WORSHIPPING RAHU AND KETU DURING NAGA PANCHAMI FESTIVAL DAY
INTRODUCTION
Rahu and Ketu are the two powerful snake deities, and their parents are Viprachitti and Sinhika. The great Vishnu devotee, Prahalada is the brother of Sinhika, and he is the uncle of Rahu and Ketu. These powerful deities can be worshipped by us during the Naga Panchami Festival day, in order to get rid from our Naga Doshams. We can keep a laminated picture of Rahu and Ketu in our puja room, and can perform puja by offering flowers to them. We can chant the mantra, “OM SRI RAHU, KETU BHAGAVANE NAMAHA”, in order to get all kinds of prosperity in our lives.
There are few temples dedicated for Rahu and Ketu, and in those temples, separate shrines are available for them. By visiting and worshipping them in those temples, our prayers would be answered, and our life would blossom like a lotus flower. Along with Rahu and Ketu, we can also worship their uncle, Bhakta Prahalada, in order to get the grace of the great Bhagavata. Snake deities are wonderful gods, and they would always give goodness in our lives. They decorate Lord Shiva as an ornament in his neck, and also the great Adisesha, serves as a bed for Lord Vishnu. Lord Vinayaka is also wearing a snake on his stomach, and they also serve as a divine vehicle for some demi gods.
Ma Manasa Devi is a form of Ma Shakti Devi, and she is considered as the mother of snakes. In North India, few temples are dedicated to her, and she is worshipped by lot of devotees from all over India. We can perform archanai and abhishekham to Rahu and Ketu on the Navagraha shrine, in the Shiva Temples on Naga Panchami festival day, and also on Saturdays.
At the time of worshipping Rahu and Ketu, we have to worship Ma Durga also, since she is the controller of all the snakes, and she is the mother of all snakes. There are lot of deities in our Hinduism, and among those deities, snake gods and goddesses are considered as very powerful, and they considered as the most popular worshipful deities.
“OM”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR