Mr Ashish Kumar
(It is difficult to comment about young author Mr Ashish Kumar and his mythological/spiritual writing. He has well researched Hindu Philosophy, Science and quest of success beyond the material realms. I am really mesmerized. I am sure you will be also amazed. We are pleased to begin a series on excerpts from his well acclaimed book “Samudramanthanam” . According to Mr Ashish “Samudramanthanam is less explained and explored till date. I have tried to give broad way of this one of the most important chapter of Hindu mythology. I have read many scriptures and take references from many temples and folk stories, to present the all possible aspects of portrait of Samudramanthanam.” Now our distinguished readers will be able to read this series on every Saturday.)
Amazon Link – Samudramanthanam
☆ Weekly Column – Samudramanthanam – 6 Hurdles and failed attempts ☆
Vasuki roles itself around mount Mandara and then slide his mouth side up in the sky. He makes seven turns around mount Mandara. And start sliding his body over it. From this sliding many new types of herbs start nurturing from the skin of mount Mandara which was the combine effect of Vasuki venom and minerals of mountain surface.
Vauski has made a bend shape from his hood side so that Asuras can easily hold him and his mouth remains open towards sky.
As Indra and other Sura approach towards tail side of Vasuki, they saw many birds start falling from sky and die.
Narada said, “Narayana, Narayana, these birds are dying because now venom of Vasuki is going towards sky with the flow of air. King of Devta Indra now you can only help. You throw your vajra in the sky and other god will create clouds over Vasuki mouth. When your vajra will collide with those clouds soon rain start falling and essence of Vasuki venom fall down here in this ‘Kshirasāgara’”
Indra and other demigods start doing same and rain mixed with poison start falling in ‘Kshirasāgara’. It was rain which keep falling for two years.
After around two years when all the venom of Vasuki was left his body and mixed in ocean of ‘Kshir’ Sura and Asura are ready to do churning of great ocean.
Sura are holding tail side of Vasuki and Asura the mouth side. They start pushing and pulling of Vasuki body. First Asura pull Vasuki body towards them and Sura push it away from them but before completing the first round of push and pull, mount Mandara slide at the base of ‘Kshirasāgara’ because of it the body of Vasuki start slipping over mount Mandara surface, which create heave jerk on the body of Vasuki and it start going away from center from Asura side where it was surrounding on mount Mandara and suddenly come close to mount Mandara and Sura king ‘Indra’ collide with Mandara surface with great force. Crown of Indra fall down in ‘Kshirasāgara’. Which then reappear as the wild ocean plant called ‘Indrajaal’.
At the other end Bali fall over ‘Kshirasāgara’, but many other Asuras start flaying away with great force from that location and then some fall over Himalayas other on ground and lost their life.
Then Lord Brahma said, “we have forgotten to make base over which mount Mandara can be fixed because base of ‘Kshirasāgara’ is very wild and not gentle”
Soon a light blink on space and Lord Vishnu appear.
All do salute to Lord Vishnu. Then Lord Vishnu says, “base is required to hold anything strongly. I will be going to incarnate as a kashyap or tortoise, who contains strongest back in nature. Then mount Mandara need to fix his bottom over my tortoise incarnation back and it will keep holding the mount Mandara even at the time of heavy movement during churning of ‘Kshirasāgara’.
Soon a light emerges from the body of Lord Vishnu and a shape of tortillas start appearing from that light.
All Sura and Asura surround tortoise, and mount Mandara base kept over tortoise back. Just for test Naga ‘Vasuki’ loop around mount Mandara and gives a quick jerk but as this jerk reaches at the bottom of mount Mandara soon its balance disturbed and it slide towards one end and fall in ‘Kshirasāgara’.
Again, all are silence and thinking, how to fixed mount Mandara on the back of Lord Vishnu’s tortoise incarnation.
Sage kashyapa says, “the back of this Vishnu tortoise is very flat and slippery. So, we have to make it rough so that mount Mandara back can fixed over it strongly.
Saptrishi join there and makes seven holy patters and symbols over the back of tortoise. One by each rishi.
So finally, all things are perfect to start churning of ‘Kshirasāgara’.
© Ashish Kumar
New Delhi
≈ Blog Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM ≈
