Delhi:
Nag Panchami 2019: Hindu devotees across India are celebrating Nag Panchami today. The day has special significance for all the ‘bhakts’ of Lord Shiva. This year, there is a unique, pious coincidence (sanyog). Nag Panchami is being celebrated on a Monday (August 5) of the holy month of Sharvan (Savan). This unique combination of date and day holds great importance for the devotees. People have been queuing up outside various Lord Shiva temples across the country to offer milk and water to their favourite God. According to multiple panchangs, the Nag Panchami ‘tithi’ started on 11:02 pm on August 4 and will continue till 8:40 pm on August 5 i.e. today. There are various stories (katha) in Hindu mythology related to nag Panchami.
One of the most well-known stories of Nag Panchami is King Parikshit. It is said that once upon a time, King Parikshit went for a hunt in the jungle. Chasing his target, he reached the ashram of Samik Rishi. He was thirsty and asked the monk for water. But Samik Rishi was deep in mediation and didn’t listen to the king’s pleas. Peeved, King Parikshit put a dead snake around the Rishi’s neck. Rishi Shringi, the son of the monk, got very angry and cursed the king that he will die on the seventh day. The curse came true and King Parikshit died from the seventh day of the incident. His son, Janmajeya vowed to kill all snakes on the Earth. He started performing a grand Nag Yagya. Soon, all serpents started falling into the havan kund. Worried, the all pleaded to Janmajeya to stop the Yagya. It is believed that from that day on, this tradition of Nag Panchami is celebrated.
Falling in the month of Shravan, Nag Panchami has special significance. It is aid that those suffering from Kal Sarp dosha in their kundalis must perform a special puja on this day. Devotees offer haldi (turmeric), jal (water) and milk (doodh) to please the Snake God.
