Why Are Snakes Considered Sacred In Hinduism?

People in many parts of the world look upon snakes with fear and revulsion. In Christianity, the snake is a symbol of Satan. But in Hinduism, people revere snakes as gods, and they are also associated with gods like Vishnu and Shiva. Vishnu, for instance, reclines on a 1000-headed serpent called Sheshnag while a snake adorns Shiva’s neck. Snakes feature in Hindu religious texts, myths, and iconography. In Hinduism, snakes represent power, protection, and fertility. They are also regarded as the guardians of the Earth's treasures and as the protectors of the underworld. Hindus worship snakes, as they believe that it will protect them from harm and attract good fortune. People view snakes with awe and believe them to be powerful and immortal, as they can shed their old skin and grow a new one. However, snakes can also represent temptation, deception, and chaos.Hindu festivals like Naga Chaturthi, Naga Panchami, etc., honor snakes. Harming or killing snakes is a sin in Hinduism. The belief is that people who do it will suffer misfortunes and incur Sarpa Dosha, which can cause many problems in life.

Snakes and Their Association with Hindu Deities

Snakes are called Nagas in Hindu mythology. As Shiva has a snake coiled around his neck, he has the name of Naga or Nagendra. As per Hindu mythology, Shiva is the lord of all creatures, including snakes, and they are his devotees. The snake also represents Kundalini energy, which supposedly lies coiled up at the base of our spine and can be awakened with the help of spiritual practices like meditation. Lord Vishnu, the Preserver Archetype in Hinduism, reclines on the coils of a great serpent, Ananta/Shesha. Ananta supposedly holds the entire universe on his hoods, and his coils signify the cycles of time. One myth says that Vishnu also took the form of a half-man, half-serpent creature called Nara-Narayana to protect the world from evil. Goddess Manasa is also associated with snakes in Hinduism. She is the goddess of snakes, and people believe that she can control them. Many Hindus in India, especially in Bengal, worship her as they believe that she can protect them from snake bites. The serpent around Shiva’s neck, Vasuki, represents the endless cycles of birth and death and the infinite cosmic energy that rules the universe. Thus, snakes have a vital role in ensuring the delicate balance between creation and dissolution.

Snakes and Spiritual Awakening

In Kundalini Yoga, the coiled serpent is a powerful symbol of spiritual awakening. The serpent represents the dormant energy that lies at the base of our spine, that has to be awakened. As the awakened Kundalini energy rises up through the chakras, it activates each of the Chakras (energy centers in our body), leading to spiritual awakening. This is depicted as a snake uncoiling and rising up through the spine.

Snakes in Astrology

In Indian astrology, too, snakes are important. The Navagrahas include Rahu and Ketu, the snake planets. Rahu is the snake's head, while Ketu is the tail. These planets can influence our life and destiny. Depending on their positions in our birth chart, they can have a good or bad impact. Rahu and Ketu are also called shadow planets. They can cause Kalasarpa Dosha in the horoscope. The Dosha occurs if one has harmed or killed a snake. In many Hindu temples, one can find idols of the Navagrahas, which include Rahu and Ketu. People worship them and make offerings to them to gain relief from planetary afflictions. The dreaded Kalasarpa Dosha can cause many problems in life, like unhappiness in the family, loss in business, marital problems, delays in marriage, litigation, lack of progeny, health problems related to eyes, skin, ears, throat, etc. Such people will be unsuccessful despite their best efforts. People who build houses in a place after destroying sacred groves that are home to snakes or snake pits may face ill health while residing in that house. In such cases, astrological remedies can bring relief.

Snake Worship in Hinduism

Hindu festivals like Naga Chaturthi and Naga Panchami are celebrated to honor the snake gods. They involve certain rituals and offerings, like worshipping snake idols and pouring milk into snake pits, etc. This helps invoke the blessings and protection of the Nag Devtas or serpent gods.

Conclusion

Snake worship probably evolved from ancient religions like animism. Such beliefs are rooted in the idea that human life is closely connected to Nature and that the well-being of humans on Earth depends on the well-being of all the creatures that we share the world with, which is also what modern environmental science teaches us. Snakes, for instance, are the allies of farmers as they eat rats, which destroy crops. In India, many animals are worshipped. Cows and even tigers are revered by Hindus. Crows represent our ancestors. The delicate balance in Nature depends on such creatures. By worshipping them, we acknowledge their role in our lives and their importance to our survival. Snake worship reflects the Hindu worldview that all life is sacred as all creatures are forms of the Divine. In Hindu mythology, Vishnu’s avatars include animal forms like the fish (Matsya), boar (Varaha), turtle (Koorma), etc.