Astrology behind 'When' and 'Where' Kumbh Mela is held

Let's find out the astrology behind when and where Kumbh Mela is held based on astrological calculations as given in Hindu scriptures.

According to the astrological calculations, event of Kumbh (a festival occurring every 12 years) takes place in 4 ways as follows:

1. In the event of entrance of Jupiter in Aquarius (Zodiac sign) and entrance of Sun in Aries (Zodiac sign) Kumbh festival is held at Haridwar.

" पद्मिनी नायके मेषे कुम्भ राशि गते गुरोः ।

गंगा द्वारे भवेद योगः कुम्भ नामा तथोत्तमाः।। "

 

2. In the event of entrance of Jupiter in Aries circle and entrance of Sun and Moon in Capricorn Kumbh Festival is held at Prayag on the lunar conjunction day (अमावस्या)

" मेष राशि गते जीवे मकरे चन्द्र भास्करौ ।

अमावस्या तदा योगः कुम्भख्यस्तीर्थ नायके ।। "

Kumbh Festival is also held at Prayag in the event of entrance of Sun in Capricorn and entrance of Jupiter in Taurus .

मकरे च दिवा नाथे ह्मजगें च बृहस्पतौ कुम्भ योगोभवेत्तत्र प्रयागे ह्यति दूलर्भ:

 

3. In the event of entrance of Jupiter in Leo Kumbh Festival is held at Nasik on the bank of river Godavari

" सिंह राशि गते सूर्ये सिंह राशौ बृहस्पतौ ।

गोदावर्या भवेत कुम्भों जायते खलु मुक्तिदः ।। "

When Jupiter, Sun and Moon enters in Cancer on lunar conjunction (Amavasya - last day of the dark half of a month) then also Kumbh Festival is held on the bank of river Godavari.

" कर्के गुरू स्तथा भानुचन्द्रश्चन्द्रर्क्षगतस्था ।

गोदावर्या तदा कुम्भो जयाते Sवनि मण्डले ।। "

4. In the event of entry of Jupiter in Leo and entry of Sun in Aries Kumbh Festival is held at Ujjain.

" मेष राशि गते सूर्ये सिंह राशौ बृहस्पतौ ।

उज्जियन्यां भवेत कुम्भः सदामुक्ति प्रदायकः ।। "

When Jupiter enters in Libra and Sun & Moon remain together on Kartik Amavasya (8th month of Hindu year) then also Moksha Dayak (Free from all bonds) Kumbh Festival is held at Ujjain.

" घरेसूरिः शशि सूर्य कुह्मं दामोदरे यदा।

धरायां च तदा कुम्भों जायते खलु मुक्तिद: ।। "

                                                                           " अहं राष्ट्री संगमनी वसूनाम्श् "

 

Why Kumbh Mela is held after 12 years only?

Answer to this is in the Samudra Manthan (Sea Churning). Jayant took 12 days to carry the nectar kalash to the heaven. One day of Gods was equal to one year of the humans. It is why that in the sequence of stars state at 12th year Kumbh is held at festival places.

Kumbha Mela - The world's biggest religious gathering

Kumbh Mela is the greatest pilgrimage and festival in the Hindu religion. Derived from Kumbha meaning ‘pitcher’ and Mela meaning ‘festival’, Kumbh Mela is celebrated four times every 12 years, the site of the observance rotating between four pilgrimage places on four sacred rivers: at Haridwar on the Ganges River, at Ujjain on the Kshipra, at Nasik on the Godavari, and at Prayag (Allahabad) at the confluence of the Ganga, Jamuna, and the 'mythical' Saraswati.

It is held in twelve year cycles, alternating in such a way that about every three years a Kumbha Mela takes place.

Kumbha Mela has gained international fame as "the world's most massive act of faith". The festival is often regarded as the "biggest religious gathering in the world".

There are five types of Kumbh Melas:

1. Maha Kumbh Mela - occurs after 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas' or 144 years – takes place only in Allahabad


2. Purna Kumbh Mela - occurs after every 12 years - at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik


3. Ardh Kumbh Mela - celebrated every six years - at Haridwar and Allahabad


4. Kumbh Mela - celebrated every 3rd year - rotating between Prayag, Nasik, Haridwar and Ujjain


5. Magh Mela - annual, held every year except years of Kumbh Mela and Ardh Kumbh Mela - only in Allahabad

Kumbh Mela is celebrated at different locations depending on the position of the planet of Bṛihaspati (Jupiter) and the Sun (more on this a later post).

