Nag Panchami: Nepal’s Mythical Heritage, The Significance of Serpents in the Land of Shiva, and the Mystery of Taudaha

According to ancient legend, King Parikshit met his death from the bite of Takshaka, a powerful serpent. Enraged and determined to avenge his father’s death, Parikshit’s son, King Janamejaya, organized a massive and destructive ritual known as the Sarpa Satra—a snake sacrifice intended to exterminate the entire Naga race from the face of the earth. The power of this yajna was so great that serpents from all corners of the universe were irresistibly drawn into the sacrificial fire.

Seeing this devastation, Vasuki, the king of the Nagas, became deeply distressed and sought a way to save his kin. At that time, Vasuki’s sister, Jaratkaru, and the great sage Jaratkaru had a learned son named Astika. This wise sage decided to intervene to halt the destruction. Sage Astika went to King Janamejaya’s sacrificial arena and, with his profound knowledge, humility, and persuasive reasoning, managed to impress the king. Pleased by Astika’s wisdom, Janamejaya offered to grant him a boon. Astika, seeking no personal gain, humbly requested only one thing—that the king stop the yajna and spare the Naga race.

Bound by his promise, King Janamejaya ordered the sacrifice to cease. The day Astika intervened and saved the Nagas from annihilation was the Shukla Panchami of the month of Shrawan. In gratitude, the Nagas blessed that anyone who worshipped them on this day would be free from the fear of snakes. From then on, the tradition of celebrating Nag Panchami began.

This story gives Nag Panchami a profound philosophical dimension beyond mere ritual. Janamejaya’s yajna was driven by personal vengeance, but Astika’s intervention established the victory of righteousness, compassion, and forgiveness. Stopping the sacrifice not only saved the Naga race but also conveyed an important moral: it is unjust to punish an entire community for the wrongdoing of one individual. Thus, Nag Panchami reminds us each year that hatred and vengeance find their true resolution in forgiveness and coexistence—foundations of cosmic balance. In this sense, the festival can also be seen as an annual commemoration of a historic peace accord.

Ashta-Naga: The Eight Principal Serpents

On Nag Panchami, special worship is offered to eight principal Nagas, known as the Ashta-Naga. According to religious belief, worshipping them protects the household from lightning, fire, and snake attacks. The eight Nagas are:

1. Ananta
2. Vasuki
3. Padma
4. Mahapadma
5. Takshaka
6. Kulīra
7. Karkata
8. Shankha

Among these, Sheshanaga (Ananta) is said to hold the entire earth upon his hoods, and Lord Vishnu reclines upon him in the cosmic ocean (Kshirasagara). Similarly, Vasuki adorns Lord Shiva’s neck as a garland, symbolizing his cosmic significance.

Part 3: The Origin of Nagas and Nag Panchami in Nepal – The Tale of Manjushri and Taudaha

Different from the popular Indian account of Janamejaya, Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley has its own distinct and locally rooted legend about the origin of Nag Panchami—one tied to the creation of the valley itself and the rise of civilization within it.

The Formation of the Kathmandu Valley from Nagadaha

According to the Swayambhu Purana and local Buddhist traditions, in prehistoric times the Kathmandu Valley was a vast lake known as Nagadaha or “Abode of the Nagas.” This lake was the dwelling place of various serpent beings, ruled by King Karkotaka Naga. One day, the Bodhisattva Manjushri arrived from Great China (Mahachina) to meditate in the area. Observing the lake, he realized that its waters could be drained to create habitable land for humans. Using his sword of wisdom, Chandrahasa, he cut a gorge through the hill of Chobar, allowing the lake’s waters to flow out completely.

The Displacement of the Nagas and the Mystery of Taudaha

After the valley’s waters receded, the Nagas and other aquatic creatures found themselves displaced, their home lost. Seeing their suffering, Manjushri was moved by compassion. He preserved a small but deep pond in the southwest corner of the valley as a sanctuary for them. This pond became the new home of King Karkotaka Naga and his subjects. In the Newar language, ta: dah means “large pond,” and over time, this name evolved into “Taudaha.”

Manjushri promised King Karkotaka that he and his people would live in peace and with honor in Taudaha, and that the humans who would settle in the valley in the future would always worship and respect them. In return, King Karkotaka vowed to protect the valley’s inhabitants and maintain balance (sahakal) by bringing timely rains. From that day, the tradition of Naga worship in the Kathmandu Valley is believed to have begun. Even today, Taudaha is considered the living abode of King Karkotaka, and a special fair is held there during Nag Panchami. Out of reverence for the pond’s sanctity, locals avoid swimming, fishing, or polluting it.

This legend gives the Nag Panchami celebration in Nepal a distinct meaning. It is not only rooted in mythic belief but also serves as the annual renewal of a “sacred socio-spiritual pact” between the indigenous Nagas and the human settlers. Manjushri’s act did not merely reshape the valley’s geography—it laid the foundation for a new social order in which the Nagas were respectfully relocated rather than forcibly driven out. This established the principle of coexistence. According to the pact, Taudaha became the Nagas’ “reserved territory,” while the valley became the humans’ “field of action.”

Each year on Nag Panchami, worship ceremonies and the placing of Naga images on household doors symbolize the human community’s commitment to this agreement. This act sends a message: “We honor your existence and welcome you into our homes and lives,” keeping alive the story of interspecies respect that underlies the civilization of the valley.

