The Mythical Mornings

Rudra Avisek

"Maa. Why do we perform this ritual?"asked a little kid to his mother,as she sat infront of the Shiva lingam,pouring water,milk,curd, turmeric water,kumkum water and honey,one after another on it.

His mother shushed him and continued to chant the Maha Mrityunjay Mantra,performing the ritual.

Soon,they walked back home. Leaving the black Shiva lingam there with peaceful heart.

"When Devas and Asuras started churning Ocean,where Lord Vishnu sleeps,with Amrit came poison. Vasuki,the snake used as rope could not handle it and it's thousands of heads poured out venom in the ocean. As it signifies,the ocean where Lord Vishnu sleeps,He is the one who provides life to us. So if it was poisoned then whole Universe would be poisoned. But no one else could drink it. As Lord Vishnu was the one who maintains balance of life. Lord Brahma is the one who creates. They cannot. So it came to Lord Shiva. The destroyer. He choose to drink it all. The few drops that fell from his palm remains as the vices and venoms of animals. Rest. He drank it all in a gulp. But after drinking it,the venom overwhelmed him. So Devi Parvati took him in her arms to calm him down. She used her palm to keep the poison in his throat. And with her power as Nature,she calmed Lord Shiva with medicines such as Turmeric. And applied Kumkum and other cooling things on his body. So that poison doesnot harm him much. Before that,the worshipers of Shiva used to apply only ashes on him. As they thought he loved it. But the truth was. He is death. After life all that remains is ashes. That is why,He never denied it. But it is said that whoever does Rudra Avisek with pure heart earns goodwill of Devi Parvati and Shiva. From then on,it goes on."the mother explained to the child as they walked back home.

Unknown to them two figures stood behind them. Listening to the tale.

The man looked at the woman with a little smile. A little teasing. Why?

No one knows. Not even the writer..