Mahakumbh Mela 2025: The Sangam beach of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh is ready to welcome the devotees. The confluence of the invisible Saraswati with the Ganga-Yamuna is a witness to the age-old tradition and heritage of this sacred shore, which has given mantras like ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumpakam’. The tradition of bathing at the Sangam banks is almost not an observance of religious faith and customs, but a culture of coming together. It is a gateway to easily meet your society. This beach is the place where the entire cover collapses and only the sound of Har Har Gange echoes in the sky. This union of unity is the essence and elixir of civilizations that sustains humanity.
Mahakumbh was organized as a result of the discovery of Amrita
The organization of Mahakumbh is the result of the search for nectar. For this, Samudra Manthan was started centuries ago. Mandar Mountain was churned, the rope of Vasuki Naga was made and when this Mandar Mountain started sinking into the sea, Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Kurma (Tortoise) to stabilize it. He placed Mandar Mountain on his back and then the churning of the ocean could begin.
Nagraj Vasuki’s rope
On one side the gods were pulling Vasuki towards themselves and on the other side the demons were pulling them. In the middle of the sea, Mount Mandar keeps rotating like a rotating wheel. This process took several days. Mandar Mountain gradually went into the sea. The god-demon Vasuki pulled the ropes of serpents towards each other and labored for the churning. Nothing had yet emerged from the bottom of the sea. The period of brainstorming was continuing. Meanwhile, one day a strong smelling stream of water emerged from the bottom of the sea. Then the whole world became dark. Due to the effect of poison, all the gods and demons started burning, earthquakes started happening on the earth and the air of nature became poisonous.
The first thing that came out was poisonous poison
Who treats this poison? How can this impact be mitigated and who will protect the world? All the people who had gathered in search of the nectar started running away after seeing the poison released from the process of obtaining the nectar. This was the first gem to be obtained from the churning of the ocean but no one was ready to get it. However the Asuras insisted that whichever gem came out first, they would have the first right on it. He thought that as soon as the ocean was churned, only nectar would come out and after that there would be no need for churning. Therefore, before agreeing to the churning, he placed a condition that he would have the right over the gem that would emerge. According to this rule, he should have consumed poison but he clearly refused to do so.
The serpents supported Lord Shiva
Even among the gods, no one was ready to drink it. Then Mahadev came. He is the Yogishwar of the world. Each is an extinguisher of heat and fire. Poison or nectar does not matter to them. They are beyond this. For the welfare of the world, he drank poison and retained it in his throat. Due to the effect of poison, his throat turned blue and Mahadev Neelkanth came to be known as Neelkanth when some of its drops fell on the earth and snakes, scorpions and other such creatures drank them. According to mythology, this creature had come to make the work of Mahadev easier. So he also took the same poison and from that day onwards he became poisonous.
Mahadev was baptized
To calm the effect of poison and provide coolness to Mahadev, he anointed him with water several times. The vessel was filled and he was bathed. It is said that since then the tradition of Jalabhishek of Shiva has been going on. Each of them was given cooling herbs. Cannabis, which has a cooling effect and is also a strong sedative. He was drunk. Dhaturo, Akado etc. were coated. Milk, curd, ghee, all the things were applied on them. In this way Mahadev could stop the effect of poison and save the world from destruction. Now only one sound was echoing on the seashore. Har Har Mahadev, Jai Shiv Shankar.
These 14 gems are obtained from the churning of the ocean.
There is a verse related to obtaining 14 gems from the churning of the ocean.
Halahalan Cha Mahameghna Chandramansuryachan Rane,
Uchchaishravasmanoymaditya Cha Varun and
Padma cha kanchan chaya cha mani kaalkalankitam.
Siddhi Lakshmi Mupagat Cha Kumkum Cha Ratnat:
Aravat, gems, glass, gold,
Tatraiva amritam ca praptam sarvasattva shamam yatha.
Calcutta Wishes, Moon, Elephants and Horses
According to this verse, the first poison to emerge from the churning of the ocean was Halahal or Kalakoot poison. Then both the constellations of Sun and Moon rose together. A white running horse named Uchchaishrava was also found. From this churning emerged Padma i.e. divine lotus, then gold and Kaustubh gem, then liquor called Varuni, then Kanku, the symbol of success and good fortune along with Lakshmi. A divine white elephant also appeared, having four tusks and a golden robe adorning its back. At last, Dhanvantari Dev appeared with the nectar pot.
Parijat Pushpa, Rambha Apsara
However, other gems were also found in the churning. In which it is said that from the churning of the ocean, a tree named Kalpavriksha also emerged, which made every imagination come true. From this churning a flowering tree named Parijat was also obtained. Just before Goddess Lakshmi, her elder sister Alakshmi also emerged from the churning, opposite to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of poverty. From this churning also emerged an Apsara named Rambha, who got a place in heaven and was the most beautiful Apsara in Indra’s court. Later she emerged as a heroine with main characters in many mythological stories like Maneka and Urvashi.
Apart from this, a verse related to the churning of the ocean is also popular.
Shri Rambha Vish Varuni, Amiya Shankh Gajraj,
Dhanvantari, Dhan, Dhenu, Mani, Moon, Vaji
In which Shri means Lakshmi, Rambha means Apsara, Halahal poison, Varuni liquor, Amiya means nectar, Shankh (Panchjanya), Gajraj (Airavat), Dhanvantari (Father of Ayurveda), Dhan (Vishnu’s long bow) Dhenu. (Kamadhen’s cow), man (Kaustubh Mani), moon, Vaji i.e. horse (Ucchaishrava) were obtained.