Famous ancient traveller, Huen Tsang of China, was the first to mention Kumbha Mela in his diary. His diary mentions the celebration of 75 days of Hindu month of Magha (January-February), which witnessed half a million devotee including sadhus, common man, rich & famous & kings.

The great Indian saint Shankara, who lived in the 8th century CE, is credited with popularizing the Kumbh Mela among the common people.

Renowned American author Mark Twain was so mesmerised after visiting the Kumbh Mela of 1895 that he wrote:

“It is wonderful, the power of a faith like that, that can make multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys and endure the resultant miseries without repining. It is done in love, or it is done in fear; I do not know which it is. No matter what the impulse is, the act born of it is beyond imagination, marvelous to our kind of people, the cold whites.”

Snana Parva or bathing in the river  is one of the most important part of the Kumbh Mela (detailed post on this later). It is believed that it washes away all the sins and the cycle of rebirth and death ends as the soul becomes one with God Almighty.

Starting today we will one by one unravel all the aspects associated with Kumbh Mela.

The connection between the city of Gaya and Sage Marichi

Amongst all the holy tirthas, Gaya in Bihar has a special place.

This is the story of the demon after whom the city is named.

A demon named Gayasura once started to perform tapasya. Such was the power of his tapasya that the Devtas started to worry about the intentions behind this extreme penance. They went to Vishnu and sought his help. Vishnu pacified the Devtas went to Gayasura to grant him a boon.

"Grant me the boon that I may become the most sacred of all tirthas," replied the daitya.

The boon was granted and Gayasura disappeared. Vishnu then instructed Brahma and the Devtas to perform a sacrifice. He also asked them to go to Gayasura and ask for his body so that the sacrifice might be performed on it. As soon as Gayasura agreed, his head fell off from the body. Brahma then proceeded to perform the sacrifice on Gayasura's headless body. But as soon as the sacrifice started, the body began to shake.

To overcome this hiccup it was decided that all the Devtas along with Vishnu would enter a stone which would be placed on Gayasura's body so that the body would not shake.

Gaya is sacred because it is believed that through this stone the gods and Vishnu are always present in Gaya.

Now, let's look at the story behind this stone.

The sage Marichi was Brahma's son and had married Dharmavrata. One day Marichi went to the forest to collect wood and flowers and returned extremely tired. He called Dharmavrata and said, "I am very tired. Wash my feet."

Dharmavrata began to wash Marichi's feet when Lord Brahma suddenly arrived. Dharmavrata did not know what to do. Should she finish washing her husband's feet? Or should she first attend to Brahma, since Brahma was Marichi's father?

She decided to attend to Brahma first. Marichi became very angry on seeing this and cursed Dharmavrata converting her into a stone. Dharmavrata performed tapasya for many years to overcome this curse. Vishnu was pleased at Dharmavrata's meditation and offered to grant her a boon.

Dharmavrata wished that the curse imposed on her by Marichi might be waived. Vishnu explained that this was not possible, since Marichi was a very powerful sage. However Dharmavrata was granted a boon that her stone form would be so powerful that it would be desired even by the Gods and that all the gods would be always present inside this stone. It was this stone that was placed on Gayasura's body.

What roles do Shiva's Lingam, Ketaki flower, Sage Bhrigu and Daityas play in Brahmajee not being worshipped?

One of the most intriguing questions pertaining to Hindu mythology is that why Lord Brahma is not worshipped as much as the other two Lords in the holy trinity? Why does Brahma have a handful of temples dedicated to him while Vishnu and Shiva have infinite?

Let’s find out all the legends associated with this ‘mystery’!

1. According to the Shiv Purana, once Brahma and Vishnu had an argument on who was the most powerful amongst the Trimurti. The argument became so heated that the other gods asked Shiva, the third of the triad, to intervene. Shiva assumed the form of a gigantic lingam (the phallic symbol of Shiva). The lingam was of flaming fire and it went up to the heavens and descended into the nether regions underneath the earth. Both Brahma and Vishnu agreed that the one who finds out how enormous the fiery lingam was and where it ended will be considered the most powerful among the Trimurti.

