Bhavishya Puran – Naag panchami and other details
As per the above puran, when at the time great sea churning, Devtas and Rakshas were working together many things came out of this endeavor. When a beautiful horse Uch -Shravah appeared, then mother of the snakes Kradu commented to her relative Vinta, ‘look this horse though is white but is looking black because of its hair’. Vinta replied that this horse is totally white and neither black nor red. On hearing it, Kradu challenged Vinta that she would show her the black coloured hair on the horse and If she is able to show her the black hair then Vinta will serve her life long, if she is not able to show it then she herself will serve Vinta lifelong. Thus this bet was made and accepted by both of them. Kradu, ordered her children, who were snakes to convert themselves into very subtle forms and stick to the body of Ucch-Shrava and appear as its hair. All her children refused to carry it out as it was not a true endeavor and no matter whether she wins or not. She got very angry and cursed them all that a time will come during the reign of Pandavas lineage, a king by the name of Janmejaya will perform a yajna to kill all the snakes in the havan fire. Cursing them thus she fell silent. All of her children got scared and taking Vasuki with them went lord Brahma and explained the whole thing to him. Lord Brahma told them not to be scared as during the lineage of Yayavar a great brahmin by the name of Jaratkaru will take birth. They should marry their sister Jaratkaru (same name) with him. Out of their wedlock a son by the name of Aastik will be born. He will stop the yajna of Janmejaya and will save you all. On hearing this from Brahma, all the children were relieved and became happy. This boon was given to them on the day of Panchami(5th day), hence this panchami tithi became favourit to all the nagas/snakes.
On this tithi one should pray to the nagas saying that all those nagas/snakes who live on earth, in akaash(space), in heavens, in the rays of Sun, in side the ponds, inside the wells, lakes, they all should get happy with us and we bow down to them repeatedly. One should offer ghee, kheer and guggle to them.
After poojan one should request them to return to their inhabiting places and then offer food to the Brahmins. After it, one along with one’s relatives should take food. Food should be started with something sweet and after that one should eat what ever one likes. It is said one who prays to them like this on the panchami tithi, he travels to realm of snakes in a plane and then is born as a king. He is also freed from the fear of snakes.
One who has died of snake bite:
It is said one who dies of snake bite goes to lower realms in the next birth. To take care of this our ancient Rishis have suggested certain karmas to be performed for the departed soul. According to them from the Bhadrpad month, Shukla paksh, on every chaturthi tithi, on should abstain from taking food and on panchami perform naag poojan. This should be done for twelve months. For doing this draw sketches of snakes or make physical forms of snakes out of gold, silver or earth only. Then appease them with flowers of Karveer, lotus, Chameli etc. and offer dhoop, gandh and then offer eatables like Ghee, Kheer and laddos to five Brahmins. Various nags/snakes, whose poojan should be done for twelve months are Anant1, Vasuki2, Shankh3, Padm4, Kambal5, Karkotak6, Ashwatar7, Dhritrashtra8, Shankhpal9, Kaliya10, Takshak11 and Pingal12. Doing thus for full twelve months, at the end one should offer food to many Brahmins and should offer a snake made out of gold to a learned Brahmin. Thus all those killed by snakes will be raised to higher better realms and one who performed this too will reach higher realms.
Some interesting things about Naags/snakes:
In the jyeshtha and Ashadh month, snakes get ready to seek partners. During four months of rains a female snake gets ready to give birth. In the month of Kartik she lays 240 eggs and out of them some she eats up herself every day. By the grace of nature some eggs roll out here and there. The eggs which are golden in colour give birth to males, eggs with long lines on it and having swarnketak(particular flower) colour give rise to females and those with colour of Shirish flower bring forth neuter. Female snakes take care of these eggs for six months. When the snakes come out of eggs they stay close to their mother. Within a week, they become black in colour. Generally, a snakes life span is 120 years but they die because of 8 causes, namely, at the hands of Peacocks, humans, Chakor (bird), Cats, Mongoose, Pigs, scorpion and under the feet of cows, buffaloes, camels etc. If they are not killed by the above causes they will enjoy full life of 120 years. In seven days, they develop teeth and in 21 days venom develops inside them. In 25 days they can also bite any one and kill with their venom. In six months time it changes its skin. It is said a snake has 240 feet which are subtle like the hair on the skin of a cow. They come out when it has to move or else they go inside. They can not be seen with our eyes. They have 220 fingers and 220 joints. A premature born snake carries less venom and enjoys a shorter life span of 75 years. A snake which has red, yellow or white teeth has less venom in it, has shorter life span and is coward.
They have one face, two tongues, 32 teeth and 4 places of venom collection. Their names are Makri, Karali, Kaalratri and Yamdoot, and they are generated in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th month repectively and are white, red, yellow and dark and represent Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. Their devtas are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Yam. Yamdooti is the smallest, when a person is bitten through it then he dies immediately. Even mantra, yantra or any kind of medicine also are ineffective in this case. In case of Makri bite the mark is like a shastra, in Karali its like the crows foot ( three points), Kaalratri is like hand and Yamdooti is like a koorm or tortoise. All the venom places do not carry venom in them always. Venom is generally stored in a place near right eye. At the timing of biting it goes to the brain first and then is transferred to forehead, to various veins it comes out of the teeth. When the bite mark is in the form of a big wound, then snake bit with great anger, if one point is there then he bit out of fear, if a line kind of mark is there then out of madd, if with two point and the wound heals up then out of hunger, if two points and much blood comes out of it then because of excess of venom experienced by it, if three or four deep marks are formed then one should take it as a direction from kaal alone.
Venom effect:
As a drop of blood if thrown over the surface of water spreads over a large area same way the snake venom acts. When it enters our skin it expands it doubles, as it enters blood it becomes four times, as it enters pitt it becomes eight times, when it enters kaff it expands 16 times, when it enters Vaat it becomes 30 times, as it enters Majja it becomes 60 times and when it enters our Pran it spreads innumerable times.
Venom of the snake produces different symptoms in our body. During the first stage our body feels a little high in energy, in second stage we feel sweat, in the third stage body starts shivering, in the fourth stage we can not hear, in the fifth stage we experience hiccups, in the sixth stage our tongue control is lost and the seventh stage kills the person. Our old Vaidyas just by observing the symptoms prepared medicine for the person and saved them. They devised certain formulations to cure the person of the venom by symptoms of all the seven stages. According to them
When the venom is only SKIN deep, a person experiences darkness in front of the eyes and his skin starts burning. At this time, root of AAK, Apamarg,Tagar, Priyangu should be mixed in water and given to the patient orally.
When it reaches at the level of BLOOD, whole body seems to be on fire and starts falling unconscious. Cold substances are liked by the patient. Grind Ushir(khas), Chandan, Koot, Tagar, Neelotpal, root of Sindowaar and Dhatoora, Asphotida and chillies and given to him. If this is ineffective then give him mix Bhatkataiya, root of indrayan and Sarpgandha in honey and make him eat it. If still not effective give paste of Sindowaar and Asphotida. It can also be used in the form of coating over the body and in the eyes even.
When it reaches KUFF, body turns yellow, even all the things around seem to be yellow, one gets up falls down again and again. Body feels on fire and strong unconsciousness is experienced. During such a stage mix roots of Tumbeki and Indrayan, Peepal, Mahua, Ghee and Honey. Mixture thus prepared should be given orally, applied on the body and put in the eyes.
When it reaches PITT, then whole body starts stiffening up. Difficulty in breathing, sound from the throat, saliva flows from mouth. When such symptoms are observed then make powder of peepal, Chilly, Saunth, Bahuvaar tree, Lodh and Madhusaar, mixed in equal proportions in cow’s urine and be used for applying over the body, in the eyes and to drink.
When it enters VAAT, stomach starts bloating and eye sight starts failing. Take Sonagach root, Priyal, Gajpeepal, Bharangi, Vacha, Peepal, Devdaru, Mahua, Madhusaar, Sinduvaar, Heeng, powder them and make their tablets and give to patient orally. The paste can be applied to his body and in the eyes.
When it enters MAJJA, eyesight is lost and body becomes powerless. Mix ghee, honey, Khas, Shakkar, Chandan, make a paste of it and make him drink it.
When it enters MARM STHAN, all senses fail, body falls to the ground, if we cut his skin no blood comes out, if we pluck his hair he does not feel any pain, thus the patient is just like dead. Normal Vaidya can not overcome this state. Only a person with sidh mantra can give medicine and cure. Here pitta of peacock and cat with root of Gandhnadi. Kumkum, Tagar, Koot, Kasmard tree chaal, kesar of Utpal, Kumud, Kamal, all mixed and ground in equal proportions in cow’s urine be given to the patient to drink and applied in the eyes. This acts as mritsanjivani and the patient will get up.
It is said if a male snake bites , gaze turns upwards; if bitten by a female snake, gaze turns downwards; if bitten by a child snake it turns rightward and if bitten by a neuter it turns left side. Usually males bite during the day, females bite during night and neuters bite during the time in between day and night. If the marks of bite are one finger apart then snake is a child, if 2 finger distance between the two marks then its young and if 2.5 finger distance then it is an old snake.
Brahman snakes roam before mid day, Kshatriyas at the noon time, Vaishya after noon and Shudra during evening. Brahman eat flowers and drink air, Kshatriyas eat mouse, Vaishyas eat frogs , Shudra eat everything. Brahman snakes smell like flowers, Kshatriya like Chandan, Vaishya like ghee, Shudra like fish. Brahman snakes are found in rivers, near water falls, lakes, gardens and sacred places; Kshatriya snakes are found near village or city gates, on crossings; Vaishya snakes are found in cremation grounds, near Bhasm, in grassy lands and uncultivated places, while Shudra snakes are found in all vacant houses, in jungles, in bad places. Brahm snakes are white in colour, effulgent like fire, satvik and with great mind; Kshatriya snakes are red like moonga, yellowish like gold, effulgent like sun; Vaishya snakes are lazy in nature, colour like the flowers of Baan , many lines on their body; Shudra snakes are either black or smoky in colour.
This while knowledge was shared by Maharishi Kashyap with Mahamuni Gautam. He also advised to perform naag poojan always with great fervour and especially on the fifth tithi with Milk, Kheer etc. On Shravan Shukla Panchami, make two snakes of cowdung and place them on the either side of the main door. Perform their poojan with Durva( a kind of grass), Pushp, Gandh, Akshat and various eatables etc. and offer food to Brahmins. Doing this fear of snakes is uprooted from the family of such a person.
Bhadrprad Panchami draw many coloured snakes and perform their poojan with Ghee, Kheer, Milk, flowers. Thus all the nagas upto Takshak get happy and fear of snakes is removed up to seven generations.
During Ashwin Panchami make a snake out of Kushaand do its poojan with all the things as earlier. Perform its bath with milk and ghee. Kheer bhog and other sweets be offered to it. Thus Vasuki etc nags get propitiated. Thus one goes to realm of nags and enjoys all the things there.
Om Kurukulle Phat Swaha, where this mantra is chanted regularly, there no snake can dare to come.
Thus we can see that snakes are mystical in nature provided we understand them properly. I think that is why probably they were taken for symbolizing Kundlini shakti in all the scriptures.
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