History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.472

v6.c81.472

In the month of Śrāvaṇa there are several important vratas, one of which is Nāgapañcamī on the 5th of the bright half of Śrāvaṇa The Nāgapañcamī is observed in different ways in all parts of India Some hold that, instead of Akṣayyatṛtīyā, Nāgapañcamī is the one half auspicious day out of 3½ most auspicious days in the year. The Bhaviṣyapurāṇa, Brāhmaparva (chapter 32 verses 1-39), expatiates on Nāgapañcamī Kṛtyakalpataru (on vrata) pp 87-90 and Hemādri (on vrata vol. I pp 557-560) quote several verses from the Bhaviṣyapurāṇa Briefly, the Bhaviṣya³²¹ says when men on the 5th bathe with milk the nāgas called Vāsukī, Takṣaka, Kāliya, Maṇibhadra, Airāvata, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Karkoṭaka and Dhanañjaya, these give abhaya (freedom from danger) to their families A legend is told (in Bhaviṣya I. 32) that Kadrū, mother of nāgas, laid a bet with her sister Vinatā about the colour of the tail of Indra's horse called Uccaiḥ-śravas, Kadrū asserting that the tail was black though the horse was white and Vinatā saying that the body and tail were white and when the nāgas refused to practise the deceit whereby they were to become the dark hair in the horse's tail, Kadrū cursed them that fire would burn them (in the sarpasattra of Janamejaya) Persons should make golden, silver or clay images of nāgas, should worship them with Karavīra and Jātī flowers and incense etc., feed brāhmaṇas with ghee, pāyasa etc. and should bathe nāgas with milk The result would be that nāgas would bestow on the worshippers safety (from snake-bite) The Bhaviṣyottarapurāṇa (chap 36) contains another method On Śrāvaṇa 5th (bright half) a person should draw on both sides of his door with cowdung figures of serpents which should be worshipped with curds, dūrvā tendrils, kuśas and sandalwood paste, flowers and presents of food They would have no danger from snakes. Vide Hemādri on Kāla p. 621, K V p. 413, K R p. 234 In Saurāṣṭra Nāgapañcamī is observed in Śrāvaṇa dark half.