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What do the Puranas say about the Kumbha Mela ?

The Vishnu Puran, Skanda Puran, Brahma Puran, Shrimadbhagavat and Garga Samhita, etc. say that the Amruta Kumbha appeared after the churning of the ocean. A struggle broke out between the Deities and demons for the possession of the Kumbha.

On the signal of Shri Vishnu, Indra’s son Jayanta led by Bruhaspati (the Guru of Deities), stole the Amruta Kumbha. Deity Sun was appointed to protect the Amruta Kumbha so that it does not break during the scuffle. The Moon was appointed to prevent the Amruta in the Kumbha from drying up. The Deities travelled to all the three regions to hide the Amruta Kumbha, but the demons chased them everywhere.

While travelling for 12 Divine days, the Amruta Kumbha had to be placed on the Earth four times. While placing and lifting back the Amruta Kumbha, some droplets of Amruta spilt and fell in four locations. The locations where the Amruta Kumbha was placed were Haridwar, Prayag, Nashik and Ujjain.

A mantra in the Atharvaveda (4.34.7) says :

चतुरः कुम्भांश्चतुर्धा ददामि ।

Meaning : Deity Brahma said, ‘I am creating four Kumbha Parvas and allocating four places to them’.

There is a second mantra in the Atharvaveda which means – ‘We realise that the Kumbha Mela is celebrated wherever the Amruta Kumbha filled with Amruta after the churning of the ocean, was placed. This Kumbha Mela is repeated in all the fourteen subtle regions. The time of the Kumbha Mela is said to be as sacred as Vaikuntha’.

Bathing in the Mahakumbha Mela

The 12 Divine days are equal to 12 human years. One year on Earth is 1 day of the Deities. 12 years of the Deities are equal to 144 years on Earth. After the completion of 12 years of the Deities, the Kumbha Mela  is celebrated as the Maha Kumbha Mela on Earth. Prayag is considered the designated place for the Maha Kumbha Mela.

Due to the Amruta drops, those four locations help in attaining immortality for the faithful devotees. It is said in the Skanda Mahapuran that bathing in the Kumbha Mela fulfils one’s wish. Bhavishya Puran says that bathing in the Kumbha Mela leads to the attainment of heaven and Moksha (The Final Liberation). The Brahma Puran describes that the fruits of the Ashwamedha Yajna are obtained by bathing and donating at the Kumbha Mela. Thus, the Kumbha Mela is a collective festival at a Hindu pilgrimage site.

Kumbha Melas in the regions of the Deities

Like on Earth, the four Kumbha Melas are celebrated in the region of the Deities and also in Patal (Hell region). After bathing in the Milky Way, 33 crore Deities bathe in the Kumbha Mela and obtain the fruits of having performed 100 Ashwamedha Yajnas.

In Patal, the serpents and Yakshas considered themselves to be blessed by bathing in this special yoga. Kumbha Mela reminds us about the curse of Sage Durvas who had given His necklace to the king of Deities, Indra as a sign of respect. Instead of wearing the necklace Himself, Indra egoistically put it around the neck of His elephant. The elephant picked up the necklace with its trunk and threw it on the ground and trampled it. This humiliated Sage Durvas and He cursed Indra to become bereft of opulence grandeur. As a result, Indra became wealthless and powerless. Seeing Him weakened, the demons took control of all the three regions. From the ensuing churning of the ocean, Halahala poison first came out, which Lord Shiva kept in His throat and protected the entire Universe.

Scientific analysis of the Kumbha Mela

If we consider the scientific analysis of the Kumbha Mela, the entire world is covered by two principles – life-enhancing and life-destroying. Scientists can say that oxygen is mainly life-enhancing and carbon dioxide is mainly life-destroying for living beings. The conflict of the abovementioned two principles is verily the battle between the Deities and demons.

Our Earth is sometimes united with a life-enhancing environment due to the movement of other planets and constellations, and sometimes it is fighting with a life-destroying environment. Our great Maharshis and Sages knew what effect it has on which area of the Earth and at which time. Accordingly, this tradition of performing different tasks at different times in different areas of the Earth had developed since time immemorial, which has continued till today. Those specific places on Earth are called pilgrimage centres.

Wherever drops of Amruta from the Kumbha fell on Earth, life-sustaining medicines were created. Bathing during the Kumbha Mela in the water reservoirs where the drops of Amrut fell, imparts the individual good health and he obtains Divine Pranashakti as well.

(Courtesy : Uttar Pradesh Bureau)