Brahma took the form of a swan and went upwards along the length of the ascending lingam while Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and descended along the lingam into the nether regions.

Both went on and on but neither could reach the ends.

Vishnu, being very clever, realized that he had been outdone by Shiva and came back to acknowledge Shiva as the greatest of the triad.

[caption id="attachment_397" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Ketaki Flower[/caption]

Brahma, on the other hand, decided that he could get past Shiva with trickery. On his ascent to determine the end of the upper part of the lingam, Brahma passed the ketaki flower (Pandanus odorifer). Brahma requested ketaki to testify before Shiva that he had reached the uppermost end to which the flower agreed. When brought before Shiva, the flower told Shiva that he had observed Brahma reach the upper end of the lingam.

Shiva immediately found out about the lie and became very angry. He cursed Brahma with the horror of not ever being worshipped on earth. Also the ketaki flower was cursed with the depressing condition of never ever being used in any Hindu worshiping rituals.

2. According to the Matsya Purana, Shatarupa was known by different names, including Satarupa, Sarasvati, Sandhya or Brahmi.

When Brahma was creating the universe, he made a female deity known as Shatarupa (she of a hundred beautiful forms).

Brahma was immediately infatuated by the goddess's beauty and unable to contain his passion (kaam) pursued her wherever she went. Shatarupa did not want to be associated with carnal desire and moved in various directions to avoid his gaze but wherever she went, Brahma developed another head until he had four, one for each direction of the compass. Desperate, Shatarupa leaped over him to stay out of his gaze even for a moment. A fifth head, however, appeared above the others. Thus, Brahma developed five heads.
At this moment Shiva appeared, cut off the top head and determined that since Shatarupa was Brahma's daughter (being created by him), it was wrong and incestous of Brahma to become obsessed with her. He directed that there be no proper worship in India for the "unholy" Brahma. Thus, only the other two Gods of the Trimurti, Vishnu and Shiva continue to be worshipped, while Brahma is almost totally ignored. Ever since the incident, Brahma has been reciting the four Vedas, one from every mouth, in his attempt at repentance.

Another version of the story describes how all of the animals of all kinds in today's world were born. After Brahma had grown his fifth head Shatarupa had turned into a cow to avoid his lust. When Brahma found out he turned into a bull in order to continue to follow Shatarupa, eventually finding her. She hid in the form of another animal in order to quell his unnatural lust. But, alas, Brahma found out again and incarnated as the appropriate male animal. Again, she hid in the form of another animal. This continued until and Shiva finally ripped off one of Brahma's five heads to put an end to his lust.

[caption id="attachment_400" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sage Bhrigu in Brahma Lok[/caption]

3. Once upon a time many great sages gathered at the bank of river Saraswati to participate in Maha yagya organized at that time. Maharishi Bhrigu was also present there. All the great saints and sages could not decide that out of the Trimurti - Lord Vishnu, Brahma and Shiv who is pre-eminent and to whom should they offer Pradhanta (Master) of that yagya. With the consent of all the great saints present there, it was decided that Maharishi Bhrigu will test and decide who was pre-eminent.

Upon being entrusted with the task Maharishi Bhrigu decided to test Lord Brahma first. He went on to see Lord Brahma in Brahmalok. On reaching Brahmalok Maharishi displayed utter disrespect to Lord Brahma on purpose. Lord Brahma got angry as Bhrigu was his son and wanted to punish Maharishi but Maha Saraswati, wife of Lord Brahma saved Maharishi from his anger (in some versions he himself composed himself to hide the anger). Angry with disrespect and not finding bRahma worth of being ‘Supreme’ Maharishi Bhrigu cursed Lord Brahma that no one will worship Brahma in Kaliyug.

In another version Brahmarshi Bhrigu cursed Brahma because when he went to Brahma to invite him for a Yagna he was deeply immersed in the music played by Saraswati and couldn't hear Bhrigu's calls.

