Nag Panchami offers milk, flowers and turmeric to the nagas — the serpent powers of the earth and waters. The Mahabharata's Astika Parva tells of the sage Astika halting Janamejaya's serpent sacrifice, and the day is remembered as their reprieve.
Source: Mahabharata, Adi Parva (Astika Parva)
āstīka
The sage who stopped the sarpa-satra mid-rite — the epic's argument that even a sanctioned sacrifice can be halted by compassion.
Honoured deity: The Nagas, with Shiva and Vishnu's Shesha
Create a free WithVidVan account to unlock the full Nag Panchami observance guide, save reflections, and chat with Spiritual Guides rooted in the Vedic scriptures.
Free forever. No credit card required.
Sthitaprajna, Karma Yoga, Abhyasa & Vairagya as a daily practice.
Krishna on focus, discipline, and steady effort — for exams and academic life.
Karma Yoga and dharma applied to workplace decisions and ethics.
Browse all articles on the Guides & Blog index.