#NagasInPuranas #Naga #Sarpa #AskGunda

Nagas have a very prominent role in Santana Dharma and have references across multiple puranas. To write about them is a colossal task, but I will try to capture some of the most prominent ones in this thread.

PC: Google

1/ https://twitter.com/jananivatsan/status/1337608431130251264

Origins:

In our Puranas, evolution or rather the rise of life forms can be attributed to Swayumbu Manu, Daksha and later Kashyapa.

Kashyapa through his multiple wives played a major role in the origin of life forms on earth including devas, daityas, animals and birds

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In Vishnu Purana, Skana 1, Chapter 21, there is a description of different progeny from Kadru which includes famous Nagas like Shesha, Vasuki et al.

The list of sarpas is quite long and described in detail across multiple puranas..

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Sesha:
In Vishnu Purana, Skanda 2, Chapter 5 has the description of the 7 levels of Patala followed by Anantha Sesha.

Sesha can't be described by Devas or Daityas and is described to be made of 1000 heads, also known as Anantha. A small description in attached images

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Vasuki:

He finds multiple mentions across different puranas. He is the designated king of Rasatala whose capital is Bhogavati.

Vasuki is also found around Shiva's neck. There is an interesting thread on this from Aithiyamala, but that's for another day.

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Vasuki was also used as the rope around Mandara mountain during Samudra Manthana.

The fumes from his mouth were so poisonous that it landed up deflating / killing the danavas who were holding it from that end.

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Vasuki was also one of the few who heard Vishnu Purana from his brothers Dhritarashtra and Apurana. This is captured in Vishnu Purana, Skanda 6, Chapter 8 as below

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In Vishnu Purana, Skanda 2, Chapter 11, there is a description of 12 different Suryas with their roles and responsibilities.

Along with Surya, there is a designated Sarpa, Rsi, Yaksha etc. The list of all 12 different sarpas are captured as below:

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Kartikeya Swami is considered to be the god of snakes. In most common depictions, he is shown to be with his vahana i.e. peacock clutching a snake

The snake represents the ego. The peacock is just clutching, indicating a control of ego to reach perfection

PC:Google

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Ganesha:

There is a story about Ganesha in his boy form i.e. when he was initially created by Uma, being cursed to have an yagnopavita of Snake by Shiva.

Unfortunately, I don't have a puranic reference to justify this statement currently.

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However, the more important story is about Ganesha Chaturthi.

When Ganesha was returning home after having modakas, he fell on the road and his tummy burst open. Chandra laughed at him due to which Ganesha cursed him.

However, there was a snake nearby which also laughed

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Maha Ganapathi took that snake and used the same to tie his tummy much like a modern day belt.

Symbolically, Lord Ganesha’s belly represents the whole cosmos. These are held together by the cosmic energy (kundalini) symbloized by the Snake.

PC: Google

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During sandhyavandam, Sarpa Raksha Mantra is recited as thus:

नर्मदायै नमः प्रातः नर्मदायै नमो निशि
नमोऽस्तु नर्मदे तुभ्यं त्राहि मां विषसर्पदः

Narmadayayi Namah-Prathar narmadayai namo nisi
Namosthu narmadhe thubhyam trahi maam visha sarpatha

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सर्पापसर्प भद्रं त गच्छ सर्प महाविष।
जनमेजयस्य यज्ञान्ते आस्तीकवचं स्मर।।

Apa sarpa sarpa bhadram the Dooram gacha maha yasa
Janamejayasya yagnanthe aasthika vachanam smaran

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जरत्कार्वोर्जरत्कर्वां समुत्पन्न महायशाः
अस्तीक सत्यसन्धो मां पन्नगेभ्यो अभिरक्षतु

Jarath karer Jarath karvam samuthpanno maha yasa
Aasthika Sathya santho maam pannagebhyo abhi rakshathu.

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I hope this thread was able to just graze the surface of the wide topic on Nagas and Sarpas. If there are any further points of interest, I can elaborate based on the same.

ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಪಣಮಸ್ತು
Śrī kr̥ṣṇārpaṇamastu