All you wanted to know about Naga Aradhana

Questions on Naga are the favourite for all. And not without any reason. “Naga Dosha” - These words strike terror even
into the heart of a non believer. Even he will cough up some money to do whatever pooja prescribed and wash his hands
off the “Dosha”!! The questions linger.

 Who is Naga? Who is Sarpa?

 What is Naga worship?
 Whom to worship?
 Why worship? What are the benefits of worshipping them?
 How to correctly worship?
 Naga Panchami – What is it about?
 And more..

All these questions are answered here on the basis of Veda and Purana. Majority Naga worship today is out of fear than
devotion. The mentality is “Better safe than sorry”. And this approach stems from lack of clarity on the nature of Naga.
When we know answers to these questions, our fear vanishes and devotion and respect takes over. Read on.

Who is this Naga we worship?

Is it

a) The stone or

b) The snake (as some call it pratyaksha God)

c) Forces of nature?

Answer: None of the above. It is not even the nature worship as some want us to believe. Nature has been always
integral part of life and divinity.

 The entity worshipped through the medium of Naga is first and foremost Sankarshana form of Vishnu. And that
Sankarshana form of Vishnu is indweller of Shesha.
 The stone idol is the medium to support Shesha. Shesha in turn is the medium to host his indweller Vishnu as
Sankarshana.

Not only Shesha, but every other devata is considered to be the entourage of Vishnu. Vishnu is like the king. There is no
point inviting a king’s subordinate and treating him as if a king by setting aside the king. Same principle is applied here.
Vishnu comes first through the process of avahana (by invitation from our heart). Shesha tags along with everybody else.

Shesha and Asta Kula Naga

 Shesha is further accompanied by his entourage - large number of Naga and Sarpa.
 All those naga and sarpa are spread across various levels in gradation. Not all of them need to be worshipped.
 8 of them in total including Shesha are high enough to be worthy of worship and bless us.
 Together they are called Asta Kula Naga - Shesha, Vasuki, Takshaka, Karkotaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Shankapala,
Kulika.
 All further subdivision arose from these 8. In addition 72 other are also considered in a very detailed Naga Puja.
Thus, a total of 80 Naga get mentioned. But the 8 are important.

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 All you wanted to know about Naga Aradhana

 And Shesha with his indweller Sankarshana is the most important entity worshipped.
 Not only Shesha, but the antaryami of all Naga is Sankarshana (संकषषणात्मा नागेषु स्थथत्वा तुष्टो वरप्रदः)
 Many Nagas are also under the stewardship of Varuna. (Brahmanda Purana and Narayana Varma)

Vedic background of Naga worship

All Naga are Sarpa. But all Sarpa are not Naga. Sarpa word refers to anything that is more than four legs or no legs at all.
How? Read ahead to find out.

Also Naga worship has Vedic and Puranic background unlike the popular opinion that it is totally folk worship. [Many of
the practices that have crept into Naga Aradhana today certainly don't have Vedic background.]

It is Yajurveda that gives us three sarpa mantras :

नमो अथतु सर्प्ऩेभ्यो ये के च ऩथृ थवीमनु । ये अंतररक्षे ये ददवव तेभ्यः सर्प्ऩेभ्यो नमः ॥ 1 ॥

येदो रोचने ददवो ये वा सूयथ

ष य रस्ममषु । येषामर्प्सु सदः कृतं तेभ्यः सर्प्ऩेभ्यो नमः ॥ 2 ॥

या इषवो यातुधानानां ये वा वनथऩततिँरनु । ये वा वटे षु शेरते तेभ्यः सर्प्ऩेभ्यो नमः ॥ 3 ॥

At first glance it looks like it is a praise of sarpas. But like everything else in Vedas, it is also praising the controlling and
governing force of those sarpa too.

 The first mantra offers obeisance to all sarpa (and their governing forces) moving in earth, sky and heavens. This
mantra itself hints what is called as sarpa. It is more than snakes or even reptiles. We have seen snakes on earth. But
was the mantra drushTara dreaming when he said sarpa in sky and heaven? Sarpa in the sky refers to all sorts of
micro organisms in the atmosphere. Sarpa in heaven refers to devatas in heaven that are sarpa themselves.
 The second mantra offers salutations to all sarpa (and their governing forces) residing in the light of heavens,
microscopic enough to reside in the sunlight and also giving us the light of knowledge. Salutations also to those
residing in water.
 The third mantra offers obeisance to all sarpa (and their governing forces) residing in the trees and plants and those
sarpa used by evil entities to destroy others.

The governing forces referred in the mantras are to be understood as devatas that are above sarpa in gradation and
finally Vishnu himself.

What is Naga? What is Sarpa?

 Based on the usage of the word sarpa in Yajurveda, it becomes clear that sarpa must be a generic term referring to
all kinds of animals including micro-organisms (perhaps sarpa is a term referring to any animal more than four legs
or no legs at all).
 Naga, on the other hand is a term used only to the few category of snakes and more importantly to the high among
them. Those Naga who are high in the gradation and worthy of worship have human body, hood and tail (Vaijayanti
Kosha).
 Krishna says in Geeta that his vibhuti among Naga is in Shesha (Ananta) and among sarpa is in Vasuki. Actually
Vasuki is also a Naga (and hence sarpa). Puranas provide detailed gradation of the main naga.
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 All you wanted to know about Naga Aradhana

Where are they in Taratamya (hierarchial gradation)?

Mahabharata calls Sarpas as devatas (Devaa vai sarppaaH). Not all sarpa are devatas however. Shesha is the highest
among all Naga and comes in the 5th graded hierarchy (kakshaa). There are shlokas indicating that the 7 of 8 nagas
pulled Sun’s chariot. Hence the 7 7 are technically below Sun who comes in 12th kakshaa. The next in gradation is Vasuki
is perhaps in 27th kakshaa, but none of their position is clear. But at least 80 of them (8 + 72) are above humans of 32nd
kakshaa. That much is clear.

Asta Kula Naga – Mantras and benefits of worshipping them

Garuda Purana gives details on the mantras for asta kula naga.

 As usual, there is pranava in the beginning and end.

 Beejakshara is derived from the first letter of the name of the respective Naga.
 The name of the respective Naga in Chaturthi Vibhakti is in between.
 It is followed by the Sanskrit word used for offering the respect.

The role of each of these Naga and benefits of worshipping them is in the table below

Naga Hoods Role Benefits of worship

Shesha 1000 Vishnu’s bed Gives :
 Progeny
Health (physical and mental)
 Strength (Physical and Mental)
 Knowledge & interest in Agama and worship of
Vishnu
Removes:
 Laziness
 Poverty
Vasuki 1000 King of Nagaloka. Used as churning Giver of wealth
rope in Samudra Mathana
Takshaka 800 Bit Parikshith Removes fear and serpent problems
Karkotaka 800 Came to help Nala Removes wicked impediments/obstacles
Padma 500 Guardian of treasure Giver of prosperity
Mahapadma 500 Guardian of treasure Makes one progress in the spiritual path
Shankhapala 300 Not present on earth Removes disease/illness
Kulika 300 Not present on earth Makes one superior and meritorious in his clan

In summary, the worship of Asta Kula Naga satiates all our desires and removes illness. But as always one has to
remember all the benefits are accrued when the worship is done by keeping in mind they are all dependent on Vishnu
and his entourage.

Two biggest wrong Naga Puja in vogue

Sri Madhvacharya said in AnuvyakhyAna that one has to an entity as is (yathartha) and worship it and meditate on it,
Only then one’s desires are satiated. (तथमाद् वथतु यथा... नान्यथा भवतत क्वथचत ् – AV 4.19). In this context it will
be beneficial to analyze two wrong practices that are very popular. So popular that this article might might even meet a
lot of resistance. But truth is truth!!
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 All you wanted to know about Naga Aradhana

1. Nagabrahma is not Vaidika Naga

Nagabrahma is a famous Naga worship model of two coastal districts of Karnataka – Udupi and Dakshimna Kannada.
There is no link between Vaidika Naga worship and Nagabrahma. As a matter of fact Nagabrahma is not one but two
different (non vedic) deities combined into one. Naga and bermEr (Became Brahma). The Nagabrahma idol is generally
shown with a lower body of serpent and upper body of a man holding a sword or stick

Bermer was a king/vanadevata who is more of a daiva/bhoota of Tulunadu than being anything to do with Naga. If you
are worshipping Nagabrahma this NagaPanchami, then you should rethink because it has got nothing to do with
Vedic/Puranic Astakula Naaga

2. No connection between Skanda and Naaga

There is no rule that Naga needs to be there where Subramanya (Skanda) exists or Skanda needs to be there where
Naga exist. Nowhere is Skanda worshipped through the medium of Naga. In the Kukke Subramanya kshetra alone, there
is special sannidhana of Skanda in Vasuki. And it is only limited to that kshetra due to a boon and very well illustrated in
Skanda Purana. The topmost Naga – Shesha is equal to Skanda’s father viz. Rudra and the rest of Naga are so below in
taratamya that they are worshippers of Skanda.

Naga worship is a money making business. There is Vasuki-Subramanya place of worship at every street corner. One has
to never mistake their identities. Both entities should be worshipped as they are meant to be.

Why Panchami for Naga?

This is the description in ChaturmaasyamahAtmya (varahapurANa). The devatas approach the Lord and request him to
allot one day in the pakSha when, if a person worships that particular devata with bhakti, that devata will become
pleased with him and give 'special' results'. So the Lord allots the shuklapakSha to the devatas, Krishnapakshas to the
pitrus. In specific, he 'allots' the tithis to the following deities:

 Pratipada - agni
 Dvitiya - Chaturmukha
 Trutiya - Parvati
 Chaturthi - Ganesha
 Panchami - Sheshadevaru
 Shasti - Skanda and Indra
 Saptami - Surya
 Astami - Vishvedevatas and Chandra
 Navami - Lakshmi, Vayu, Varuna, Durga, Saraswati
 10, 11 and 12 – Dashami, Ekadashi and Dvadashi - he keeps to himself
 Trayodashi - Kubera and Garuda
 Chaturdashi of Shukla pakSha to MarudgaNa and Yama and Krishna pakSha to Shiva.
 PUrNima for all Devatas.
 Amavasya for all PitrugaNa

Thus we can see the panchami is special for Nagas. And the speciality of Shravana Shukla Panchami and Margashira
Shukla Panchami is cited in other Skanda. One gets special benefits for the puja done that day by means of his desires

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 All you wanted to know about Naga Aradhana

being responded by the Naga devatas and their indweller Sankarshana. Hence the Panchami of Shravana is celebrated
with puja as Naga Panchami.

What is Mulanaga
Many have a tradition of visiting their mulanaga for worship during Naga Panchami. What is Mulanaga? Mulanaga is just
stala-kula vishista Nagaradhana. As an illustration, consider your kuladevata to be Ramanath for the moment. Even
though there is a Shiva/Vishnu temple near your house, you will still visit your kuladevata Shiva/Vishnu somewhere in a
particular place because that particular installation is your kuladevata - even though he is no different than next door
Shiva/Vishnu and your kuladevata Shiva/Vishnu. Similarly, people visit the Naga belonging to the family even though
there is another spot of Naga worship close by.

Tantra sarokta puja for Naga

This Naga Panchami, pay close attention to the Naga Puja to ensure it is according to prescribed rules and not a remnant
of tribal puja. The vedic Naga Puja is not hocus pocus. Worship of Naga with this right understanding bestows us with
wealth, children, prosperity and health. The right knowledge also brings devotion rather than fear.

There are enough tricksters capitalizing on the inbuilt fear of Naga in people’s minds. Starting from special puja on Naga
panchami to Ashlesha Bali, Sarpa Samskara or Naga Mandala are prescribed as remedies to many problems. Mere
execution by parting with some cash does not address the core issue. Pomp and show is not a consideration. Honest
mindful execution with active participation backed by knowledge driven devotion is the key.

Understanding Shesha
Shesha, being the leader of all Naga, it pays to understand him. Shesha, along with Rudra and Garuda are the controlling
force of our mind. In fact it is with the blessings of Shesha that we get interested in doing any rituals at all . Rituals are
not mindless execution of weird mantras and meaningless tantras of dimwits who are yet to grow up. It is the practical
application of spiritual knowledge acquired - much like a practical lab done after learning theory. Both go hand in hand.
Shesha is the force that connects the two by providing impetus for knowledge driven execution of the ritual.

Watch Upcoming Issue – Naga Panchami Special Part 2 on Shesha – SHESHA VISHESHA

Acknowledgements
1. Naga Sameeksha by Shatavadhani Dr. Ramanath Acharya
2. Sadhakarige Ondu Kivimaatu by Sagri Raghavendra Upadhyaya
3. Sri Brahmatma Dasa
4. Sri Vishnu Shanbhag

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