The Snake Gods of Hinduism
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The Snake Gods are adorned and celebrated in all the Hindu temples of the world. From many centuries the Snake Gods have been given prominence in the life of most of the Hindu people. The Female Snake God is called as Nagarani and the Male God as Nagarajan.and idols of both Gods are placed in all the major Hindu temples of India. In some villages of South India, they have been adorned in the live form and their shelter, termite nest, is also kept in many temples of the country. Pariticularly on Fridays they are given raw eggs and milk. The devotees of them put the raw eggs and the cup of milk nearby their shelter and if the snakes are really living there, they will come out in night times to drink the eggs and milk.
Lord Shiva , The Great God of Hinduism, is wearing the God Nagarajan on his neck and Lord Krishna has made the Snake God Adhisheshan as His bed in His home.
The Hindu people are believing that Snake Gods are associated with wealth and healthy life and they will act as great securities when the people meet difficulties in their life. It is also believed that Snake Gods are having separate world and Shri Nagarajan and Shri Nagarani are ruling that world. However The Snake Gods and other Holy Snakes are under the control of major Gods like Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna.
Shri Rahu Bhagavan
Shri Kethu Bhagavan
Shri Rahu and Shri Ketu are also the Great Snake Gods as well as planetry deities of Hinduism. They both get prominence next to Lord Vinayaka in all the Hindu temples. They are described as malefic planets as they are giving great tribulations to the people in case of unfavorable horoscopic positions. They are also associated with many misevents and accidents in the life of Hindu people. This is believed by the devotees that Shri Rahu is the both averter and creator of misevents and accidents in a life. So the people are fearing to face His associated time period of Rahu Kalam, Kalam means certain hours of a day. Faithful worshipping of Shri Rahu would avert any obstacle and accident in the life of the Hindu people. Shri Ketu is associated with Gnan ( Knowledge ) and gives extreme tribulations to whom found lack of Gnan and sense. It is believed in Hindu's life that Shri Rahu is immediately killing by creating undesirable misevents and accidents and whereas the Ketu is giving great difficulties when He is not in favorable horoscopic position. But both Shri Rahu and Ketu are giving all the desirable things and events in ones life when they are in a favorable horoscopic positions.
Though these Gods are wicked and giving tribulations to the people, they are given significance and celebrated by the Hindu people as almost equal to Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva. To get peaceful and happy life the most of the Hindu people adorn them with great bhakthi. But some people are blaming that these Gods are the root causes for their difficulties in their life. The main thing to understand here is that these Gods are not mere responsible for the ill fate of the people. Lack of knowledge and lack of carefulness are the big reasons to the most of misevents and accidents. We have to make correct decisions in each and every part of our life to lead a happy life. When we lead a proper life, we need not blame the Gods to our misfortunes. Faithful worshipping of Shri Rahu and Shri Ketu and well planned life are showing success in all parts of our life.
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Comments
Dear Om, Thanks for your nice comments !
Dear Mr. Rathnaveera, I wish to add some points:
1 Snake is given a sacred place in hindu beliefs. Reason for this is that,it posseses all six chakrasmentioned in yoga on its backbone, as human beings posses( like-kundalini, anahatha, mooladhara, etc). For this reason we believe that it should not be killed.
2. In Indian astrology, Rahu and Kethu are treated as shady-planets.While the gfreat astrologer Varahamihira gives no place to them in his famous 'Brihad jaathaka' other ancient astrologers like :arashara etc, say , they have the same power of the planet of the house where they stay in the horoscope.
Many other points in your article are correct.
Dear Dr. Prasadjain, Thank you very much for your more information about the worshipping of Naga Gods in Hinduism. Also accepting your points about Rahu and Ketu.
You have brought out a wonderful picture of snake gods. Snakes are usually feared world over for their venomous touch, however, in this country of billions -- INDIA-- Snakes are treated as GOD. Also, it is said that if someone dreams of a snake, it is a good omen.
GReat hub, Ratna!
Dear Neet, Happy to meet you. Thanks for your nice comments. I am faithful devotee of Shri Rahu and Shri Ketu. I have got a great change in my life after begining to worship them. Please see the beautiful picture of Shri Rahu which is worthy enough to meditate.
Oh that's great.
Usually people fear Shri Rahu, isn't it? I have heard that if God Rahu is happy on some1, he makes his life wonderful and if he is angry, he makes life hell for that person.
God is eternal. God is Great.
