Nag Panchami 2023: Date, Time, Significance, Rituals, Puja Vidhi
Nag Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrated to worship the Nag Devta (Snake God). As per the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the fifth day of the first half of the Lunar month of Shravan (July/August). The followers believe that Nag Devta can be pleased by worshiping the snakes as they are believed to be the symbol of Nag Devta.
In the Vedas, there are mentions of the honor of many serpent gods, but on the day of Nag Panchami, pujas are offered to some specific serpent gods, such as Ananta, Vasuki, Shesha, Padma, Kambala, Karkotaka, Ashvatara, Dhristarashtra, Shankhapala, Kaliya, Takshaka, and Pingala.
Nag indicates snakes and Panchami indicates the fifth day, thus, serpents are worshiped on this day with milk, rice, sweets, fruits, flowers, and lamps. There are special mantras that are chanted during the Puja. Snakes are worshiped particularly this month to provide protection for the family of the devotees and for everyone else, as snakes become a threat to humans during this period of the year. They are seen to leave their burrows as raindrops get stored there, thus they start searching for new shelters, and are likely to bite humans.
To celebrate the victory of Lord Krishna on Kaliya, devotees usually conduct Nag Panchami with the help of pandits. Rudrabhishek Puja, Rudra Homa, and Maha Mrityunjaya Homa are conducted during Nag Panchami, and SmartPuja will help you connect with expert pandits for these pujas.
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Date And Time of Nag Panchami 2023
Nag Panchami will be observed as per the following tithi and muhurta:
- Day- Monday
- Date- 21st August 2023
- Tithi- Shravan month’s Shukla Paksha’s Panchami
- Muhurat- From 21st August 2023 at 00:21 AM to 22nd August 2023 at 02:00 AM
Rituals And Traditions of Nag Panchami
Nag Panchami, a festival celebrated in Hindu culture by people across the Indian region, honouring and offering sacrifices to snake gods. The things usually offered on Nag Panchami include flowers, milk, snake idols, or live snakes while offering prayers to the snake God. Snake pictures are drawn on doorways to eliminate evil effects and spirits.
A common ritual or belief to perform during Nag Panchami is bathing in a pond or river, following giving ladoos, kheer, or any other specific desert as special food offerings, and reciting mantras. As per some beliefs, fasting on Nag Panchami and breaking it after offering prayers is believed to bring fortune and wealth to devotees.
Remedies on Nag Panchanmi 2023
Nag Panchami, the auspicious day, is dedicated to Nag Dev and is usually celebrated in Sawan month’s Krishna Paksha. Many remedies, including freedom from Kaal Sarp Dosh, Rahu, and Ketu, are achieved by honouring Nag Dev.
- You must create a snake shape at your house’s entrance on nag panchami day and pray with complete devotion. It will benefit you financially.
- You must visit Lord Shiva’s temple and offer seven balls of sandalwood on Nag Panchami to get the Lord’s blessings.
- You can offer milk on Shiva linga to conduct Rudrabhishek while offering milk, fruits, dhatura, flowers, and extracts on Nag Panchami to get Mahadev or Lord Shiva’s blessings.
- If your horoscope has Rahu and Ketu’s influence, you must perform puja on Nag Panchami to eliminate the graham’s dosha.
- You must chant the Nag Panchami mantra 108 times on Nag Panchami to fulfil your wishes.
Regional Variations in Celebrating Nag Panchami
Since regional variations are present in celebrating Nag Panchami across India, Hindus visit temples of snakes to perform specific rituals and pujas. Besides, some Hindu cultures observe and celebrate Nag Panchami by offering milk or special foods to snakes in forests or their residences.
Although variations are there in celebrating Nag Panchami, offering gratitude and reverence for snakes and seeking protection and blessings from snake Gods remains the same in every region.
Besides, some Hindu cultures also conduct Rudrabhishek Puja, Rudra Homa, and Maha Mrityunjaya Homa on Nag Panchami to bring joy, prosperity, and fortune to their homes.
