To spread the original, universal and eternal truth, path or law of yoga, which remains forever the same in essence, yet always adapts to the time and place.
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To spread the original, universal and eternal truth, path or law of yoga, which remains forever the same in essence, yet always adapts to the time and place. |
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This geographical sequence is coordinated with the astrological relationship of Jupiter to Pisces and Aquarius. The Kumbh Mela is an ancient Indian festival of the holy ones and is alluded to in the epic Mahabharata. The name Kumbh Mela itself means "assembly of the water pot," and relates to the ancient story of the churning of the ocean that provides the origin for the unique festival of the Kumbh Mela.
The Kumbh Mela festival originates from the story of the churning of the ocean :
A
long time ago the gods and demons made a concerted effort
to churn the ocean to extract its elixir, the amrit or the
water of life. They both desired immortality, which only the
water of life could bestow. First they extracted 12 precious
objects, then the divine medicine man, Dhanwantari,
emerged from the ocean with a pot of amrit, or nectar.
Somebody had to distribute the amrit equally among gods and demons, so Vishnu assumed the form of Mohini, a beautiful woman, and through sleight of hand, she gave the demons varuni, or liquor, while the gods got the amrit. The demons, however, caught on to the deception and grabbed the amrit kumbh, or pot of elixir.
During
the quarrel, some drops of the elixir fell on the earth.
Jayant, the son of Indra,
removed the pot from the quarreling gods and demons
and ran away with it. He rested at four places in India,
where he set down the pitcher, drank a little, and let
a few drops of nectar spill to the ground. Where these
drops landed became the four sacred sites of Kumbha
Mela, but where the earlier drops fell on the earth,
from the jostling of the pitcher, became the precious
gem mines.
Another story relates how Garuda, the sacred mount of Vishnu, spilled the amrit four times at the four places where the Kumbh Mela festival is now held. His journey took 12 days, equalling 12 years for mortals.
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These images of the Kumbh Mela of 2001 in Allahabad were provided selflessly by Greg (Grzegorz) Bywalec from Poland. He has many more images. Anybody who is interested might contact him at gbywalec@poczta.onet.pl.
To Quote Greg : "The atmosphere of the last Kumbh Mela in Allahabad was really great and I will try to participate in all Kumbh Melas all over my life."
Sanatan Society is an international networking association of students of the late Harish Johari, joining efforts to promote his teachings of yoga philosophy, tantra, worship, art and love. Sanatan Society stands
for the original, universal and eternal truth, path or law of yoga.
Though it is Hindu in origin, Sanatan Society is not limited to any religion,
race, time or country, nor in fact to any particular organisation. More about Sanatan Society...
