Story Behind Nag Panchami

Nag Panchami is celebrated on Shravan Shuddh Panchami (the fifth day of bright half of Lunar month of Shravan according to the Hindu calendar).  Five Nagas / Cobras viz. Anant, Vasuki, Takshak, Karkotaka and Pingala are traditionally worshipped on this day. The snakes occupy a very significant space in Hindu mythology. The Hindu scriptures treat snakes as a community and there is a mention of realm called Nag lok or Bhogwati where snakes reside.

According to Varaha Purana Nagas were born to Sage Kashyapa (Lord Brahma’s son) and his wife Kadru.  Kadru gave birth to thousand Nagas prominent of which are Shesha, Anant, Vasuki, Takshak, Karkotaka, Kalia, Pingala, Shankh, Kulik & Padma. Nagas are also known as Kadrujas.

Nagas reside in Bhogwati a Sub – terrain realm. “Bhog” means pleasure and “Wati” means land. The entrance to the land of pleasure is usually through termite hill. The city Bhogwati is said to be filled with resplendent palaces made from gems, gold & other precious metals giving a rise to folklore that hidden treasures are often guarded by serpents. There is no Sunlight in Bhogwati and the realm is illuminated by the gems and other treasures. It is also said that there is no sweat, disease & old age in Bhogwati.

 The king of serpents is Vasuki who has a Gem called Nagmani on his head. He has various queens collectively known as Padmanagins. There are many folk tales of him falling in love with human women and vice versa. In one of the Bheel folklore it is said that even Draupadi, queen of Pandavas, was infatuated by Vasuki when she saw him. Serpent Princess or Naginis are also said to be striking beauties. Arjuna was mesmerized by one such Nagin Princess called Ulupi whom he married. The Dynasties of Manipur & Nagaland, Pallavas of South & Yadavas of North claim origin in the union of Nagas and Human beings.

When Snakes became powerful they started tormenting human beings which prompted Lord Brahma to curse them with total annihilation. The snakes got terrified and promised to mend their ways so Brahma modified the curse and warned them that during Vaivasat Manavavtar a king called Janmajeya would perform a Yagna with the objective of destroying the wicked snakes but the virtuous among the snakes will survive the yagna.

In Mahabharat Janmajeya performed a Sarpa Satra to decimate the entire race of serpents to avenge his father Parikshit’s death due to snake bite of Takshak. Sage Astik (son of Sage Jaratkaru who had a Naga wife of the same name Jaratkaru) who was half human and half Naga stopped the yagna on Shukla Paksha Panchami in month of Shravan thus giving serpents a new lease of life. Since that day Nag Panchami festival is celebrated to honour the event.

In Modern world worship of snakes on Nag Panchami gains prominence as snakes are considered to be Rahu and Ketu. The head of a snake is “Rahu” and the tail is “Ketu”. In Astrology if all planets in a horoscope are caught between the head and the tail then it is known as kaal sarpa yog and Nag Panchami is the most pious day to perform a kaal sarpa yog puja.

Serpents and Snakes in all the ancient cultures are symbols of health and healing because of their ability to shed their skin and rejuvenate themselves. In ancient times non venomous snakes were allowed to crawl on the floors of hospitals where injured and sick use to sleep with a belief that the movement of snakes will help to heal them.

In Indian tradition the serpents are associated with fertility, wisdom and strong memory. People visit serpent shrines seeking good harvest [fertility of land] and children [fertility of womb]. Many snakes are helpful to farmers. They eat rats and mice, which damage the crops.

In spiritual sense Snakes also represent desires. Just like the person who is bitten by snake is vulnerable to suffering and death people who are bitten by desires suffer from cycles of births and deaths. Only Shiva, who is free from any desires, can hold the deadly poison in his throat without letting it mix with the body or the mind.

Although there are many species of serpents in India the snake that is worshipped particularly is Naga or Cobra. Cobra can be identified easily in its still form or moving form because of its hood. Cobra raises his hood only when he is still and coiled. In Hindu mythology stillness is always represented by a hooded cobra and movement is represented by two copulating serpents. Cobra thus represents two fundamental principles of Hindu Philosophy Stillness & Movement. Stillness represents Shiva or Spirit and divinity. Movement represents Devi or Prakriti (Matter) or our everyday life….

  

The Story of Kaliya Nag

Kaliya Nag

You all must have heard this story in your childhood and chances are that you might be reciting the same story to your children. There was a villainous Nag called Kaliya who lived in the river Yamuna poisoning its water & killing Birds, Beasts, cows and cowherds who took a dip or drank the river water. The poison was so strong that the cool river water radiated heat. Only one Kadamba tree survived on the river bank. Krishna who jumped into the river to retrieve a ball, with which he and cowherds were playing, was challenged, to a duel, by Kaliya. After a ferocious fight Krishna managed to subdue the Nag and they rose on the banks of Yamuna with Krishna playing flute and dancing on Kaliya’s hood beating him with his feet. Kaliya unable to bear Krishna’s blows was dying when his wives requested Krishna with folded hands to spare his life. Kaliya humiliated by the defeat at the hands of young Krishna banished the river and residents of Mathura started using the sweet water of Yamuna without fear of being poisoned.

