Ajay Singh Chauhan | According to the thirty-sixth chapter of the Brahmaparva of “Bhavishya Purana”, sage Kashyap has defined the division of snakes into four Varnas (latest research on snakes from Puranas) on the basis of their characteristics, poison, caste, place, form and many other such natural qualities. That is, like humans, snakes also have four Varnas on the basis of their qualities, in which the first is Brahmin Varna, second is Kshatriya, third is Vaishya and fourth is Shudra Varna. From this we come to know that creatures of the snake species also have Varna system like humans. And where there is Varna system, their lifestyle and their deeds are also based on that. But even before this, we should know that according to the mythological statement, how many types or kinds of snakes are there. It is written in the thirty-sixth chapter of the Brahmaparva of the Bhavishya Purana that when Sage Gautam sought complete information about snakes from Sage Kashyap, he told that –
चतुःषष्टिः समाख्याता भोगिनो ये तु पन्नगाः । अदृश्यास्तेषु षट्त्रिंशदृश्यास्त्रिंशन्महीचराः॥ ५६ ॥
विंशच्च स्त्रग्विणः प्रोक्ताः सप्त मण्डलिनस्तथा । राजीवन्तो दश प्रोक्ता दर्व्यः षोडश पञ्च च ॥ ५७ ॥
दुन्दुभो डुण्डुभश्चैव चेटभश्चेन्द्रवाहनः । नागपुष्पसवर्णाख्या निर्विषा ये च पन्नगाः ॥ एवमेव तु सर्पाणां शतद्विनवति स्मृतम् ॥ ५८ ॥
That is – there are 64 types of snakes in total. Out of which 36 are invisible and 28 are visible. Out of these, 20 are Maladhari, 7 are Mandali, 10 are Rajil and 21 are Darvi snakes. Out of these, snakes with Nagpushp colour are non-poisonous. Apart from these, Dudumbh, Dedha, Chetabh, Indravahan etc. are also included. It is said about invisible snakes that these snakes (latest research on snakes from Puranas) are of such a species that remain hidden or invisible in mud, stones, trees, plants, water or other vegetation and are not easily visible to anyone. Invisible snakes are found very less in the Indian continent but in abundance on many other islands and continents. Similarly, snakes of all these colours are found on every island. It is mentioned in Bhavishya Purana that –
श्वेता कपिलाक्षैव ये सर्पास्त्वनलप्रभाः । मनस्विनः सात्त्विकाश्च ब्राह्मणास्तै बुधैः स्मृताः ॥३८॥
रक्तवर्णाः सुबर्णाभाः प्रवालमणिसन्निभाः । सूर्यप्रभास्तथा विप्रस्ते क्षत्रिया भुजङ्गमाः ।। ३९॥
नानाविचित्रराजीभिरतसीवर्णसन्निभाः । बाणपुष्पसवर्णाभा वैश्यास्ते वै भुजङ्गमाः ॥४०॥
काकोदरनिभाः केचिद्ये च अञ्जनसन्निभाः। काकवर्णा धूम्रवर्णास्ते शूद्राः परिकीर्तिताः॥ ४१ ॥
Meaning – the snakes which are white-coloured, have a fiery glow are Manasvi i.e. intelligent and Satvik snakes (latest research on snakes from Puranas), so learned people call them Brahmin caste snakes. Similarly, the snakes which are red-coloured, golden, coral-coloured, gem-like, like the sun’s glow are Kshatriya caste snakes. Besides this, the snakes in the third caste which have strange lines and are spotted like flax flower or arrow flower are Vaishya caste snakes. And the snakes of the fourth caste have a shine like the belly of a crow or are black in colour, of smoke-like colour and Kakavarna snakes are Shudra caste snakes.
It is clearly stated in the Puranas that if these snakes are not killed and they keep getting pure and free natural environment, then just as the age of 100 years is fixed for humans in Kaliyug, similarly the age of these snakes is also fixed up to 120 years. However, if we look in Google, “Zoology” tells us that the age of snakes living in free environment is not more than 50 years, and this too is only an estimate. Whereas in the Puranas their age is written up to 120 years.
In the Puranas, we get to know about the age of snakes along with eight such reasons for their death, in which their age is 120 years only if they escape from peacock, human, Chakor, cow’s hoof, cat, Nakul, boar and scorpion. However, in the present time the number of dangers for them has increased. We also get to know from the Puranas that a snake of 25 days of age becomes fatal. While in the sixth month it is able to change its skin (latest research on snakes from Puranas).
The eggs of snakes which are like golden Ketaki and lotus give birth to female snakes. While the eggs which are like Shirish Pushpavat give birth to impotent snakes. The eggs break in the sixth month and in seven days they become black in colour.
According to Puranas-
सप्ताहे तु ततः पूर्णे दंष्ट्राणां चाधिरोहणम् । विषस्यागमनं तत्र निक्षिपेच्च पुनः पुनः॥ १७ ॥
एवं ज्ञात्वा तु तत्त्वेन विषकर्मारभेत वै। एकविंशतिरात्रेण विषदंष्ट्रा सुजायते ॥ १८ ॥
That is – as soon as they are seven days old, their teeth grow and poison sacs start forming in them. Knowing this, they become capable of biting. However, their poisonous teeth become strong enough to bite only after 21 days.
It is further written in the Purana that-
पादानां चापि विज्ञेये द्वे शते द्वे च विंशती। गोलोमसदृशाः पादाः प्रविशन्ति क्रमन्ति च ॥ २० ॥
सन्धीनां चास्य विज्ञेये द्वेशते विंशती तथा । अंगुल्यश्चापि विज्ञेया द्वे शते विंशती तथा ।। २१ ॥
अकालजाता ये सर्पा निर्विषास्ते प्रकीर्तिताः । पञ्चसप्ततिवर्षाणि आयुस्तेषां प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ २२ ॥
That is – they have 240 such tiny legs which are shaped like cow hair and come out while crawling. While zoology completely denies this and believes that snakes do not have legs. But our Puranas clearly write this. Apart from this, there are 220 joints in their body from where they bend or twist their body. That is, these joints help them to sit in a coil or hide. Similarly, snakes also have 220 fingers but we cannot see them at all with ordinary eyes.
It is also clearly written in Bhavishya Purana that the snake does not always have poison in its teeth, but it has poison in the gland near its right eye. If the snake gets angry, then this poison reaches its brain also. From there, it reaches the arteries to the nerves, and from the nerves to the teeth. Apart from this, there are usually eight other reasons due to which a snake can bite someone – like being suppressed, being angry with the enemy, being afraid, being intoxicated, being troubled by hunger, due to the flames of poison, to protect the son and sometimes even being inspired by time, snakes bite.
Sage Kashyap further explains in this regard that, if the snake turns on its stomach after biting and starts bending its teeth, then it should be understood that it has bitten in self-defense due to being suppressed. Similarly, if a deep wound is caused by a snake bite, then it should be understood that the snake has bitten due to enmity. And if the mark of a tooth is clearly visible on the snake bite, then that snake has bitten out of fear. If the lines of teeth appear similar after a snake bite, then it should be understood that it is a happy or drunk snake. It is amazing that our Puranas have looked at every aspect of snakes with such accuracy that even modern science has not been able to understand it properly till now that the effect of a female snake’s bite is the highest at night, while the effect of a male snake’s bite is the highest during the day. Similarly, the effect of a eunuch snake’s bite is the highest in the evening. That is, in this way, the sexes of these snakes can also be identified.
It is written in the Puranas that-
यस्य सर्पेण दष्टस्य दंशमङ्गुष्ठमन्तरम्। बालदष्टं विजानीयात्कश्यपस्य वचो यथा ।।४२।।
यस्य सर्पेण दष्टस्य देशं द्व्यङ्गुलमन्तरम्। यौवनस्थेन दष्टस्य एतद्भवति लक्षणम्॥ ४३॥
यस्य सर्पेण दष्टस्य सार्धं द्व्यङ्गुलमन्तरम्। वृद्धदष्टं विजानीयात्कश्यपस्य वचो यथा ।। ४४।।
That is – Kashyap Rishi further tells that the snake that bites from a distance of just a thumb is a child, the snake that bites from two fingers is a young snake and the snake that bites from a distance of two and a half fingers is an old snake.
If we look at the bite and its effect on the basis of caste, then the bite of a Brahmin snake causes burning or irritation in the body and mental disorder, forgetfulness or unconsciousness due to self-forgetfulness and the face starts becoming dark. Just as a Brahmin does not harm anyone in the society without any reason, similarly the bite of a Brahmin snake does not cause much harm to the patient. For its natural treatment, mix Ashwagandha, Chidchida and wine and Myodi in cow ghee and give it to drink and also massage, similarly, the bite of a Kshatriya snake causes tremors in the body of the patient, unconsciousness and the person starts losing his senses. That is, it is also just like an enemy starts trembling on seeing a Kshatriya warrior and forgets his strength. In this, the victim starts looking above the pupils of the eyes. As a natural treatment for this, giving Madar root, Chidchida, Priyangu (Malkangni), Indravaruni mixed in cow ghee to the victim and massaging gives immediate relief.
Apart from this, in the snake bite of a Vaishya caste, saliva drips from the mouth of the patient. He becomes unconscious and gradually he starts going into a terrible faint, starts forgetting himself. In its natural treatment, the patient is given mixed Ashwagandha, Guggulu along with Shirish, Madar, Palash, White Aparajita mixed in cow urine. Similarly, on being bitten by a Shudra caste snake, the patient becomes angry, trembles, and suffers from fever due to cold. His limbs start tingling. In its natural treatment, grind lotus, lodh, lotus honey, saffron of small lotus, mahua juice, honey and equal parts of white aparajita in cold water and give it to drink. If the patient is not able to drink it, then apply it in his eyes like kajal and massage the soles of his hands and feet with it.
In eating habits also, these snakes behave exactly like the Varna system of humans. Brahmin snakes go out to roam in search of food in the morning i.e. in the first part of the day, Kshatriya snakes go out in the afternoon or noon, Vaishya snakes go out in the afternoon i.e. after noon and Shudra snakes go out in search of food in the evening. If we look on the basis of Puranas and many other Sanatan scriptures, then even today the process of food is the same in human race on the basis of Varna.
There is another surprise here that the food of these snakes is also in the same way as it is in the Varna of humans. That is, the food of a Brahmin snake is mainly flowers, but if it does not get flowers, it can survive a day or even longer by depending on air. Similarly, the main food of a Kshatriya snake is mainly a mouse and the main and major food of Vaishya snakes is Manduk i.e. frog. Whereas Shudra snakes are omnivorous.
Similarly, it is mentioned in Bhavishya Purana that –
अग्रतो दशते विप्रः क्षत्रियो दक्षिणेन तु वामपार्श्वे सदा वैश्यः पचाई शुद्र आदशेत्॥ ३१ ॥
मदकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते पीड्यमाना महाविषाः। अवेलायां दशन्ते वै मैथुनार्ता] भुजङ्गमाः ॥ ३२४ ॥
पुष्पगन्धाः स्मृता विप्राः क्षत्रियाश्चन्दनावहाः। वैश्याश्च घृतगन्धा वै शूद्राः स्युर्मत्स्यगन्धिनी ॥ ३३॥
वासं तेषां प्रवक्ष्यामि यथावदनुपूर्वशः। वापीकूपतडागेषु गिरिप्रस्रवणेषु च। यसन्ति ब्राह्मणाः सर्पा ग्रामद्वारे चतुष्पथे ॥ ३४ ॥
That is – the identity of snakes is that if a snake bites a human, then their Varnas can also be identified from that. For example – Brahmin snake bites its enemy from the front, Kshatriya snake from the right, Vaishya snake from the left and Shudra snake from the back. However, if any snake is suffering from lust, then it can bite at the wrong time.
Apart from this, there are some different and most important identity of these snakes in which they can be identified from their habitat and food. For example – Brahmin snake smells like flowers, because it likes to take Satvik food. Similarly, Kshatriya snakes have the smell of sandalwood, because this is also the identity of Kshatriya. Vaishya snakes smell like Ghrit i.e. ghee and Shudra snakes smell like Matsyagand.
Similarly –
आरामेषु पवित्रेषु शुचिष्यायतनेषु च। वसन्ति क्षत्रिया नित्यं तोरणेषु सरःसु च।। ३५ ।।
श्मशाने भस्मशालासु पलालेषु तटेषु च। गोष्ठेषु पथि वृक्षेषु विप्र वैश्या वसन्ति च ।। ३६॥
अविविक्तेषु स्थानेषु निर्जनेषु वनेषु च। शून्यागारे श्मशाने च शूद्रा विप्र वसन्ति ॥ ३७ ॥
Meaning – The Varna of snakes is also identified on the basis of their habitat. For example, a Brahmin snake is always seen near stepwells, rivers, wells, ponds, hills, waterfalls and village roads, around crossroads, because it can get sattvik food at these places. Whereas Kshatriya snakes can always be seen in gardens, clean towns or villages or at the entrances of any clean town and ponds, etc., because the food of Kshatriya snakes is also found in the highest quantity in these areas. Similarly, the residence of a Vaishya snake can be seen in crematoriums, ashes, palaal (dry part of paddy or grass), around cowsheds and on trees. Whereas the residence of a Shudra snake can be seen in dirty places and deserted forests, empty houses and ruins. The habitat of snakes is also exactly the same as we see in humans even today on the basis of Varna. Similarly, the types of snake bites and the wounds caused by them, their venom and the symptoms of that venom are the basis for identifying the types of snakes. From ancient times till today, our traditional rural doctors have been successfully treating the victims.
Along with this, some such mantras have also been mentioned in the Puranas for the treatment of its bite, which we today consider as superstition and ignorance, but in ancient times, snakebite was treated through these mantras and in many areas, even today, treatment is being done through these mantras. Our so-called educated society of today may have handed over its life to science, but there was a time when our ancestors used to be completely dependent on nature and environment. That is why they were completely healthy and entitled to a long life. Soon I will try to bring forward many more such factual information from the Puranas which science either rejects simply because it is beyond its reach or it tries to verify its own theory by rejecting the treasure full of such information mentioned in our Puranas.
Vande Vishnu
(This Hindi article is translated using Google Translator)
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