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Well, It seems my question is off-topic. But really it is not. As, On our side, In our village if a snake bites to someone, the first aid given to the person is that the victim is carried to the old wise person. And that old person chants some mantras with Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves for 5-10 minutes. This process is to be done for 3-4 days and victim's wound gets cured. I'm totally surprised that how mantras can cure a snake bite. As mantras work as Antidote on snake poison. So, I'm confused If its a black magic or kind of super powers like given by ancestors.

Secondly, an incident happened in our neighbour that a snake came into their house. They called up an old wise man who knew the mantras. He chanted some mantras and suddenly the snake came out of their house. Snake didn't even bite anyone. And the thing I noticed that all the people who know these mantras where HINDU by religion. I searched for this on Google but didn't get any answer. So, please if anyone knows anything about this, make me understand this.

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    Buddy I myself have read some thing alike in a book from 'GitaPress, Gorakhpur', many years ago. I don't remember any mantra, but there a peepal-tree-leaves were used. It was like, to insert the petiole of the leaf, in the ears of the person bitten. And after some mantra session, the leaf would "suck" all the poison out of the body, while changing its color. I was amazed, how powerful the (mostly forgotten) ancient discipline of "Spiritual Engineering" was.
    – Hindu
    Nov 30, 2014 at 4:36
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    Vedic hymns must be chanted only by those with stipulated adhikAra. The rest of us, in situations like this, can chant "astIkAya namaha".
    – user1195
    Jan 8, 2015 at 9:43
  • @KeshavSrinivasan I am writing here since I cant reply to ur comment as you deleted my answer 1.Hinduism SE is unique in that the body of knowledge also includes orally disseminated knowledge & janAcAra or the path adopted by learned people & followed by the rest of us.Insisting on written references will not serve a larger purpose.However,u may insist that the person providing the answer is a recognized panDita2.Just because written reference is required,1 cannot provide answers that freely distribute mantras to one & all.3.Therefore,a review of rules of moderation for this SE is called for
    – user1195
    Jan 8, 2015 at 10:07
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    @moonstar2001 Well, you have to consider that a Shaivite might not trust the words of a Vaishnava pandit, and vice versa. And an atheist might not trust any Hindu pundit. So insofar as a pandit is basing his answer on his knowledge of written scripture, he should just cite those scriptures. If he's basing it on oral tradition, he should cite that oral tradition and be specific. But I don't think it's a good idea to create a special class of users whose answers don't need to be independently verifiable. They're human after all and could make mistakes, so it's better to have sources if possible. Jan 8, 2015 at 17:35
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    @moonstar2001 And I think it goes against the philosophy of StackExchange to hold some users' answers to a different standard than other user' standards. In the mathematics sites, for instance, we ask that a professional mathematician give citations for theorems he employs, just as much as we demand it of a high school student. Jan 8, 2015 at 17:38

2 Answers 2

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The main Hindu scripture that has mantras dealing with snake bites and warding off snakes is the Atharvana Veda. Here are a few of the relevant hymns from it, along with the first verse of each:

Book V Hymn 13: A charm against snakes

Varuna, Sage of heaven, hath given me the gift: with spells of mighty power I draw thy poison out. Dug up, not dug, adherent, I have seized it fast: low hath thy venom sunk like water in the sands.

Book VII Hymn 56: A charm against poisonous bites and stings

Whether it came from viper, from black snake or snake with transverse stripes, Or Kankaparvan's bite, this herb hath made the poison powerless

Book VII Hymn 88: A charm to cure a snake-bite

1Depart! thou art a foe, a foe. Poison with poison hast thou mixt, yea, verily poison hast thou mixt. Go to the serpent: strike him dead.

Book X Hymn 4: A charm to destroy venomous serpents

The first of all is Indra's car, next is the chariot of the Gods the third is Varuna's alone. The last, the Serpents' chariot, struck the pillar and then sped

Of course, these are English translations of the hymns, and for them to work you need to say them in Sanskrit. So here is the Atharvana Veda in Sanskrit. Note that the proper use of Vedic mantras is discussed in the Brahmanas of the Vedas, so here is the Gopatha Brahmana of the Atharvana Veda in Sanskrit. (Unfortunately, I don't think there are any online translations of the Gopatha Barhamana.)

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  • Thanks a lot for your answer. I don't understand much of the Sanskrit. But I'll try learning it. Nov 30, 2014 at 9:08
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    @Sushil Yeah, I can't read Sanskrit either. But I wasn't able to find the Sanskrit text of the Atharvana Veda in English letters. Nov 30, 2014 at 17:37
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    Vedic hymns must not be chanted without proper initiation. This answer is in violation of religious stipulations.
    – user1195
    Jan 8, 2015 at 9:49
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    @moonstar2001 First of all, you shouldn't downvote a post just because you think the author of the post is violating Hinduism. After all, all sorts of people are allowed to post on the site, including atheists, who don't feel they have any obligation to follow the precepts of Hinduism. But I don't think I'm violating Hinduism in the slightest. I am not advising people to chant Vedic hymns without initiation from a guru and the like. I am just providing information about what mantras deal with snake bites. That's the point of this site - to create a knowledge base about Hinduism, not advice. Jan 8, 2015 at 17:25
  • @moonstar2001 If you like I can put a disclaimer in my answer saying people shouldn't try using these hymns of the Atharvana Veda without being initiated by a guru. Jan 8, 2015 at 17:29
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The best way when a snake bites is to run to the hospital for treatment. It is because we are in Kali Yuga now and we rarely find person who have mantra siddhis. We can also rarely do mantra siddhis on our own without Guru.