4. According to the Bhavishya Purana certain 'daityas' or demons had begun to worship Brahma and therefore the 'devas' of heaven could not defeat them. In order to mislead the daityas from the worship of Brahma, Vishnu appeared on Earth, as Buddha and Mahavira. With various arguments he convinced the daityas to leave the worship of Brahma. Having left the worship of Brahma, the daityas lost power and were hence defeated.

In the next post we see what was Step 3 for Lord Brahma in the creation of the world.

Brahmajee’s Step 3 – The Prajapatis

After the initial setbacks, Brahma was more than ever determined to create further. This resulted in the following 10 creations from Brahma’s body and mind -

1. Marici - from his mind


2. Atri - from his eyes


3. Angira - from his mouth


4. Pulastya - from his ears


5. Pulaha - from his navel


6. Kratu - from his hand


7. Bhrigu - from his touch


8. Vasistha - from his life-air


9. Daksha - from his thumb


10. Narada - from his lap

All of them are also known as the 'Prajapatis'.

Brahma didn’t stop here and carried on with following creations -

1. Dharma (religion) - from the right side of his breast


2. Adharma (irreligion) - from his back


3. Kaam (lust) - from his heart


4. Krodh (anger) - from his eyebrows


5. Lobh (greed) - from his lower lip


6. Saraswati - from his mouth


7. Samudra (oceans) - from his penis


8. Nir-riti (reservoir of all vices) - from his anus

In addition to all this Kardama Muni manifested from his shadow.

But after all these activities an untoward incident took place and Brahma had to leave his body.

What made Brahma dessert his body and seek penance? And more importantly why is Brahma not worshipped as much Vishnu and Shiva? Why a handful of temples dedicated to Brahma whereas infinite temples and places dedicated to the other two individuals of the Trimurti?

Answer to all these questions in the next post.

Brahma's Step 2 - The Rudras create havoc

Before the Kumaras, Lord Brahma first created the five forms of agyaan (ignorance) :

1)    andhatamisra - the idea that one would die
2)    tamisra - indignation
3)    maha-moha - craving of infatuation
4)    moha - delusion of errors
5)    tamas  - absence of knowledge about one's own engagements

Seeing such a misleading creation as a sinful task, Brahma did not feel much pleasure in his activity, and therefore he purified himself by further meditation. Then he began another term of creation.

This resulted in the creation of the four Kumaras - Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara.

But when these four refused to generate progeny, anger (krodh) was generated in the mind of Brahma.

Although he tried to curb his anger, out of his anger from between his eyebrows instantly a child who was red (for passion) and blue (for ignorance) was born.

The child cried loudly to his ‘father’ and requested him to designate him a name and a place.

“As you were crying out aloud the moment you were born, people will address you with the name Rudra”, Brahma pacified the child by first giving him a name.

“The heart, the senses, the air of life, the sky, the air, the fire, the water, the earth, the sun, the moon and austerity are places for your residence”.

“Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahan, Siva, Ṛtadhvaja, Ugrareta, Bhava, Kala, Vamadeva and Dhrtavrata are your 11 other names”

“Dhi, Dhrti, Rasala, Uma, Niyut, Sarpi, Ila, Ambika, Iravati, Svadha and Diksa are your eleven wives (the Rudranis).”

“You are the master of the living beings. Accept these different names and places and the wives belonging to them and increase the population on a large scale” Brahma asked Rudra.

Rudra generated unlimited sons and grandsons. All of them assembled together and attempted to devour the entire universe. When Brahma saw this he became afraid of the situation and requested Rudra to stop generating living entities of this destructive nature.

He advised his son Rudra to undergo penance which would result in creation of the universe as it was before.

Rudra took leave from his father and started performing austere penances.

Thus the second attempt also didn't yield desired dividends for Brahma.

Lord Brahma's Step 1 – The ‘Four Kumaras’ or the ‘Catursana’

At the beginning of the process of creation, Lord Brahma created the ‘Four Kumaras’ or the ‘Catursana’.

As the Four Kumaras were born from the mind (manas) of Brahma they are referred to as his Manasaputras.

Their names are : Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat Kumara.

When the four Kumaras came into existence, they were all embodiments of pure qualities. They did not have any sign of negative qualities like laziness, sleep etc.

