Acharya Prashant explains that a snake is a creature just like any other. If you look at it properly, it can even seem beautiful. He questions the practice of caging snakes in small boxes in zoos, stating they should be left in their natural habitat. He dismisses the concept of the 'Naagmani' (snake gem) as a mere story, questioning who has ever seen a stone on a snake's head. He clarifies that a snake's head contains a brain, not a stone, and that stories about the gem's magical powers, such as curing snakebites, are baseless. A snake is just a creature like a lizard or a chameleon; there is nothing special about it, and it should be left to live in peace. Acharya Prashant criticizes the practice of catching snakes on Nag Panchami and forcing them to drink milk. He provides a biological explanation, stating that milk is for mammals, which are creatures that produce milk. A snake is a reptile, not a mammal. Since reptiles do not have milk, they will not drink it. He explains that humans have an enzyme, lactase, to digest milk, which is more abundant in children. Even adults cannot digest milk properly. A snake, being a reptile, cannot digest milk at all. Forcing milk on a snake can cause its stomach to bloat and can even lead to its death. The reason a snake drinks milk when offered is that snake charmers keep them dehydrated for many days. A thirsty snake will drink any liquid, and since milk is mostly water, it drinks it out of thirst, not because it likes milk. He also debunks the myth that snakes dance to the tune of a snake charmer's flute. He explains that snakes do not have ears and cannot hear the music. The snake is actually scared of the flute and follows its movement, perceiving it as a threat. This fearful tracking of the flute is mistaken for dancing. The speaker notes that the prevalence of snakes in old stories is due to the fear they instilled in people, as snakebites were often fatal in the past. This fear led to their inclusion in myths. Other animals that were not dangerous or useful to humans, like the myna bird, are not mentioned in these stories. Symbolically, the snake represents the form of nature that humans greatly fear and detest. The depiction of Lord Shiva with a snake around his neck signifies that he is fearless even in the face of what humans dread most. Shiva is the master of nature, and the nature that you fear plays in his lap. This imagery teaches that if you learn to have the right relationship with nature, you will not fear it, which means you will not fear death, as birth and death are both within nature. The one who has the right relationship with nature becomes, in a sense, immortal. The animals that are shown close to Shiva are those from which humans stay away. This is a symbolic representation and does not mean there is anything special about the snake itself.