But we can use mantras on the way while running to hospital or when reaching hospital is not possible. The fear we have after snakebite is fear of death hence we can chant death removing/ Mahamrityunjaya Mantra for this purpose (while in the way to hospital):

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ।।

Om tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ pushtivardhanam urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛmrityor mokshiye maamritat ।।

Several mantras are given in Panchanga Calendars also. I don't know from where they are taken. It is written in Panchanga calendars that chanting this mantra and blowing air to body will remove poison (might be tested in emergency condition):

ॐ कुरकुलये हुं फट् स्वाहा । Om Kurkulaye Hum Phat Swaha

Also Panchanga calendars give some preventive measures to remove fear of snakes before being bitten from certain area/house. They are:

मुनीराज आस्तकनम् muniraaj aastakanam

And also,

ॐ आस्तिकाय नमः । Om Aastikaye Namaha

The above mantra invoke the snake 'Astika' who is saver of snake race in serpent Yagna conducted by Janamjaye in Mahabharat. But I don't know the origin of above mantras. As I have already told they are found in Panchanga calendars. But there is also no loss in chanting these mantras while walking in grassy areas and snake fearing areas as it is of preventive nature ie. Preventing snake bite.

If you are interested in Puranic Methods then Garuda Purana and Agni Purana contains procedures of snake poison removal. It is also told a person who have read or listened or donated Garuda Purana is safe from being bitten by snake as he gains Garuda-tatwa from it. Anyway Garuda Purana in chapter 20 gives the method for poison removal of snake:

Chapter XX - Mantra-cures (curative formulas) of snakebite as narrated by Śhiva Suta said:—I will now now describe the highly secret mantrams narrated by Shiva. His weapons are the noose, the bow, the discus, the club, the dart and Pattisha. Having used these weapons inspired with mantrams in a battle a king conquers his enemies. The mantram for purifying the mantrans should be first written on a lotus petal. Om is the Brahma Vijam. Hrim is the Vishnu Vijam. These three Vijams should be assigned to the head of Shiva thrice in order. Om, Hrim, Hrim. Having taken up the dart in his hand he should whirl it in the sky. By seeing it all the evil stars and serpents are destroyed. Having held the smoky coloured bow by the hand a man should meditate on it in the sky. By it the wicked serpents, the evil stars, clouds and Rakshasas are destroyed. This mantram protects the three worlds, what to speak of the land of mortals? Om, jum, Sam, Hum, Phat. Eight sticks of Catechu wood, inspired with mantrams, should be placed on the ground. That will prevent the falling of thunder-bolt. The eight sticks should be inspired with great mantram described by Garuda. The ground should be dug twenty one times in the night. This will ward off the dangers proceeding from lightning, mouse, and thunder-bolt. The mantram is:—Hara, Kshara, amala, Vashat, added with Vindu Sadasiva. Om, Hram, salutation unto Sadashiva. He should then assign pinda (balls of rice) effulgent like Darimi flowers with the fore-finger. By seeing it the evil clouds, lightning and other enemies viz. the Rakshasas, goblins and female ghosts fly away into the ten quarters. Om, Hrim, salutation unto Ganesha. Om, Hrim, salutation unto the chakra of Sthambhana. Om, em, salutation unto the Damaras of the three worlds. This pinda is called Bhairava which counteracts the effect of poison and the evil effects of the hostile planets. It protects the field and grinds the goblins and Rakshasas. Om, Namas. Having meditated on the thunder-bolt of his hand he should ward off the evil influence of wicked clouds and with Vajra Mudra all the ghosts, the enemies with poison. Om, Kshum, Namas. He should meditate on his left hand. It destroys all venomous creatures. Om, Hram, Namas. The very recitation of this mantram destroys the evil clouds and stars. Having meditated on death he should consume the universe with the destroying weapon. Om, Kshma, Namas. Meditating on Bhairava one should remove the evil influences of stars, goblins and poison. Om lasat, jhvaksha Svāhā. This mantram destroys the enemies of the field vis, the evil stars, goblins, poison and birds. Om Ksham Namas. The figure of a cistern should be drawn with blood and then the names of planets should be written there. Om, Mara, Mara, Maraya, Maraya Svāhā. Om, Hum, Phat, Svāhā. The dart should be inspired mentally with eight hundred mantrams. It destroys all the enemies. With higher energies the lower ones should be suppressed. Then the mantrams should be practised in Puraka and should be again well inspired in Kumbhaka. They should then be received with Pranava. When the mantrams are thus properly received and used they yield fruts like servants.

There are also other methods like inserting peepal branch in both ears and other and other so on. As I am repeteadly saying the only way in this present condition (ie. Kaliyuga) is to go to a hospital. One may use mantra methods while he is on the way to hospital, or while hospital is not avaliable or antidote is finished, or when hospital can't treat due to seriousness. I'm not doubting the potency of mantras by emphasizing on the word Hospital but I'm doubting the potency of person who chants mantra.

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