snakes will never bite any member of the family.

In Maharashtra, snake charmers go from house to house carrying dormant cobras

in cane baskets, asking for alms and clothing. This festival heralds the arrival

of Ganesha, almost exactly one month later.

 

In Kerala, snake temples are crowded on this day and worship is offered to

stone or metal icons of the cosmic serpent Ananta or Sesha. Altars in many

Kerala homes have a silver or copper cobra that is worshipped and offered milk

and sweets as families pray for the welfare and prosperity of their children.

 

In Punjab, the festival is celebrated in September-October and is called Guga

Naumi. A snake made of dough is taken round the village in a basket, and an

offering of flour and butter is made from each house. The 'snake' is then

buried.

 

In West Bengal and parts of Assam and Orissa, the snake deity worshipped on

Naga Panchami is the goddess Manasa.

 

Lord Krishna and the Kaliya Snake:

 

Naga Panchami is also connected with the following legend of Krishna. 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 with 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.

 

On Naga Panchami day the victory of Krishna over the Kaliya snake is

commemorated. For this reason Krishna is known as “Kaliya Mardan”. Snakes are

believed to like milk. As this is the day of the serpents, devotees pour milk

into all the holes in the ground around the house or near the temple to

propitiate them. Sometimes, a small pot of milk with some flowers is placed near

the holes so that the snakes may drink it. If a snake actually drinks the milk,

it is considered to be extremely lucky for the devotee. The festival is

celebrated with much enthusiasm by all, especially women.

As most rivers in India are in spate during the month of Shravana, poisonous

snakes come out of their subterranean abodes and creep about in plenty all over

the place. Many also float on flooded rivers running through the countryside.

Mortality from snakebites must have been considerable to prompt people to

worship the nagas to seek protection from them. Because of the fear, nagas were

elevated to a divine status by the Hindus. The serpents are believed to have the

capability to change the shape at their will. When in human form, they are

depicted as beautiful women and handsome men.

 

Naga Panchami is observed in different ways in different parts of India. It is

one of the most ancient fasts, and finds mention in the Puranas. It is believed

to be one of the most auspicious day of the entire year. According to the

Bhavishya Purana, when men bathe the snakes called Vasuki, Takshaka, Kaliya,

Manibhadra, Airavata, Dhritarashtra, Karkotaka and Dhananjaya, with milk on the

fifth day of the bright fortnight of Shravana, they ensure freedom from danger

for their families.

In some parts of southern India, figures of snakes are drawn with red

sandalwood paste on wooden boards, or clay images of snakes coloured yellow or

black are purchased. These are then worshipped and offered milk. Snake charmers

wander about with all sorts of snakes, to which people offer milk. The snake

charmers are paid some money for allowing this Serpent worship developed

gradually from the fear of serpents that must have taken a heavy toll on life,

particularly at the beginning of the rainy season. In the Ashvalayana

Grihyasutra, the Paraskara Grihyasutra and other Grihyasutras, a rite called

Sarpabali or ' offerings to serpents ' was performed on the full moon night of

Shravana. However the reason that it was moved from the full moon night to that

of the fifth night of the bright fortnight is not apparent. It may be due to the

slight change in the time of the onset of the rains.

(A collection)

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry

 

 

 

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