SNAKE- SERPENT-SARPAH-सर्प:,अहिं,भुजन्गमः,नागा:

SUHASHITHANI:244

Ancient Indians both feared and revered the snakes, as they were seen to be associated with power, fear and deference. Serpents and snakes represent fertility or a creative life force. As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing.  After the cow, the snake was perhaps the most revered animal of ancient India. Even now, Hindus worship snakes in temples as well as in their natural habitats; offering them milk, incense, and prayers.

एष नारायण श्रीमान क्षीरार्णव निकेतनः ।

नाग पर्यंकम् उत्सृज्य ह्यागतो मथुरापुरीम् ॥

Esha Narayana srimaan ksheerarnava niketanah I Naaga paryankam utsrujya aagato Mathuram pureem II

Sriman Narayana resides in the milky-ocean , reclining on the serpent-bed (adi sesha ). He discarded that and came to Mathura as Sri Krishna.

प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्प: सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकि: I

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् |

 prajanaśh chāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ I

anantaśh chāsmi nāgānāṁ varuṇo yādasām aham II BG CH10

I am Kaamdev, the god of love, amongst all causes for procreation; amongst serpents I am Vasuki. Amongst the snakes I am Anant; amongst aquatics I am Varun.

उद्विजन्ते यथा सर्पात् नरादनृत वादिनः I Ramayana -2.109.12

 Udwijante yathaa sarpaat naraadanruta vaadinah

People are as repelled by a liar, as they are of serpents .

अहिरेव अहेः पादान्विजानाति न संशयः ॥ Ramayana-5.42.9

 A serpent alone knows the movement (footprints) of another serpent.

There is no doubt about it.  ( Sita to raakshasis )

शिशुरवेत्ति पशुर वेत्ति वेत्ति गानरसं फनिः I

The essence of music can be experienced by all creatures – from a child to an animal to a snake. In other words, music has the power to touch, reform and influence the entire creation. 

यत्र विश्वमिदं भाति कल्पितं रज्जुसर्पवत् ।

आनन्दपरमानन्दःस बोधस्त्वं सुखंचर ॥ १० ॥Ashtavakra Gita

yatra viśvam idaṁ bhāti kalpitaṁ rajju sarpavat I 
ānanda paramānandaḥ sa bodhas tvaṁ sukhaṁ bhava II
Feel the ecstasy, the supreme bliss where this world appears unreal like a snake in a rope, know this and move happily.॥10॥ ॐ ॐ ॐ

सर्पाणां च खलानां च परद्रव्यापहारिणाम् ।
अभिप्राया न सिध्यन्ति तेनेदं वर्तते जगत् ॥Pancha tantra

sarpāṇāṃ ca khalānāṃ ca paradravyāpahāriṇām ।
abhiprāyā na sidhyanti tenedaṃ vartate jagat ॥
Snakes and evil doers (aim for) others' possessions.

Their actions never succeed.  Hence the world is still surviving.

नास्तिकानां च सर्पाणां विषस्य च गुणस्त्वयम् ।

मोहयन्ति परं यच्च दोषे यस्य नैव परस्य तु ॥ ५२०

Nastikanam cha sarpanam vishasya cha gunastvayam ।

Mohayanti param yaccha doshe yasya naiva parasya tu ॥

The poison of Atheists and snakes bear similar qualities.

They confuse a person even when he has no faults of his own.

परस्परस्य  मर्माणि  ये भाषन्ति  नराधमाः   |

त एव  विलयं  यान्ति  वल्मीकोदर  सर्पवत्   || Chanakya niti

Parasparasya  marmaani  ye  bhaashanti  naradhamaah.I
Ta  eva  vilayayam  yaanti  valmeekodara  sarpavat.II 

Those lowly and wretched persons who disclose their vulnerable secrets to each other , 
soon perish like a snake entering inside the cavity of an ant hill.

अहिं  नृपं  च  शार्दूलं  वृद्धं  च  बालकं  तथा

परश्वानं  च  मूर्खं  च  सप्त  सुप्तान्न बोधयेत  | Chankya niti

Ahim nrupam  cha  shaardoolam  bruddham  cha  baalakam tathaa,
Parashvaanam cha   moorkahm  cha sapta suptaaana  bodhayet.
 A snake, a king,  a tiger. an aged person, a child,  a dog belonging
to some one else and an idiot, all these seven if found to be asleep,
should not be disturbed and awakened from sleep.

निर्विषेणापि  सर्पेण  कर्तव्या   महती  फणा  |
विषमस्तु  न  चाप्यस्तु  घटाटोपो भयङ्करः  || Chanakya niti 

Nirvishenaapi  sarpena  kartavyaa  mahatee   Phanaa I
Vishamastu  na   chaapyastu  ghataatopo    bhayankarah  II

Although there is no venom in the bite of a non-venomous snake, still it possesses

the great power of expanding its hood and  creating a hissing sound, which is very frightening, and it is its duty to use it in self-defense.

मधुसिक्तो निम्बखन्डः दुग्धपुष्टो भुजन्गमः । 

गन्गास्नातोपि दुर्जनः स्वभावं नैव मुन्चति ॥

 Honey paste on a bitter neem stem, milk feeding for a poisonous snake and Ganga bath for a bad person; none will change their character. The bad qualities of the wicked are not given up even after great efforts.

सर्पाः पिबन्तिपवनं न च दुर्बलास्ते

शुष्कैस्तृणैर्वनगजा बलिनो भवन्ति ।
कन्दैः फलैर्मुनिवरा क्षपयन्ति कालं

सन्तोष एव पुरुषस्य परं निधानम् ॥

The snakes  live by consuming only air; Yet they are not weak. In the forest

elephants  survive only on the dried grass and yet they are very powerful . 

The great sages  spend their time by eating tubers and fruits available in forests. 

 A person’s  happiness is the ultimate treasure. 

सर्पदुर्जनोर्मध्ये वरं सर्पो न दुर्जन: ।

सर्प: दंशती कालेन दुर्जनस्तु पदे पदे ॥ 

When it comes to comparison between a serpent and a wicked person, it is the serpent who is the better of the two. (Because,) a serpent bites occasionally( very seldom). But, the wicked person stings(causes pain) at every step(always).

दुष्टा भार्या शठं मित्रं भृत्यश्चोत्तरदायकः ।
ससर्पे च गृहे वासो मृत्युरेव न संशयः ॥

A wicked wife, a false friend, a saucy servant and living in a house with a serpent in it are nothing but death.

काके शौचं द्यूतकारे च सत्यम् ।
सर्पे शान्तिः स्त्रीषु कामोपशान्तिः ॥
क्लीबे धैर्यम् मद्यपे तत्त्वचिन्ता ।
भूपे सख्यं केन दृष्टं श्रुतं वा ॥

Purity in crow, truthfulness among gamblers, calmness in serpents, absence of lust in women, courage in a coward, philosophical understanding in a drunkard, friendship with a king ; these are neither heard nor seen .

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं

विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥

I bow to Lord Vishnu the preserver and the protector of the universe, who is peaceful, who reclines on the great serpent bed, from whose navel springs the Lotus of the creative power, who is the Supreme Being, who supports the entire universe, who is all-pervading as the sky, who is dark like the clouds and has a beautiful form. The Lord of Lakshmi, the lotus-eyed One, whom the Yogis are able to perceive through meditation, salutations to Lord Vishnu who removes the fear of worldly existence and who is the Lord of all worlds.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH