Significance of KUMBHA in the concept of Kumbhamela

What does the term 'Kumbha' signify…

Literally Kumbha means water pot; it signifies a container and water in the pot. In a religious parlance Kumbha is compared with Kalasha which is nothing but Pot (Ghata) containing water with other ingredients. Kalasha (Kumbha) is considered as highly auspicious and sacred symbol in Hindu religion. A Kalasha can generally be one of the following viz. earthen, copper, brass, silver, gold depending on one’s capacity and occasion. 

Kumbha is also an astrological sign Aquarius (Kumbha Raasi) 11^th house in the natural zodiac whose Lord is Saturn.

Traditionally we come across Kalasha being used in all the Hindu religious rituals viz. Nithya Karma; Deva Kaarya (Daily Pooja, Homa, Vratha etc.); Subha Kaarya (Marriage, Gruha Pravesa etc.); Pithru Kaarya. Apart from the above we also come across Kalasha being used on special occasions like while welcoming a distinguished personality (Poorna-Kumbha);

In temple rituals we come across a ceremony called Kumbhabhishekam where, top of the temple tower (sikhara) denoted as Kumbha is given a ceremonial sacred bath with holy waters at the time of consecration and also at periodical intervals. Kalasha sloka that we usually come across indicates the significance and symbolism of Kalasha.

Kalashasya mukhe Vishnu: kanTe rudrassamaasrita:
Mule tatra sthitho brahma madhye matrugana: smruta:
kukshou thu saagara: sarve sapthadveepa vasundhara
Rigvedoatha yajurveda: saama vedo atharvavana:
angaischa sahita ssarve kalashaambu samaasrita:

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कलशस्य मुखे विष्णु,कण्ठे रुद्र समाश्रितः |

मूले तत्र स्थितो ब्राह्मो मध्ये मात्रुगनास्म्रुतः ||

कुक्षौ तु सागरास्सर्वे सप्त द्विपा वसुन्धरा |

ऋग्वेदोऽपि यजुर्वेद: सामवेदो ह्यथवर्णः  ||

अन्गैश्चसहिता सर्वे कलशाम्बुसमाश्रिताः |

Meaning…

Lord Vishnu resides in the mouth of the Kalasha, Rudra in the neck; at the bottom Brahma resides; in the middle are the divine mothers; in the stomach exist all seas and seven islands of this earth; Rig, Yajur, Saama and Atharavana Vedaas with all Vedaangaas are also present in the water.

In a supreme sense, Kumbha signifies cosmic womb that of Lord Vishnu who is Hiranyagarbhah and which is source of origin of the universe from where creation took place. 

Kumbha is one of the several thousand names of Lord Vishnu the reference to which we comes across in who is eulogized as KUMBHAH in Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stothram (sloka #68). He is the one who contains in Himself everything in the universe as water in a pot. Water is another form of Lord Vishnu (Naaraayana) whose abode is water, the one who moves (floats) in the infinite water and is also the water itself. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.

Therefore, concept of Kumbha-Mela is verily the worship of Lord Vishnu the Cosmic Womb (Jgadyoni) and paying our obeisance to the primordial supreme God SriManNaaraayana who is present in all the Rivers and Theerthas as Antharyaami.

Sri Krushnaarpanamasthu