Part 4: The Deep Connection and Significance of Nagas in the Land of Shiva

Nepal—especially the Kathmandu Valley—is world-renowned as the sacred land of Lord Pashupatinath. In this Shiva-bhumi (Land of Shiva), the significance and reverence of Nagas during Nag Panchami become even deeper and more meaningful, for the relationship between Lord Shiva and the Nagas is inseparable and mutually sustaining.

Shiva and the Naga: An Inseparable Bond

In Hindu iconography, the relationship between Lord Shiva and the Nagas is unique. Shiva adorns himself with Vasuki, the king of serpents, as a garland or ornament around his neck. Nagas are also considered to be ganas—servants or attendants—of Shiva. The symbolic meaning of this bond is profound. The serpent around Shiva’s neck represents several key concepts:

• Kundalini Shakti: The Naga symbolizes kundalini shakti, the dormant spiritual energy said to reside at the base of the spine. By wearing the Naga, Shiva signifies that he has awakened and mastered this cosmic energy.

• Victory over Time (Kala): The serpent also represents kala—time and death. As Mahakala (the Great Time), Shiva’s control over the serpent shows his mastery over time and mortality.

• The Power to Absorb Poison: When the deadly halahala poison emerged during the churning of the ocean (samudra manthan), Shiva drank it to save creation, earning the name Neelkantha (the Blue-Throated One). Wearing the venomous Naga around his neck further symbolizes his ability to transform poison into nectar and to remain unmoved while absorbing all negativity in the world.

Thus, worshipping the Naga is, in an indirect way, worshipping an aspect of Lord Shiva’s own divine power.

The Sacred Convergence of the Month of Shravan

The month of Shravan is considered the most beloved to Lord Shiva. Throughout this period—especially on Mondays—devotees chant “Bol Bam” and engage in special acts of worship. That the festival of Nag Panchami falls in this sacred month is no mere coincidence; it is a deep spiritual convergence that unites Shiva devotion and Naga veneration in a single celebration. On this day, it is believed that worshipping both Shiva and the Nagas brings “miraculous results” to the devotee.

In a land like Nepal, regarded as Shiva-bhumi (the land of Shiva), the significance of Nag Panchami deepens further because it activates what can be called a “triangular spiritual connection” linking the individual, society, and the cosmos. This connection binds together:

• Shiva – cosmic consciousness
• Naga – natural and earthly energy
• The Devotee – individual consciousness

During Shravan, the devotee connects with cosmic consciousness through Shiva worship. On Nag Panchami, they honor the earthly and natural forces represented by the Naga. When these two forms of worship are performed together, the devotee becomes a living bridge between these two great forces. This transforms the festival from a superficial ritual for removing fear or seeking blessings into a profound spiritual practice—one that harmonizes and balances the devotee’s relationship with both the universe and nature.

Part 5: Nag Panchami Rituals and Cultural Practices

In Nepal, Nag Panchami is performed in a traditional and deeply devotional manner. The main steps and required materials are as follows:

Preparation

• On the morning of Nag Panchami, devotees bathe and wear clean clothes.
• The place of worship—especially the upper part of the main entrance door—is purified by smearing it with cow dung.
• Those observing the fast take a vow to remain without food (nirahār vrata) throughout the day.

Naga Image or Idol

• Traditionally, a Brahmin priest or a young unmarried girl of the household draws an Ashta Naga (Eight Serpents) image on paper by hand.  This depiction also includes the Sun, Moon, conch shell (shankha), discus (chakra), mace (gada), lotus (padma), and other venomous creatures found in fields, such as scorpions and centipedes—so that protection is sought from all kinds of dangers.
• Nowadays, printed images from the market are widely used. In some places, figurines made of flour, cow dung, or metal are worshipped.

Worship Materials

• Offerings (Naivedya): Raw (unboiled) milk, yogurt, puffed rice made from roasted paddy (lava), barley, sesame seeds.
• Plants: Dubo grass, kusha grass, vermilion (sindoor), unbroken rice grains (akshata), and sandalwood paste (shrikhanda chandan), which is considered especially dear to Nagas.
• Other items: Flowers (especially white and yellow), various fruits, kheer, sel roti or other sweets, incense, oil lamp, a sacred water pot (kalash), and an idol or image of Lord Ganesha.

Step-by-Step Ritual Procedure

1. Light the lamp (diya) and worship Lord Ganesha to begin the ritual.
2. Place the image or idol of the Naga before you and symbolically bathe it with water and raw milk.
3. Apply sandalwood paste, vermilion, and akshata (unbroken rice) to it.
4. Offer fragrant flowers, dubo, and kusha grass.
5. Light incense and wave the lamp for aarti.
6. Present the prepared offerings of milk, puffed rice, kheer, bread, and fruits.
7. Listen to or recite Nag Panchami legends, such as the story of King Janamejaya or the tale of Taudaha.
8. End the ritual with the chanting of special mantras and performing the final aarti.

Affixing the Image

• The ritually worshipped image of the Naga is affixed above the main entrance of the house with the help of cow dung. This is believed to create a protective shield of the Naga deity over the home.

Conclusion of Worship

• At the end, devotees join their hands in prayer, seeking forgiveness from the Naga deity for any mistakes made knowingly or unknowingly during the ritual. They also pray for the happiness, prosperity, and protection of their family.

Table 1: Key Mantras and Hymns of Nag Panchami

Part 6: The Multifaceted Significance of Nag Panchami