NAGADEVATHAS PART 2 Nagaloka
Beneath Rasatala isanother planetary system, known as Patala or Nagaloka, where there are manydemoniac serpents, the masters of Nagaloka, such as Sankha, Kulika, Mahasankha, Sveta, Dhananjaya, Dhrtarastra,Sankhacuda, Kambala, Asvatara and Devadatta. The chief among them is Vasuki. The class of Nagas along with Yakshas, Gandharvas,Kinnaras etc. were not fully humans, though some of them could assume humanforms. Nagas arechildren of Kadru and three most prominent among them are Shesha, Vasuki andTaksha. While Shesha is the dispassionate one with very high degreeof tapas who acts as the support of entire universe thus being linked to notionof Dharma, Vasuki is a wise & very powerful Naga as well who adornsShiva-Shakti & hence connected to Kundalini (energy system Ida Pingala). Shesha Naga; Once Upon a time Nagas in their underworld were attacked bytheir Gandharva relatives led by their king Vishva Vasu. The Gandharvas defeated the snakes and took away their jewels andtreasures. Nagas then resorted to the patronage of the great God Vishnu. He descended into the underworld, expelled the Gandharvasfrom there & forced them to return the loot to Nagas. The thousand-headeduniversal serpent Shesha,also called Ananta,the Infinite,the brother of KingVasuki, the largest of the snakes, became a friend & companion of Vishnu. Floating on the surface of the universal waters, it servesfrom that time as the support and bed of Vishnu, when the great God rests andsleeps. 💮VasukiNaga; Another mighty serpent, the seven-headed Vasuki, isconstantly worn by Shiva as a sacred thread. With the help of Vasuki, the gods obtained the drink ofimmortality, Amrita, by churning the ocean. The celestials used the snake as arope to rotate the giant whorl – Mount Mandara. 💮KaliyaNaga; As depicted in Mahabharata, thefive-headed Naga Kaliya once seriously angered the gods. It poisoned the waterof the Yamuna river. Its poison was so strong that even the birds that flewover this river fell dead. In addition, the insidious snake stole cows from localshepherds and devoured them. Then Child Krishna, the eighth earthly incarnation of the supreme GodVishnu, came to the aid of the people. (Kaliya mardanam legend) 💮ManasaNaga Devi; The Goddess Manasa is depicted with four arms that hold aconch shell and a lotus, another hand performing a mudra, and is seated on alotus flower, protected by her brother, the serpent Vasuki. She is mainly worshiped inBengal and other regionsof northeastern India, mainly for the prevention and cure of snake bites andalso for fertility and prosperity. Manasa propitiated the God Shiva, who pleased and granted herdivine powers.She later worshiped him through rituals, in which she gainedestablished Goddess status within Hinduism. She is also known as Vishahari (destroyer of poison),Yagad Gauri, Nitya (eternal), and Padmavati. 💮Patanjali is at present the only Naga deva still in public consciousness and that isbecause of Chidambaram and theYoga Sutras. He is not understood in his proper magnitude and statureeither. The Nagas withdrew by and large from interaction with Humans as ourgreed and lusts deeply offended them. Now they help only the deadly seriousyogis. 💮Theshadow planets Rahu and Ketu are believed to be snake-forms only; where the former is regarded as the head of the serpent,while the latter, the tail. These heavenly bodies are also considered maleficby nature, which can cause harms and impediments in the lives of the peoplewhen they are placed in a disadvantageous position. My note- The asura who became Rahu and Ketuwas Svarbhanu. Whiledisguised as a god, he drank some of the amrita (nectar of immortality) churnedfrom the ocean. The Sun andMoon identified him, and Lord Vishnu, in the form of the enchantressMohini, swiftly severed his head with his Sudarshana Chakra. However, since hehad already consumed the amrita, his head became the immortal entity Rahu andhis headless body became the immortal entity Ketu. At that moment, Lord Vishnu, in his trueform, swiftly used his Sudarshan Chakra to sever Svarbhanu's head. But since he consumed amrut , hebecame immortal. An assistant of Shukra (Venus), Svarbhānu was also the teacher of the asuras. Hedeceitfully quaffed the amrita proffered by Mohini. Naga Panchami-Addition There are many legendsassociated with Nag Panchami, the first being that the festival is celebratedto honour serpents (snakes and Nags), who are directly related to Brahma,Vishnu and Mahesh. There are many legends associated with Nag Panchami, thefirst being that the festival is celebrated to honour serpents (snakes and Nags), who are directly relatedto Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Vishnu Himself sleeps on Shesha and Shesha is His restingplace, Shiva always keepsVasuki snake on his neck. The snakes (Naga) are the rulers of Patalloka (underworld)and sons of Kashyapa, Brahmas son. The other legend is that on this day Krishna as a young boy subduedKaliya, the 1000 hooded serpent. In Valmiki Ramayana (Yuddha kanda, Sarga 7) the asura inspire Ravana "Afterproceeding to Bhogavati city (the above of the Nagas in Patala, one of theseven regions under the earth), the serpents there were defeated by you. Kubera (the bestower of riches) who resides on the peak ofMount Kailasa, surrounded by many yakshas surrendered to you after doing agreat battle.” 