The above story makes for an interesting reading especially for kids. Hero defeats a villain. Images like Krishna fighting Kaliya who had coiled around Krishna in a bid to crush him to death brought smile on peoples face. Krishna seemed like entertaining villagers and children by dancing and playing flute on the dreaded five hooded serpent Kaliya. The story was named “Kaliya Mardan” and had all the ingredients to turn it into a popular folk lore.  Some people also wrongly believe that Nag Panchami is celebrated to honour the above event. Who was Kaliya?  Did the fight between him and Krishna actually take place???

Kaliya Nag was son of Sage Kashyapa and use to stay with his brothers on an Island known as Ramnaka Dweep (Fiji Islands). Due to his enmity, resulting from a misunderstanding, with his step brother Garuda, who is Vahan or mount of Lord Vishnu, he fled from Ramnaka Dweep along with his family and took shelter in Yamuna on advice of his elder brother Nag Anant. Garuda did not dare to come near river Yamuna as he was cursed by Saubhari Muni that if he ever enters river Yamuna he will die. (Kaliya’s enmity with Garuda and Saubhari Muni’s curse to Garuda are two different stories.)

When Krishna accosted Kaliya and asked him to leave river Yamuna he refused to leave. He also realized that Krishna was no ordinary being and was Vishnu’s Avtar. He acknowledged the fact that his poison was polluting the river and killing cows and other species but was helpless against it and requested Krishna to allow him to stay in river Yamuna as it was the only safe place known to him. He also said that the moment he leaves river Yamuna he will be attacked and killed by Garuda. Krishna realized that Kaliya was victim of circumstances rather than a victimizer.

 Did Krishna dance on hoods of Kaliya probably not but he left his foot print on Kaliya’s hood. It was mark of protection created to tell Garuda not to harm Kaliya and that he is under protection of his master The Lord Vishnu. That Protection mark allowed Kaliya, along with family, to travel back to his home in Ramnaka Dweep. The mark also ensured that Garuda did not harm him and it helped Kaliya to live peacefully with his family. Kaliya Nag was the first being whom Krishna showed his Vishwaroop making him worthy of worship.  All Nags or Cobras have a foot print like mark on their hood a mark of Protection from the Lord himself.

The story of Kaliya Nag, who is grandson of Lord Brahma, appears in Mahabharat. Kaliya in his previous birth was a Rishi called Vedshira who was cursed by Rishi Ashwashira to be born as a serpent in his next life because of his envious and hatred nature. The story reminds us to banish anger and hatred as this qualities are found in venomous snakes..

It was amusing to read an article recently where one of our politicians was comparing his contemporary with Kaliya Nag. Most of the people are ignorant or unaware of the sub plots in our epics Ramayan & Mahabharat and compare their contemporaries with characters in these epics. So we have one politician who calls other a Kaliya Nag, women rights activists blaming Rama for humiliating Sita forgetting the fact that she is the Goddess, who cannot be humiliated by the God and not knowing the events in the sub plot leading to her Vanvas. According to Hindu Mythology every villain & hero will have his own tale to tell and Gods don’t kill or punish villains they do UDDHAAR or liberate them from their fears so that they can move on….

Ashadhi Ekadashi

Ashadhi Ekadashi

Ashadhi Ekadashi falls on eleventh day of the bright lunar fortnight in the month of Ashadh. It is also known as Shayani Ekadashi [The Sleeping Ekadashi] or Prathama Ekadashi [First Ekadashi]. It is believed that on this day Lord Vishnu goes to sleep (Yoga Nidra) in Cosmic Ocean known as Ksheersagar or Aakash Ganga. This is beginning of Chaturmas the holy four month period of rainy season. Some people also describe Chaturmas as inauspicious.

With the Lord Vishnu asleep, the devotees turn to Lord Shiva for protection the reason he is worshipped during the month of Shravan. With Cosmos under care of Lord Shiva Asuras, who are favored by Lord Shiva, rise in the sky taking form of Disease, Disaster & Dark Clouds to attack Sky Gods. Indra and Other Sky Gods like Varuna fight them with their weapons like Vajra & Pasha which makes Asuras release the water to churn out underground wealth of Asuras.

In Maharashtra Ashadhi Ekadashi is celebrated with great pomp. The Palaki or Palanquin of Tukaram Maharaj from Dehu, Palaki of Sant Dnyaneshwar from Alandi and numerous other Palaki’s carrying the silver Padukas of various saints arrives at Lord Vithal Temple in Pandarpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi after a 21-day journey.

Name Vithal is originated from two words “VIT” meaning Brick & “THAL” meaning standing. Vithal thus literally means standing on the brick. He is believed to be manifestation of Lord Krishna and hence is depicted in Dark complexion. Coincidently Krishna is the only avtar of God born during the Chaturmas at the end of Dwapar Yuga. He was also well known for his penchant for breaking rules which probably makes him most suitable God to cope with Kali Yuga, the age of spiritual darkness.