Now Lord Brahma had created these four Kumaras so that they could help in the process of creation.

However, the Kumaras (kumara means unmarried) refused his order to procreate and instead devoted themselves to God and celibacy (brahmacarya).

They requested their father for the boon of remaining perpetually five years old.

The Four Kumaras are mentioned numerous times in the Puranas as well as the Upanisads.

1. According to a verse in the Srimad Bhagavatam (6.3.20-21)

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
dvadasaite vijanimo
dharmam bhagavatam bhatah
guhyam visuddham durbodham
yam jnatvamrtam asnute

Meaning - "Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the Four Kumaras, Lord Kapila, Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada , Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhishma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and I myself know the real religious principle."

2. In the 11th Canto of the Bhagavata Purana Lord Sri Krishna in His conversation with Uddhava declares:

                                                                                        etavan yoga adisto macchisyaih sanakadibhih 

Meaning – "I taught this yoga to my disciples, the four brothers headed by Sanaka."

3. According to a verse in the Padma Puraṇa,

sampradāyavihīnā ye mantrāste niṣphalā matāḥ|
ataḥ kalau bhaviśyanti catvāraḥ sampradāyinaḥ||
Śrī-brahmā-rudra-sanakā vaiṣṇavā kṣitipāvanāḥ|
catvāraste kalau bhāvya hyutkale puruṣottamāt||
rāmānujaṃ śrī svicakre madhvācaryaṃ caturmukhaḥ|
śrīviṣṇusvāminaṃ rudro nimbādityaṃ catuḥsanāḥ||

Meaning - All mantras which have been given (to disciples) not in an authorised Sampradāya are fruitless. Therefore, in Kali Yuga, there will be four bona-fide Sampradāyas. Each of them were ignaugurated by Śrī Devī and known as the Śrī Sampradāya, Lord Brahmā and known as the Brahmā Sampradāya,Lord Rudra and known as the Rudra Sampradāya; and the Four Kumāras and known as Sanakādi Sampradāya. Śrī Devī made Rāmānujācārya the head of that lineage. So too Lord Brahmā appointed Madhvācārya, Lord Rudra appointed Viṣṇusvāmī and the four Kumaras chose Nimbāditya (an epithet for Śrī Nimbārkācārya).

The Nimbarka Sampradaya also known as the Hamsa Sampradaya, Kumara Sampradaya, Catuḥ Sana Sampradaya and Sanakadi Sampradaya, is one of the four ‘authorised’ Vaiṣṇava Sampradāyas.

4. According to a story from the Bhagavata Purana, the Four Kumaras once visited Vaikuntha, the abode of Vishnu, to see him.

Due to the boon from their father Brahma and the strength of their tapas, the Four Kumaras lloked like 5 year olds. Jaya and Vijaya, the gate keepers of the Vaikuntha stopped the Kumaras at the gate, thinking them to be children. They told the Kumaras that Sri Vishnu is resting and that they cannot see him now. The enraged Kumaras cursed both Jaya and Vijaya, that they would have to give up their divinity, be born as mortals on Earth (bhuloka), and live like normal human beings.
This curse was eventually 'diluted' to Jay and Vijaya choosing to be born three times on Earth as enemies of Vishnu. (more on this in another post later)

5.                                                                               Nārāyaṇamukhambhojānmantrastvaṣṭādaśākṣaraḥ|
                                                                                          Āvirbhūtaḥ kumāraistu gṛhītvā nāradāya ca||

This holy eighteen-syllabled mantra known as Śrī Gopāla Mantra was given by Lord Vishnu to the Four Kumaras and was in turn passed to the disciple of the Kumaras, Narada Muni.

This mantra is the Vaidika mantra from the Gopalatapinyupaniṣad of the Atharva Veda.

Narada Muni took initiation from his elder brothers, the Kumaras and their discussions as guru and disciple are recorded in the Upaniṣads with a famous conversation in the Chandogya Upaniṣad.

6. The dialogue between King Prithu and the Four Kumaras found in the Bhagvata Purana in which the Kumaras preached Prithu about devotion to Vishnu is one of the finest writings on bhakti.


Thus we see that the first attempt by Brahma to increase the population on earth failed.

What was his next step?

Find out in the next post.