పుట్టకి పూజ ఎందుకు? వివరణ : Why Do We Worship Snake Anthills? — Explanation : aadhyatmikam #bhakthi #nava #naaga #stotram #aadhyatmikam
Why Do We Worship Snake Anthills? — Explanation
We worship Lord Nāgendra (the serpent deity) on special occasions such as Nāgula Chavithi, Shashti, Tuesdays, and other sacred days. Worshipping Lord Nāgendra is understandable, but why do we worship snake anthills (putta)? Let us understand the significance behind it.
Whenever we perform any vrata (sacred vow) or worship our chosen deity, we first worship Lord Ganesha. How do we do this? We make a small turmeric idol and invoke Lord Ganesha into it. Even if we apply kumkum, offer akshatas (sacred rice), perform abhishekam, or offer jaggery as naivedyam, we consider all those offerings as being made directly to Lord Ganesha. Similarly, while worshipping our chosen deity, we invoke the deity into a symbolic form and offer worship.
In the same way, we especially worship serpent deities on certain sacred festival days. Among all serpent deities, Adishesha is considered the supreme deity. Some worship Him as Lord Subrahmanya, some as Goddess Manasa Devi, and others as Nāga Devatas according to their beliefs. Their actual abode is believed to be in the higher celestial worlds:
- Adishesha resides in Vaikuntha,
- Vasuki in Kailasa,
- Takshaka and other serpent deities in Devaloka (heaven).
These divine serpent rulers are collectively worshipped as the Nava Nāgas (Nine Serpent Kings):
Ananta, Vasuki, Shesha, Padmanabha, Kambala, Shankhapala, Dhritarashtra, Takshaka, and Kaliya.
So, if we wish to worship them, what serves as their symbolic form? The answer is the snake anthill.
Just as we invoke deities into a turmeric idol while worshipping other gods, we invoke the serpent deities into the anthill while worshipping Nāga Devatas. There, the turmeric mound acts as the symbolic seat; here, the anthill serves that purpose. That is why anthills are worshipped on Nāgula Chavithi.
When milk is poured on the anthill, turmeric and kumkum are offered, and naivedyams like chimmiri and chalividi are presented, all these offerings are considered as offerings to the Nāga Devatas themselves.
While pouring milk into the anthill, reciting the Nava Nāga Stotram is believed to multiply the spiritual benefits.
Nava Nāga Stotram
Anantam Vāsukim Shesham Padmanābham Cha Kambalam
Shankhapālam Dhritarāshtram Takshakam Kāliyam Tathā
Etāni Nava Nāmāni Nāgānām Cha Mahātmanah
Sāyankāle Pathennityam Prātahkāle Visheshatah
Tasya Vishabhayam Nāsti Sarvatra Vijayī Bhavet
One who recites these nine sacred names of the great serpent deities regularly in the evening, especially in the morning, will be freed from fear of poison and attain victory everywhere.
However, a painful thing is that many people place chicken eggs on anthills during worship. This reflects treating the Nāga Devatas as ordinary snakes. These are mistakes made out of ignorance. Serpent deities are different from ordinary snakes. While snakes may spread poison, Nāga Devatas are believed to bless devotees and fulfill sincere wishes like nectar.
Sometimes actual snakes may appear in the anthill during worship. At such times, they should be respectfully regarded as manifestations of the Nāga Devatas and prayed to with devotion.
Anthill worship must always be performed with discipline and purity. It should not be done carelessly. Especially while worshipping serpent idols, many people pour milk, apply turmeric and kumkum, offer naivedyam, and leave the idol without properly cleaning it. This is considered improper.
The correct method is:
- First clean the idol thoroughly with water.
- Perform abhishekam using the sacred offerings.
- After the abhishekam, wash the idol again properly with clean water.
- Then apply turmeric/kumkum, decorate the idol, and complete the worship.
Milk should not be allowed to dry on the serpent deity’s idol. Therefore, after milk abhishekam, the idol must always be cleaned with water. Worship performed in this proper manner is believed to certainly bring the blessings of the Lord.
— Yours
Boddupalli Vishwanadha Phani
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