There are many legends associated with Ashadhi Ekadashi. The most popular is that of Pundalik, an ardent devotee who he decided to pay a visit. Unmindful of the divine visitor at his doorstep, Pundalik who was attending to his parents inside threw a brick in his direction for the visitor to stand on. Obediently, Vithal stood outside the door with his arms akimbo waiting for Pundalik to see him.

 Vithal also has another name Pandurang which literally means White God or Lord Shiva. In their writings, Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram address Vithal, who is Krishna to most Maharashtrians, as ‘Vithai’ or Mother Vithal; God is Mother and not Father, for in love and devotion, gender is sublimated. Does it suggest that Vithal is Ardhanarnarishwar a form of Supreme God The Hara or Shiva whose bhakti requires lot of austere….

Celebration of Akshay / Vat Vriksha on Vat Purnima

Vat Purnima is celebrated on full moon day in the month of Jyeshta. Women observe fast and tie threads around a banyan tree and pray for the same husband in every birth.

Mahabharat tells us a story of Savitri who was born to the king of Madra, Ashvapati as a boon from Lord Sun/Savitr. Her father could not find her a suitable groom so he asked her to find husband on her own. Savitri found Satyavan son of king Dyumatsena, who had lost all his wealth, his sight and was living in exile.

Soon after her marriage to Satyavan she heard Devrishi Narada speaking to her father, saying that Satyavan is destined to die exactly after one year of his marriage. She stayed with Satyavan and his parents in the forest. On the day of Satyavan’s predicted death Savitri accompanies him to forest to help him cut the fire woods. After a while Satyavan felt tired and went to sleep in Savitri’s lap under a Banyan tree.

When the time of Death, of Satyavan, came Yamdoot, the messenger of Yama the God of death, came to take soul of Satyavan. But Savitri refused to part with the soul of her husband. Messenger after messenger tried to take Satyavan away, but in vain. Savitri could do this because of her chastity and power of tapa. Finally, Yama himself appeared before Savitri and insisted her to give soul of her husband.

When Yama forcibly took the soul away Savitri followed him. Yama then offered her boon; Savitri asked Yama to restore eyesight of her parents in law and also asked him to restore them as King and Queen of their kingdom. Even after she was this granted boon Savitri kept following Yama. So Yama offered her second boon against which she asked well being of her parents. This boon was also granted but Savitri was relentless and continued to follow Yama. When they approached Yama’s abode Yama offered her a final boon. She asked for a Son and Yama granted it. She then asked Yama how it would be possible to beget a child without husband. Yama was outwitted and had to spare Satyavan’s life.

In the memory of the above event the married woman pray and go around tying seven strings around the banyan tree to secure long life for their husbands and children. They also observe the fast for the full night.

Why is Banyan Tree one of the most venerated trees in India ?

Trees are considered Sacred in Hindu Tradition and almost all the Trees and Plants are associated with some God or Goddess. Tulsi Plant for example is associated with Lord Vishnu. Mango Tree is associated with Kama Deva, Banana and Coconut is associated with Goddess Laxmi, Durva is offered to Lord Ganesha,  Bilva is dear to Lord Shiva who is also known as Vrikshanath or Protector of the Plant Kingdom.

Banyan Tree is associated with Lord Yama the God of death. In olden days Banyan tree was was found on the outskirts of villages or near crematoriums. These trees marked the end of society beyond which the forests existed.  Vat tree was considered as abode of ghosts and at the same time was venerated as Hermit Tree.

The Vat, or Banyan tree is known as tree of immortality as it has the ability to survive and grow for centuries and is called Kalpavriksha, the tree that fulfills wishes and other material gains. It symbolizes Trimurti - Lord Vishnu is believed to be the bark, Lord Brahma the roots, and Lord Shiva the branches. Its aerial roots grow down into the soil forming additional trunks and is therefore called Bahupada, the one with several feet.

The Banyan tree though considered as sacred is never a part of Hindu ceremonies as it is not considered as a householder tree. Just as a Sanyasi or Hermit cannot raise a family banyan tree does not support a household or family. Other trees like Mango, Coconut and Banana are always part of ceremonies as they provide for and are useful for the family and household.

Trees like Coconut, Mango represents material aspect of Mankind and are associated with Goddess Laxmi and Kama Deva who represents fertility. The Banyan tree does not allow even a blade of grass to grow under it. The Banyan tree represents Spiritual side of mankind and is associated with God Shiva as it does allow rebirth and renewal.

Rshi Markandeya once had a vision of the great deluge, dead species floating in the Pralaya and Vishnu as a baby lying on the leaf of the vatavrksha floating in the great flood. The flood representing transitory nature of life.  The baby symbolizing the capacity of the new life to replace the older generation. The banyan leaf representing the symbol of eternity with the lord Shiva himself gracing this cycle of rebirth known as Kaal Chakra.