The Story of MAHAKUMBH

All of us have heard of the SAMUDRA MANTHAN story.

A quick brief

Sage Durvasa presents Indra Dev with a Garland. But Indra is sitting on his elephant AIRAWAT who he instructs to pass it on. But Indra Dev’s bad luck, the Elephant throws the garland on the floor & tramples it.

Watching his gift to Indra being tramples by Airawat, Sage Durvasa gets super angry at Indra’s sense of entitlement & curses him that he & all Gods will loose their possessions including CHINTAMANI, KALPAVRIKSHA, KAMADHENU & the most PRECIOUS ELIXIR OF LUFE – AMRIT (anyone consuming Amrit becomes immortal).

As a result, Indra runs to Maha Vishnu for help.who suggests SAMUDRA MANTHAN (churning of the seas) as the only way to get back his possessions.

But SAMUDRA MANTHAN is a huge task which the Debra’s can’t do by themselves and would need the help of the DAITYAS.

They get MOUNT MANDHARA & convince the SERPENT KING VASUKI to be the rope that will be tied around mount MANDHARA & used to churn the ocean.

Indra also convinces the King of the DAITYAS BALI to help with the monumental task in exchange for equal rights on the AMRIT.

When the churning starts

 

1. 1. MANDHARA keeps slipping into the sea
      

       

      1. 1. that’s when Lord Vishnu takes the KURMA AVATAR (Tortoise) and holds the mountain on his back.

1. 1. Then comes out the HALA HALA poison – which is consumed by Lord Shiva

1. 1. Then came a Cow, Airawat, Kaustabha mani, Parijata tree and many other things.

1. 1. Then comes Mahalaxmi, she chooses Lotd Vishnu as her husband

1. 1. Then finally came DHANAVANTRI with the AMRIT KALASH.

this KALASH (or KUMBHA) is snatched by some DAITYAS after which they scoot.

They are on the run for 12 days.

Some of the Amrit spills during this episode in

 

1. 1. Prayagraj

1. 1. Haridwar

1. 1. NASHIK

1. 1. UJJAIN –

1 Day of the Devas equals 1 Human Year where Since UTTARAYAN (Makar Sankranti -14th Jan to karka sankranti-14 July) is considered the DAY TIME of the DEVAS & DAKSHINAYAN (Karla sankranti – 14th July to Makara sankranti-14th Jan) is considered as night of the Devas. 12 days for Devas works out to 12 human years.

That’s the reason KUMBHA MELA is organized in these 4 places once in 12 years. But Haridwar & Prayagraj also organize a ARDHA KUMBH which will be 6 years after a PURNA KUMBH. A MAHAKUMBH is organized after every 12 PURNAKUMBHA’s

A dip in the rivers during the KUMBH is said give an individual #salvation from all their sins.

SADHUS from 13 AKHARAS (7 Shaivaite, 3 Vaishnavaite & 3 Sikh) that participate in the KUMBH other than independent monks and regular people who come to get the blessings of these monks.

These AKHARAS of NAGA SADHUS & AGHORRIS are believed to have been established by ADI SHANKARACHARYA himself as a backup plan to protect DHARMA incase a need arises some day. They fought against Aurangzeb to protect Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1664, against Abdali in 1757 to protect Gokul.

Haridwar is the place where the original KUMBHA MELA is said to have originated. This was done once in 12 years when Jupiter entered AQUARIUS (KUMBHA RASI) & SUN was in ARIES.

There were yearly Melas in Prayag called the MAGH MELA, NASHIK & UJJAIN had their12 year MELAS when Jupiter entered LEO called the SINGHASTH mela, UJJAIN also had its mela when Jupiter entered LIBRA along with SUN & MOON

All of these 4 grouped together when the BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY sought to control the WARRIOR MONKS (NAGA SADHUS) & levy taxes on the Hindus visiting these places.

Kumbha Mela Dates in recent years along with Jupiter & Sun transits.

 

1. 1. NASHIK
      

       

      1. 1. Sun in Capricorn, Jupiter in Scorpio (Jan 2007)
      1. 1. Sun in Cancer, Jupiter in Leo (Jul 2003, July 2015)
      1. 1. Sun in Cancer, Jupiter in Scorpio (Aug 2019)

1. 1. UJJAIN –
      

       

      1. 1. Sun in Aries, Jupiter in Leo (Apr 2004, Apr 2016)

1. 1. Haridwar
      

       

      1. 1. Ardha Kumbh – Sun in Capricorn, Jupiter in Leo (Jan 2016)
      1. 1. Purn Kumbh – Sun in Aries, Jupiter in Aquarius (Apr 2021)

1. 1. Prayagraj, –
      

       

      1. 1. Sun in Capricorn
            

             

            1. 1. Ardha Kumbh – Jupiter in Scorpio (Jan 2019)
            1. 1. Mahakumbh – Jupiter in Taurus (Jan 2024)

Whats important in a KUMBH MELA?

The AMRIT SNAN or RAJYOGI SNANor the SHAHI SNAN. The dip taken during AMAVASYA is the most auspiscious. Pilgrims wait for the Sadhus from the 13 AKHARAS to take a dip first which is marked by a celeberatory procession apart from being aan opportunity for pilgrims to get the blessings of these sadhus. The video clips you see are usually from this procession. Once these sadhus have done bathing, the river banks are open for regulars to take a dip.

Such bathing rituals also happen in south India in KUMBHAKONAM. Last one happened in Feb 2016.