Bhubaneswar: August 13: Naga Cult or Serpent Worship is one of the most ancient form of worship in India. Many snake motifs in Indian Art prove that, Naga Worship was prevalent in the ancient days also. Still, it is being observed almost all the parts of India.
India is celebrating Naga Panchami today.
As per the tradition, Hindus use to worship Nagas or Snakes on this day. The worship is offered on the fifth day of bright half of lunar month of Hindu Month Shravana (July/August).
Devotees worship Naga or Serpent deity made of Silver or Bronze or Stone or Paintings. Usually, they do a reverential bath with milk and offer Bhoga, Flowers, Deepa and all.
This is observed by the Hindus for the welfare of their family.
In some part, people go to the snake charmer’s place and offer milk to live Cobras with the help of the Snake Charmer.
There are many sayings in Hindu Mythology and folklore narrated to the importance of worship of snakes.
As per the belief, Janmejaya, the son of King Parikshita of the Kuru Dynasty was performing a snake sacrifice known as Sarpa Satra.
The reason of the sacrifice was to take revenge for the death of his father (Parikshita) from a snake bite by the snake king Takshaka.
He invited learned Brahmins to perform the Yagna and erected a sacrificial fireplace.
As the sacrifice started, snakes in huge numbers fell into the Jagna Kunda.
But, Takshaka who had bitten & killed Parikshita, went to world of Indra for his protection. The priests who were performing the Yagna, could know this and started reciting the mantras in more vibrant way to capture Takshaka.
The force of the sacrificial yagna brought Indra along with Takshaka towards the fire.
Seeing this, Gods requested to Manasadevi (the Hindu Goddess of Snakes) to intervene and resolve the crisis.
She then requested her son Astika to go to the Yagna place and appeal to Janmejaya to stop the Sarpa Satra yagna.
Astika impressed Janmejaya with his knowledge from scriptures and Janmejaya asked Astika to seek a boon. Then, he requested Janmejaya to stop Sarpa Satra. Janmejaya could not deny and the yagna was stopped.
The life of Takshaka and his other serpant race got saved. That was the fifth day of bright fortnight of the lunar month of Shravana and since then the day is a festival day of Nagas.
