(Sri Swamiji's speech on 5th October 1997 during Navarati)
Kashyapa Prajapati, during the course of expanding the process of creation, created Adishesha from out of Prana Shakti and Goddess Nageshwari from out of Parashakti.
Nageshwari became a staunch disciple of Lord Shiva and learnt all the shastras and vidyas. Later, she meditated upon Lord Vishnu for a very long period.
After a long time, during the beginning of Kali Yuga, a king named Janamejaya decided to perform Sarpa Yaga (a fire ritual in which snakes were offered as sacrifice).
This created commotion not only among Nagas (members of the snake kingdom), but also among angels, because, some of the angels had Naga(snake) aspect in them. It is said that those who ascend to the heaven by achieving control over the pranic energy will invariably have Nagamsha (snake aspect) in them.
The word Naga will immediately remind us of snakes. All snakes are not Nagas. According to the scriptures, only those snakes which are 12 years of age or older are Nagas.
There are also some, who have ascended to the heaven by controlling their breath, who are said to be possessing Garudamsha (Garuda aspect). But majority of the angels possess Nagamsha.
Among the chief deities, Lord Vishnu has snake as his bed, Lord Shiva has snake as his ornament and Kumara Swami represents Nagamsha. Lord Ganapati too has a snake around His belly. All these indicate the importance which Nagamsha enjoys among gods.
Even among human beings, there are some who have snake aspect. Here, the Nagamsha is of three types. 1. Deva Naga(divine Naga aspect) 2. Manushya Naga(human Naga aspect) and 3. Rakshasa Naga(demonic Naga aspect).
Those who belong to Deva Naga category exercise control in all their activities. They do not eat much, they do not sleep much and they do not have excessive desires. Their spiritual practice will be quite smooth.
Persons belonging to Manushya Naga type are essentially Rajasic in nature. They repeatedly stumble and recover in their spiritual path. With sustained effort, they can join the Deva naga group.
Those who belong to the Rakshasa Naga type are always drowned in worldly affairs and materialistic pleasures. Even while they are visiting temples and ashrams, their mind will be thinking about money and other worldly things. They have to try very very hard to come up in spiritual life.
Let us continue with the story. The Samkalpa of King Janamejaya to perform Sarpa Yaga perturbed the Nagas and the angels alike. They thought for a long time and finally decided to take the help of Pitr Devatas (our deceased ancestors who have assumed the form of spirits) and Adishesha.
During that period, a sage called Jaratkaru was in deep penance. He was performing tapas for nearly a thousand years by then. He was very arrogant by nature. The Pitr Devatas once gave him darshan and started to pester him to get married and produce progenies so that they could avoid going to hell. Jaratkaru, who was reluctant to marry, finally said that he would marry a girl who had his name.
Adishesha, who wanted to help the angels and the Nagas, went to Nageshwari, who was performing Tapas, and begged her to allow him to convert her in to a maid and named her as Jaratkaru. He himself assumed the form of a Brahmin householder and came to the earth and started living close to the Ashrama of sage Jaratkaru.
Jaratkaru had the habit of begging food once in a year. He used to accept whatever was given to him. This time, it so happened that he went to Adishesha's house for begging. Adishesha seized the opportunity and said "I will give my sister as charity to you. Here, this is my sister. Her name is Jaratkaru. Please accept her".
What sage Jaratkaru had thought to be impossible had actually happened now. As per the promise he had given to the Pitr Devatas, he had to now marry her. But he laid down certain conditions - "I will not look at her, I will not speak to her. If ever she offends me I will leave her immediately. If you agree to this, you can give her in marriage to me". Adishesha agreed.
After marriage, Jaratkaru Devi served her husband in such a manner that he did not have an opportunity to become angry.
One day, Sage Jaratkaru was sleeping in the evening. It was sunset time and he had to offer ablutions to Sandhya. But he was fast asleep. His wife was now in a dilemma. If she woke him up, he would become angry. If she did not, he would still become angry. She thought for a while and decided - 'if I do not wake him up now, I will have to face his curse as well as the curse of gods. Dharma should be my priority now'. So thinking, she woke him up.
As feared, sage Jaratkaru became very angry and shouted - 'did you think that Sun god would set while I slept? Don't you realise how powerful I am? Do you want to insult me by doubting my power?' and left her immediately.
She was not perturbed. Instead, she politely reminded him of his promise to his Pitr Devatas.
Sage Jaratkaru cast a sharp angry look at her and shouted "Aasti" and left. His intense look resulted in her pregnancy. The boy who was thus born was named as 'Aastika'.
The plan of the Nagas and the Pitr Devatas finally yielded the desired fruit. Immediately after birth, Aastika became a greater tapasvin than his parents.
The Sarpa Yaga scheduled by Janamejaya started. Even sages like Vyaasa could not stop it. All of a sudden, Aastika appeared on the scene. Janamejaya was so impressed by the divine glow in Aastika's eyes that he offered to give anything he asked for. Aastika asked Janamejaya to stop the Sarpa Yaga immediately.
Nageshwari Devi, who thus completed the divine task entrusted to her, stayed near Manasa Sarovar for some time and then remained in Haridwar as Manasa Devi.
By worshipping her, all the desires will be fulfilled. All Vratas (religious
rites) will yield immediate fruits. May Goddess Nageshwari bless you all.