Snakes have always evoked awe and fear, yet in Dharmic scriptures, they carry a deeper symbolism: they represent the unstoppable flow of time. Nobody can halt time, yet time eventually stops everyone. Like the slithering serpent that silently strikes, time captivates and halts us all.

India, revered as the “land of snake charmers,” is also the “land of yogis.” Snake charmers are not only fascinating to watch; they symbolize India’s spiritual wealth—the yogis who have mastered the art of charming the time factor by transcending it. Such yogis fear no forest or terrain full of venomous serpents. To them, snakes and time are synonymous; both are tamable with the right consciousness.

It is observed that snakes only see moving objects. If one remains motionless, the reptile will slither past or slide over but never bite. Likewise, yogis are forever still—both within and without—and thus images of them sitting in deep meditation while surrounded by snakes are a common depiction.

This lesson on snakes is remarkably valuable. Time and snakes wait for no one; when they move, we are forced to stop. However, through the process of knowledge and yoga, one can rise above them both. And if one fails to follow the example of the yogis, they will naturally succumb to the laws of time. Thus, let us pause and reflect on becoming “time-charming yogis,” advancing ahead of the wild snakes and the endlessly moving flow of time.

Today being Naag Panchami, an auspicious day in the holy month of Shravan, let us awaken the yogi within.

– Govind Das (ISKCON MEMBER)