Mahakumbh 2025: Kumbh is the result of a curse, not a boon... You may not know this story hidden in the Puranas

Preparations for Mahakumbh 2025 are in full swing in Prayagraj. The holy city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh is once again getting ready to organize the Mahakumbh. This time it is estimated that more than 40 crore devotees will reach the Mahakumbh to take a bath. This Mahakumbh will be inaugurated from Paush Purnima, and devotees will take a dip in the Sangam on this occasion. This tradition and event is considered one of the most sacred occasions of Hinduism, but there is an interesting and mysterious story hidden behind it, which very few people know.

The result of the search for Amrit
The organization of Mahakumbh is known as an attempt to obtain nectar, but the whole story behind it is very interesting and amazing. This event took place due to a curse that fell on the gods. The holy bath of Mahakumbh that we take part in today is actually the result of an ancient curse. The curse that the gods had received had put the entire humanity in trouble. But with time the same curse became a boon for humanity. This story is described in detail in Skanda Purana.

A state of happiness and peace in heaven

It is described in Skanda Purana that the capital of heaven, Amaravati, was completely happy. The gods had fought with the demons for many years and now they did not have any kind of enemy. They were immersed in peace and happiness. There was happiness everywhere in heaven. There was an atmosphere of joy in every direction in the life of the gods. Gandharvas used to get lost in the music of heaven instead of listening to the songs of their taans. Seeing all this, the gods had gone away from their responsibilities and were immersed only in joy and pleasure. Especially Indradev, who was the ruler of heaven, was lost in his opulence.

The pride of Devraj Indra and the arrival of Rishi Durvasa

Indradev had become so proud of his victory and opulence that he forgot his responsibilities. Devaguru Brihaspati was worried about this situation, but he did not advise Indradev. Then Rishi Durvasa decided to warn Indra in front of the gods. Rishi Durvasa, who was famous for his short temper, headed towards Devlok to convince the Devas. On the way, he met Devrishi Narada. Narada Muni had a wonderful Baijayanti garland, whose fragrance spread in all the three worlds and which mesmerized the wearer. Narada presented that garland to Rishi Durvasa.

Insult of Rishi Durvasa

Rishi Durvasa thought that if Indradev did not listen to him, he could force him to listen to him by presenting this divine garland. Rishi Durvasa reached heaven, but he clearly felt Indradev's pride and arrogance. When he reached the assembly, Indradev bowed to him as a formality, but did not welcome the garland. Then, Indradev insulted that garland and put it around the neck of Airavat elephant, and Airavat trampled it under his feet. Seeing this, Sage Durvasa got very angry and cursed the gods.

Effect of curse and downfall of the gods

Sage Durvasa got angry and said, "All the victory and wealth that you have been proud of will be taken away from you. This Lakshmi of yours will also go away from you." Due to the curse of Maharishi Durvasa, all the wealth of Indradev ended and Goddess Lakshmi disappeared from the world. Without her, there was poverty in heaven and chaos and poverty spread in all the three worlds. This gave the demons an opportunity to attack the gods and they were defeated in the war.

Samudra Manthan: Obtaining Amrit

Now the gods were disappointed and they approached Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu told them the solution to churn the ocean, through which Amrit could be obtained. The gods started churning the ocean and Amrit was obtained from this churning. During the struggle for this Amrit, it fell at four places – Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. Due to the falling of Amrit at these places, Kumbh Mela is organized there, and this is the reason why Mahakumbh is organized in Prayagraj.

What is the importance and message of Mahakumbh

The main objective of organizing Mahakumbh is to make humanity attain virtue and give religious, moral education. This event teaches us not to forget our duties and never become arrogant, because it does not take long for time to change. Organizing Mahakumbh is not just a religious act, but it is a cultural and historical heritage, which provides a deep understanding of Indian culture and civilization. Mahakumbh was organized due to a curse, but this curse eventually became a boon for humanity. Bathing in Mahakumbh not only gives virtue, but it also teaches us the importance of religion, ethics, and morality.