Today, 25 July 2020, is Naga Panchami, a day in which Hindus turn toward the veneration of snakes, as within Hinduism all forces and thus all animals and beings contain some degree of sacredness and worthiness of worship. The festival falls on the 5th day of the bright half of the Hindu lunar-solar month of Shravana (July/August). Usually, an idol or picture of a snake is venerated and dipped in milk in request for the welfare of the person and family. Living snakes may also be worshipped. The holiday marks the saving of all snakes by the sage Astika who interfered in the sacrifice of serpents (sarpa satra) of King Janamejaya who was taking revenge upon the race for killing his father Parikshita due to the death bite of the king of the snakes Takshaka. Naga Panchami marks the day the sarpa satra was stopped.
Snakes usually come with a negative connection, even within Hinduism, but like in Hinduism nothing is totally black and white and so the Vedas do make some good references to snakes, here are a few of them, not to mention Vishnu always rested upon the giant snake Shesha:
Agni protects like a snake
Thou art the eastern quarter, the favourable by name; of thee as such Agni is the overlord, the black (snake) the guardian; the overlord and the guardian, to them homage; may they be gentle to us; him whom we hate and who hateth us I place within the jaws of you two. Thou art the southern quarter, the mighty by name; of thee as such Indra is the overlord, the scorpion, &c. Thou art the western quarter, the forward by name; of thee as such [1] Soma is the overlord, the viper, &c. Thou art the northern quarter, the stable by name; of thee as such Varuna is overlord, the striped snake, &c. Thou art the great quarter, the lady paramount by name; of thee as such Brhaspati is overlord, the white, &c. Thou art this quarter, the powerful by name; of thee as such Yama is the overlord, the spotted necked (snake) the guardian; the overlord and the guardian, to them homage; may they be gentle to us; him whom we hate and [2] who hateth us I place within the jaws of you two. - Yajur Veda 5.5.10
Visvedevas take on from of serpents
The Visvedevas, changing shape like serpents, fearless, void of guile, Bearers, accept the sacred draught - Rig Veda 1.3.9
Maruts have serpents' fury
Exceeding wise they [Maruts] roar like lions mightily, they, all-possessing, are beauteous as antelopes; Stirring the darkness with lances and spotted deer, combined as priests, with serpents' fury through their might. Heroes who march in companies, befriending man, with serpents' ire through strength, ye greet the earth and heaven. - Rig Veda 1.64.8-9
Gods wind through the grass like serpents
What time the Holy One, wind-urged, hath risen up, serpent-like winding through the dry grass unrestrained, Dust lies upon the way of him who burneth all, black-winged and pure of birth who follows sundry paths. - Rig Veda 1.141.7
Maruts gleam like serpents
WONDERFUL let your coming be, wondrous with help, ye Bounteous Ones, Maruts, who gleam as serpents gleam. - Rig Veda 1.172.1
Gods are beautiful as serpents
Beauteous as serpents, worthy to be looked upon, they whom each sacred gift and all our prayers have pleased. - Rig Veda 9.77.3
Gods have serpents power
Looking on men, ne'er slumbering, they by their deserts attained as Gods to lofty immortality. Borne on refulgent cars, sinless, with serpents' powers, they robe them, for our welfare, in the height of heaven. - Rig Veda 10.63.4
Hymn of the serpent queen brings food
'Earth in depth, sky in breadth,' he says; with this benediction he establishes it. The serpents thought that they were growing worn out; Kasarnira Kadraveya beheld this Mantra; then did they strike off their worn-out skins. With the verses of the queen of serpents he establishes the Garhapatya, and so renewing it he establishes it as immortal. Pure food did not come to the earth; she [1] beheld this Mantra; then food came to her. In that he establishes the Garhapatya with the verses of the serpent queen (it serves) for the winning of food; verily he establishes it firm in the (earth). - Yajur Veda 1.5.4
Prajapati prays to have serpent children
The Mantras used by the Diksita Prajapati desired, 'May I create offspring.' He did penance, he created serpents. - Yajur Veda 3.1.1
Gods rage like serpents
He hath golden tresses in the expanse of the air, A raging serpent like the rushing wind, With pure radiance [4], knowing the dawn, Like true, glorious and toiling (women). - Yajur Veda 3.1.11.u
HE in mid-air's expanse hath golden tresses; a raging serpent, like the rushing tempest: Purely refulgent, knowing well the morn. ing; like honourable dames, true, active workers. - Rig Veda 1.79.1
Homage to serpents
Homage to the serpents Which are on the earth, The serpents in the atmosphere, in the sky, To those serpents homage. - Yajur Veda 4.2.8.g
Songs and praises to the serpent queen
At any rate it should be pointed out. They sing the verses of the serpent queen on that day. The queen of what creeps is this (earth). Whatever on this (earth) they praise, whatever they have praised, through that is this (earth) the serpent queen. - Yajur Veda 6.9.1
Arya pray for the brilliancy of serpents
The brilliancy that is in the lion, the tiger, and the serpent; in Agni, the Brâhmana, and Surya (shall be ours)! May the lovely goddess that bore Indra come to us, endowed with lustre! - Atharava Veda 6.38.1
Serpents as guides
55. Thee here we hand over to the eastern direction, to Agni as sovereign lord, to the black serpent as guardian, to Âditya as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive! To the goal here he shall lead us, to old age; old age shall hand us over to death: then shall we be united with the cooked (porridge)! 56. Thee here we hand over to the southern direction, to Indra as sovereign lord, to the serpent that is striped across as guardian, to Yama as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive! To the goal here, &c. 57. Thee here we hand over to the western direction, to Varuna as sovereign lord, to the pridâku-serpent as guardian, to food as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here, &c. 58. Thee here we hand over to the northern direction, to Soma as sovereign lord, to the svaga-serpent as guardian, to the lightning as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here, &c. 59. Thee here we hand over to the direction of the nadir, to Vishnu as sovereign lord, to the serpent with blackspotted neck as guardian, to the plants as bowmen: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here, &c. 60. Thee here we hand over to the direction of the zenith, to Brihaspati as sovereign lord, to the light-coloured serpent as guardian, to the rain as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here. - Atharava Veda 7.3.55-60
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