Significance of Snakes in Hindu Culture
The fact that the snake decorates the neck of Lord Shiva has much spiritual importance. The three coils around Lord Shiva’s neck show the past, present, and future. It also means that the Shakti/ kundalini power dances around Shiva, but Shiva the universal remains still. A five-hooded snake that coils the Shivlingam (symbol) shows the apex and defense of the yin and yang energies; the union of the worldly and the spirituality.
It is mentioned in the Hindu scriptures that Lord Krishna had protected human lives from the danger of Kaliya, the dangerous snake. There is a story that Lord Krishna was playing by the riverside of Yamuna and fell down in the river, the snake Kaliya attacked Lord Krishna being unaware that He was not an ordinary child, when Kaliya realized he apologized, then Lord Krishna spared him and took a promise from him to not harm or kill humans. Nag Panchmi is also believed to be celebrated as the winning of Lord Krishna over Kaliya, the most grievous snake.
There is another belief that during Samudra Manthan(churning of the ocean), Lord Shiva drank all the toxicant which was produced during the churning of the sea. During the method, some drops of the toxicant fell on the Earth’s surface which snakes drank. Devotees worship serpents to be saved from the threats of snakes.
Astrological Significance of Nag Panchami
Nag Panchami has mythological and astrological significance in Hinduism due to its planetary involvement. As per astrology, planet Rahu (moon’s North Node) and planet Ketu (Moon’s South Node) are represented as snakes.
These celestial entities are also called shadow planets, astrologically strongly influencing individuals living. These planets also govern mysteries, hidden knowledge, sudden events, spirituality, and karma.
Preparation For Nag Panchami
Cleaning House And Surroundings
Thoroughly cleaning the surroundings and house is customary during Nag Panchami since Hinduism believes it creates a positive festival environment while removing negative or evil energies. People usually clean by dusting the windows, scrubbing floors, and removing clusters and dirt from their spaces.
Preparing Food And Offerings For Nag Devta
Special foods, including laddoos, pedas, and a few other sweets like kheer are prepared for Nag Devta or Snake God to serve as offerings during Nag Panchami. Devotees also usually offer milk to snake Gods.
Decoration of Home And Puja Space
Rangolis, leaves, flowers, lamps, and diyas are a few things used to decorate puja spaces and homes to celebrate Nag Panchami. A popular belief in Hinduism is to draw snake pictures in puja spaces and doorways that assist people in warding off evil spirits and bringing good luck.
Puja Vidhi of Nag Panchami
Invoking The Blessings of Nag Devta
Invoking Nag Devta’s blessings is the initial stage of beginning Nag Panchami celebrations. Incense, flower offerings, and reciting mantras are the rituals for invoking snake Gods. A knowledgeable pandit or family’s head usually invokes the snake God’s presence and processes the puja rituals of snake Gods in temples or chosen puja spaces.
Nag Panchami Mantras
| ॐ भुजंगेशाय विद्महे, सर्पराजाय धीमहि, तन्नो नाग: प्रचोदयात्।। |
| ‘सर्वे नागा: प्रीयन्तां मे ये केचित् पृथ्वीतले। ये च हेलिमरीचिस्था ये न्तरे दिवि संस्थिता:।। ये नदीषु महानागा ये सरस्वतिगामिन:। ये च वापीतडागेषु तेषु सर्वेषु वै नम:।।’ |
| अनन्तं वासुकिं शेषं पद्मनाभं च कम्बलम्। शंखपालं धार्तराष्ट्रं तक्षकं कालियं तथा॥ एतानि नव नामानि नागानां च महात्मनाम्। सायंकाले पठेन्नित्यं प्रात: काले विशेषत:। तस्मै विषभयं नास्ति सर्वत्र विजयी भवेत्॥ |
Offering Milk And Sweets To Snakes
Milk, sweets, honey, and other special foods are offered to snake Gods after invoking their graces. People usually offer them to live snakes or snake idols to grant pardon and seek blessings to respect and honour the deities. Live snakes and snake idols are poured with milk to seek fortune and eliminate negative impacts from their lives.
Chanting Mantras And Performing Aarti
Chanting mantras is usually done during the puja rituals of Nag Panchami and performing aarti by waving diya or lamp in front of snake Gods to get their graces. Reciting prayers and ringing bells are usually believed to offer gratitude to the deities, followed by prasad distribution to everyone present for the Nag Panchami celebrations.
Nag Panchami in Different Regions
Nag Panchami celebrations in North India
Devotees offer milk baths to snakes’ paintings or the serpent idol made with wood, stone, or silver while seeking blessings. Live snakes are captured by some devotees a week before Nag Panchami and fed with honey and milk mixed with saffron.
Nag Panchami celebrations in South India
Nag Panchmi is widely celebrated in South India by worshipping live and sculpted snakes. People draw snakes at their household’s entrance. Women decorate anthills with wheat flour, vermilion, turmeric paste, and flowers where abundant snakes are discovered.
A prominent belief in Southern India is that snakes represent virility, and infertile women must worship snakes’ stone statues under a Sacred Fig or Peepal tree. This belief arises from the fact that its skin’s casting, the mortality, death, and rebirth cycle, is represented as a snake in Hinduism.
Foods Offered On Nag Panchami
Importance of Milk And Sweets In Nag Panchami
The importance of milk and sweets in Nag Panchami celebrations and rituals has been seen for decades in Hindu culture. People strongly believe the snake’s love for milk and its offerings will give them the graces of the deities and is highly auspicious. Offering sweets is also prevalent during the Nag Panchami festival and is believed to please Nag Devta.
Traditional Foods Offered On Nag Panchami
Devotees on Nag Panchami prepare and offer traditional foods to please snake Gods. Pedas, laddoos, or preparing rice pudding or kheer made by blending and cooking milk, rice, and sugar are some common delicacies offered to snake Gods. In some cultures, offering sabzi, puri, chutney, and other savoury dishes is auspicious during Nag Panchami.
Significance of Foods Offered To Nag Devta
The significance of the foods offered to Nag Devta is great. The nourishment and purity symbol, milk offered to Nag Devta, carries prosperity and good luck in devotees’ lives. Besides, sweets symbolize joy and happiness for devotees, and giving them as an offering to snake Gods brings joy, fulfillment, and happiness to devotees.
Conclusion
Nag Panchami, the significant ritual and festival in the Hindu culture, has been observed for decades. People offer snake idols, pictures, flowers, and specifically milk to snake Gods or live snakes. Although the ritual is observed every year, conducting it under the guidance of a professional pandit will make the ritual additionally auspicious for you and your family.
SmartPuja, the leading puja service, helps people conduct puja on Nag Panchami and rituals through their professional and knowledgeable pandits. Contact the experts to bring home the graces and fortune you seek for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nag Panchami is believed to have originated from the folklore and mythology of Hinduism. The festival has been observed and well-celebrated across the Indian region since the ancient period.
The traditions and rituals of Nag Panchami are worshipping snakes, offering milk, sweets, and flowers to snake Gods, chanting mantras, pujas, and aarti, etc. Besides, performances by snake charmers are also observed in some regions.
The foods offered on Nag Panchami include kheer, rice, milk, ladoos, etc.
The legend associated with Nag Panchami is about a farmer Kashyap who had four spouses. The farmer’s second wife’s son, Takshak, existed underworld and grew as Snakes’ mighty King. In an incident, King Parikshit, grandson of Arjun, condemned Takshak and threw a dead snake on Takshak. Therefore, Takshak was outraged and killed King Parikshit by biting him. A petition to Prince Janamejaya to sacrifice a snake was called off, and the event has been recognized as Nag Panchmi since then.
It isn’t necessary to fast on Nag Panchmi, yet it is observed to please God Snake or Nag Dev.
Devotees offer milk to snakes on Nag Panchmi to seek forgiveness and mitigate their sins.
