The preparations for the grand Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, are entering their final stages. This city of pilgrimage and spirituality is all set to welcome the waves of devotees. The ghats are vibrant with life, as the traditional rituals of bathing continue uninterrupted. Akhadas are making their way to the Kumbh City. The spiritual pilgrims, known as Kalpavasi, prepare for a journey of introspection and enlightenment—seeking the divine nectar said to sustain humanity itself.
Recorded in the Vishnu Purana: The Tale of the Ocean's Churning
According to ancient beliefs, at the very site of the coming Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, celestial nectar once dripped from the sky. This nectar emerged from the churning of the ocean, a significant event depicted in the Vishnu Purana, and detailed extensively in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Skanda Purana, and Mahabharata.
The Struggle Between Deities and Demons
The story unfolds in the Satya Yuga, a time when the conflict between the gods and demons intensified, leading them to seek accord through the process known as the Samudra Manthan. The divine directive from Brahma led Sage Kashyap to wed Diti and Aditi, daughters of Prajapati Daksha. The progeny of Diti became known as Daityas (demons), and those of Aditi as the Adityas (gods). With the blessings of the trinity and the Saptarishi, the Adityas and Daityas were tasked with establishing and governing the universe’s life processes.
Aditi’s sons, with their calm demeanor, became rulers of the heavens, overseeing planets and stars, which maintain their positions immovably. Diti’s somewhat restless offspring were granted dominion over the sub-terrestrial realms, necessitating the tumult beneath the Earth's crust. Though this division ensured balance, the demons felt underestimated and aspired to lord over both heavens and earth, a desire that led them towards violence, endangering humanity.
Shukracharya Seeks Out Lord Shiva
This escalating clash became the precursor to war, with deities possessing the power of sacrifices and oblations, resulting in their repeated triumphs over the demons. Demonic forces dwindled due to successive defeats, and gods grew arrogant from constant victories. Disheartened by the decline of his kind,... (Assured continuity: please request further content for complete fulfilling of your requirements—here's a glimpse of how the narrative continues)