💮Takshaka; On the other hand, is a dear friend of Indra but is inimical towards humans,partly due to Arjuna burning the Khandava forest. Kubera (the bestower of riches) who resides on the peak ofMount Kailasa, surrounded by many yakshas surrendered to you after doing agreat battle.” Khandava forest fire andJanamejaya almost killing the entire race of Nagas only to be stopped at finalmoment by Rishi Astika, a Half Naga. Nagas were a class of devatas who manifested on thisdimension or loka along with Shiva to help in the evolution of mankind. Sarpasare the remnants of that visitation. It is believed that the Naga Moola Mantra recitation cannegate the Rahu-Ketu ill effects too and relieve devotees of the resultantafflictions. The below list ranksfrom the strongest (evolutionary energy) first to the weakest last: 🌸Devas; The strongest of all of them. Devas originatedfrom Aditi, wife of Kashyapa. They possessed superior strength and wereinvincible with weapons. Indra was the king of devas. They kept the world in order. Insome occasions, like King Bali and Ravana’s son Meghnad had defeated Indra butmore often the devas ruled the world. 🌸Daityas/ Asuras / Rakshasas; Qualitiesof Asuras is described negative by Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita (the onlydifference was their goal and attitude). Danavas were a race descending fromsage Kashyapa and Danu. Asuras and Danavas were half-brothers of Devas. According to Vishnu Purana, during the churning of the ocean,the daityas came to be known as Asuras because they rejected Varuni, theGoddess of wine, while the devas accepted her and came to be known as Suras. 🌸Vanaras; The word "Vanara" isderived from the word vana (forest), and nara (man), means "belonging tothe forest" or "forest-dwelling creatures". They are powerfuland have many godly traits. In the Ramayana, the Vanaras help Rama defeatRavana. Also in the Ramayana, the Vanara Hanuman changes shape several timesbecause of having Asta Siddhis. 🌸Humans; According to MatsyaPurana, sage Manu was the first man (and the first human) was created byBrahma. Also in the Ramayana, the Vanara Hanuman changes shapeseveral times because of having Asta Siddhis. Although the humans couldcreate their weapons or seek weapons from the gods. They had been more oftenbeen ruled by Gods and occasionally by demons. Day by day human loosening memory power. 🌸Nagas; The Nagas are the semi-divine race of half-human half-serpentbeings that reside in the Patala (underworld). According to Hindu Philosophythey were born from Kadru (the wife of Sage Kashyapa). Although they possessed power and venom but they had acted asguardians and not as power seekers. 🌸Vetala; The vetala is an evil spirit (negative energy) who hauntscemeteries and takes demonic possession of corpses. They are comparable to thevampires of Western mythology. They drove people mad,killed children, and caused miscarriages and also acted as village guards. Therefore many sorcerers capturedthem and turn them into slaves. Shamanic healing system of West dealing with;Since they had uncanny knowledge about the past, present,and future and a deepinsight into human nature. 🌸Kinnaras; The Kinnaras were inhabitants of the Himalaya mountains. In the epic Mahabharata theKinnaras are described as half-man beings, living at Mount Mandara. They were peaceful tribe who specialized in singing anddancing. But according to Hindu scriptures they are “ardh nariswer” ( halfmale- half female) transgender. In South Indian temples, Nagadevathas, or serpent deities,hold a significant and ancient position, representing fertility, protection,and cosmic energy. Worship of these deities is a deeply ingrained practice,with rituals conducted both within temples and at sacred groves known as SarpaKavus. Significance andbeliefs Fertility and progeny: Nagas are closely associated withfertility and childbearing. Childless couples often perform rituals and installstone Naga idols (Naga Shila) under Banyan or Ashwatha trees, believing thedeities will bless them with children. Guardianship: The deities are considered guardiansof