God bless U!
Yes, Neet , You are absolutely right ! These Great Gods are so powerful to determine the fate of human beings. The accidents are creating and increasing feeling of love and humanity among the people. So They both are the Great Agents of Humanity and Love by creating accidents. Could you remember the year 2004 which is the first fourth year of 21 st cetury. We every one know well that number 4 is associated with my favorite God Shri Rahu. What happened in that year?, the chain of unforgettable tragedies. eg. At Srirangam in Trichy a fire accident happened in a marriage function in which about 70 persons killed, My favorite and Lovable actress Soundarya killed a few days after the Srirangam accident and on July 16 th Kumbakonam accident was the major one in which 94 young children killed ( here see the aggregate of 9+4 that's also coming as 4 ). The ultimate drama by this Great God is staged on December 26 th of the same year as Tsunami in which about 1.3 lacs of people were killed from all over the world. The above said all those will create humanity feeling to any body.
Dear Dr Rathaveera,
I have no comments to add but i have a practical about snake myth. Recently snake entered my home (through the back entrance). First incident was last year a python and recently a cobra. My question is what does it signifies as far as Hindus are concerned. Some said it means bad omen and i must vacate my home. Is that true, if not how do i relate this incident with others.
Dear Thillainadan, Thanks for coming here and your question. I hope you need not worry about the snake incidents. Your house may be located nearby their living area. However, you can pray snake gods to get rid of your confusions and worries. In my experience many people are well settled by faithful worship of these great snake gods.
"The main thing to understand here is that these Gods are not mere responsible for the ill fate of the people. Lack of knowledge and lack of carefulness are the big reasons to the most of misevents and accidents. We have to make correct decisions in each and every part of our life to lead a happy life. When we lead a proper life, we need not blame the Gods to our misfortunes."
you were so damn good till that text.
What happened later ???
"Faithful worshipping of Shri Rahu and Shri Ketu and well planned life are showing success in all parts of our life."
When the so called Gods are not responsible for our miseries, how can you attribute your success to Gods. As you said when we lead a proper life then we dont need God.
A snake entered by house in the dining area and then the pooja room. What does it signify?
i need some advice.
many snakes have visited my home through the back entrence. mainly baby snakes but all in black colour. can u tell me the meaning or symbol of this. what meaning does this bring? please advise
Dear Friends,
In the Hindu tradition we worship Nags. They too are considered as Devta's.There is a difference in the two varieties i.e, Nag and sarp. A Nag can lift its head and so in modern terminology it would be closer to a cobra or that family whereas a sarp does not lift its head. There are nine Nag's that are important and are worshipped. These are Anant, Vasuki, Sheshnag, Padmanabh, Kambal, Shankhpal, Dhritrastra, Takshak and Kalia. These nine names are repeated early in the morning and after sun down. They are not repeated in the day as it is believed that the snakes sleep during this time. Repetition of these names removes the fear of being poisoned and gives victory in all good deeds. Repitition of these names also help people overcome Kaalsarpyog and are to be repeated for atleast one year in the morning and evening.
Whereas it is correct that our deeds(Karmas) in day to day life are important as well as information, decisions and knowledge; we should focus on them yet one cannot deny other deeds such as prayer and mantras are important as well. God in a very simple sense can be taken to be the higher mind and higher ideals in each one of us.
If you wish to prevent snakes from entering your house and harming you, one can repeat the Mantra "Maharishi Astikay Namah". Take some water in a cup, put your finger in the cup, repeat the mantra atleast 11 times and sprinkle it around your house esp around the doors.
Snakes entering your house is not bad luck. They do invoke fear. Please do not kill them as killing a nag in the hindu tradition is believed to invoke a curse which gets transferred to each generation till one does not atone for it, from among other things, by prayer on Nag Panchmi. Try to chase it away or get a snake charmer or the forest office to tackle it.
Not all snakes are poisonous so please be compassionate.
Hi, what does it mean if you house is surrounded by snakes harmless ones though. My brother and sister in law's house have found several snakes under their house and also one inside their home. is this a bad thing ?
hi...snake entered my home sterday??????
nd my neighbor house members killed tat...
is tat good r bad???
Dear friend, Don't worry. You can worship God Nagarajan one who living on the neck of Lord Shiva, God Shri Rahu and Shri Ketu to overcome the situation.
omdelhi says:
2 years ago
Great mith fact. thanx for sharing.