According to the Hindu calendar, Nag Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha of Shravan. This year Nag Panchami is being celebrated today i.e. 24th August. Nag Panchami is also known as Nagula Panchami. On Nag Panchami, along with the worship of Lord Shiva, the snake deity that adorns his neck is duly worshipped.
How Is Worship Done On The Day Of Nag Panchami?
According to experts in astrology, on the day of Nag Panchami, respect should be expressed towards all the snakes of the Nag clan. On this day, cow’s milk, paddy lava, white flowers incense, etc. should be offered to the snake deity. To please the snake deity during worship, this mantra ‘Om Vakul Nagaya Vidmahe Vishdantaya Dheemahi, Tanno Sarpah Prachodayat’ should be chanted. By doing this, one gets freedom from Kaal Sarp Dosh.
On the day of Nag Panchami, milk and water should be offered to the idol of the snake deity with a copper pot. Apart from this, if possible, a pair of snakes can be kept in the temple and their worship and anointment can also be done. If this is not possible, then a pair of snakes made of clay can also be worshipped. It is believed that by doing this, both Lord Shiva and the snake deity are pleased.
How To Do Nag Panchami Puja At Home?
On the day of Nag Panchami, make a place of worship by applying ochre on the wall. Apart from this, also put a picture of the snake god at the entrance of your house. Snake god should be worshipped with fragrant flowers, lotus, and sandalwood. On this day, make kheer at home and invite Brahmins to your home and feed them. Along with this, offer this offering to God also. After performing this religious ritual, this kheer is also consumed as prasad. If there are snake charmers around you, then give them milk and money.
On the day of Nag Panchami, apart from direct worship of the snake god, one should make the shape of eight snakes with cow dung at the door of the house’s place of worship and worship them duly. After anointing with water, offer flowers, turmeric, roli, Akshat, ghee, and gun. On this day, there is a ritual of worshiping the Anant, Vasuki, Padma, Mahapadma, Takshak, Kulir, Karkat, Shankh, Kaliya, and Pingal snake gods. The inauspicious effect of Rahu-Ketu can be pacified by worshipping these snakes.
Why Is A Doll Beaten On Nag Panchami?
During this tradition of Nag Panchami, women make dolls from old clothes of the house and hang them at the crossroads. Then children are made happy by beating them with sticks. Now know the story behind this.
A girl’s brother was a great devotee of Bholenath. He went to the temple every day. He used to visit the Nag Devta there every day. As soon as he went to the temple, the snake wrapped itself around the boy’s feet as usual. Seeing this scene, the sister got scared. She thought that the snake was biting her brother. To save her brother’s life, the sister beat the cobra to death. After this, when the brother told the whole story of himself and the snake, the sister started crying. The people present there said that ‘Naag’ is a form of God. You hit him, so you should be punished. This mistake has been made by the girl unknowingly, so from today onwards, the doll will be beaten instead of the girl. Since then, the doll has been beaten in this tradition of Nag Panchami.
Seeing A Snake In A Dream Before Nag Panchami
According to Swapna Shastra, seeing a snake in a dream before Nag Panchami is a sign of troubles in life. If you see a black snake in your dream, it means that you may suffer financial loss or you may suffer from some disease. If you see a snake being killed in your dream, then such a dream is auspicious.
If you see such a dream in the month of Sawan, in which the snake has raised its hood, then this dream is considered very good. Such a dream means that you are blessed by Bholenath and you may soon get property benefits from somewhere. According to Jyotishacharya Chirag Bejan Daruwala, seeing a white snake in a dream is considered auspicious. It is said that seeing a white snake is a sign that you are going to get the benefit of respect soon. This dream tells you that you are going to make great progress in your job and business.