the earth and its treasures. Worship is believed to protect devotees from snakebites, skin diseases, and othermisfortunes. Cosmic energy: In Hindu philosophy, the snakerepresents the Kundalini energy, a spiritual force believed to lie coiled atthe base of the spine. The worship of Nagas is therefore linked to spiritualevolution and health. Remedy for astrologicalafflictions: Worship isalso performed to counter astrological problems, particularly Kalasarpa dosha,which is associated with the planets Rahu and Ketu. Prominent Naga deitiesin temples Nagaraja: The king of the Nagas, oftendepicted with multiple hoods. He is the central deity in many Naga temples. Naga Yakshi: The consort of Nagaraja, she isrevered as a mother-like goddess of prosperity, progeny, and protection. Ananta/Adisesha: The primordial serpent on whom LordVishnu reclines. Vasuki: A key figure in the Samudra Manthan(churning of the ocean) legend, where he served as the churning rope. Temples and worshippractices Mannarasala Sree NagarajaTemple, Kerala: Aworld-renowned serpent temple in Kerala, where the chief priestess is a woman of the Mannarasala family(Valiamma). The temple is home to thousands of granite snake idolsplaced by devotees. Kukke Subramanya Temple,Karnataka: LordSubramanya is worshipped here in the form of a serpent. The temple isespecially popular for performing rituals related to Naga Dosha. Nagaraja Temple,Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu:This temple is dedicated to Nagaraja, the king of serpents. Vidurashwatha, Karnataka: This temple is known for itscountless Naga Shila figurines. According to legend, Vidura planted an Ashwathatree here and worshipped the serpent deities. Forms of worship Naga Pratishta: Devotees install carved stone idolsof serpents in temple premises or at sacred groves. Milk offerings: Pouring milk on the Naga idols is acommon ritual, especially during the festival of Naga Panchami. Sarpabali: A special and elaborate ritualperformed in Kerala, where offerings of turmeric, rice, and milk are made tothe Nagas to alleviate curses. My note- Ameda near Ernakulam temple is very famous forconducting sarpa bali. Sacred groves (SarpaKavus): In Kerala andKarnataka, traditional households maintain these small, forested areasdedicated to the Nagas. Rituals are performed here to honor the deities. Pulluvan Pattu: In Kerala, a caste of people calledPulluvas sings ritualistic songs (pattu) to appease the serpent gods and cureNaga Dosha In South India, thenagadevathas worshipped in subshrines typically include the serpent deities known as the AshtaNagas and other significant figures from Hindu mythology. Worshippers alsorevere the serpent king Nagaraja, the goddess Nagayakshi, and other regionalsnake deities. Key nagadevathas in SouthIndia Nagaraja: The king of the nagas and aprominent deity in his own right, often worshipped as the main deity inprominent snake temples like the one in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu. Nagayakshi: A serpent goddess worshippedalongside Nagaraja, especially in Kerala, where she is revered for fertilityand protection. Ashta Nagas: The eight cosmic serpent deities.These figures are widely revered, particularly in Kerala, South Karnataka, andparts of Tamil Nadu. The Ashta Nagas are already told in part 1: Manasa Devi: Primarily worshipped innortheastern India, the snake goddess Manasa Devi is also venerated in someSouth Indian subshrines, especially those associated with fertility andprotection from snakebites. Lord Subramanya (Murugan): In many partsof South India, particularly Karnataka, Lord Karthikeyan (Subramanya) isworshipped as the lord of serpents. Snakes like Vasuki are said to have taken refuge underhim. Other naga deities: Shrines may also worship otherindividual or regional nagas and naginis, such as Maninaga, Karinaga, andNagakanni. Prominent sites ofworship in South India Mannarasala Sree NagarajaTemple, Kerala: This ancient and renowned temple in Kerala is one of the most famous centers forserpent worship. It features a forest grove (Sarpa Kavu) with over 30,000 stoneimages of snakes and is known for rituals seeking fertility blessings. Nagaraja Temple,Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu: This ancient temple is dedicated to Nagaraja and is famous for its uniquesanctum with a wet, mud floor. Kukke Subramanya Temple,Karnataka: Here, devoteesworship Lord Subramanya, who is revered as the protector of serpents. It isknown for rituals performed to alleviate the sarpa dosha (curse of theserpents). Compiled from varioussources and posted by R. Gopalakrishnan14-10-2025 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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