Page 3 - Jan-Mar 2019

VOL. 16 No. 1
Snake Stories DID YOU KNOW?

After the Samudra Manthan, Lord Shiva
As we have seen, snakes were very important in drank the poison. Parvati took a snake
mythology in India. In Hinduism, snakes represent the and wrapped it around his neck to stop
cycle of life and death. However, in other religions, the the poison’s effect. This is why he is
perception is a little different. Let’s have a look at some known as Neelkanth (blue neck) and
stories. is seen with a snake around
his neck.
JeWeL On tHe HeAd gArudA’S LiBerAtiOn

Many folk tales refer
to Naga-Mani, the Garuda was born as a slave to the Nagas and had to get
amrit for them to attain freedom. Indra told him that
serpent jewel that
has special powers. the Nagas should not get even a sip of it. Garuda tricked
the Nagas and gave them the amrit only after they set
Lord Vishnu is said to him free. After that, he
be resting on the coils refused to guard the
of a serpent called pot of amrit and Indra
Adi-Ananta-Shesha. took the pot away. So
They say that on top the Nagas could not
of its hood the earth is positioned, which acts as a get to drink it!
jewel.
gourisha bhatia, X, global indian international school, indore

rAHu And Ketu curSed SnAKe

During the Churning of the Ocean, one of the In the Garden of Eden, the
Asuras (Svarbhanu) tricked Vishnu and drank the serpent (Satan) is a trickster
amrit. Vishnu cut him in half, but he did not die who tempts Eve to eat from the
because of the amrit. His head was joined to a forbidden apple tree. The snake
snake’s body, which became Rahu and his body, is then punished by being made
with a snake’s head became Ketu. to live by crawling on its belly. Illustration by: S.K. Kavisha, XI B, Royal
s. sandhiya, iV b, revoor Padmanabha Park Matric Hr. Sec. School, Salem
Chetty’s Mat. hr. sec. school, Chennai

ActiVitY: "FABLed" SnAKe
Snakes have been an important part of our fables specially the Panchatantra
and the Jataka Tales.

Looking at these pictures, discover the stories and write them in your own words.
Do not forget to mention the moral behind each story.

Illustration by: Tanya Chauhan, XI C, Jaypee
Public School, Noida

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20