NONSTOP DANCING OF SAGE MANKANAKA AT SAPTASARASVATA TIRTHA

The glory of Saptasarasvata Tirtha and the joyful dancing of Sage Mankanaka

A sage who was nonstop dancing! I discovered one surprising tale of sage Mankanaka on Mankana inside the Shalya Parva of the Mahabharata book. This is also noted in Vana Parva in the course of the Pilgrimage of Pandavas to Saptasarasvata Tirtha. Lord Balarama all through his pilgrimage too visited the identical tirtha close to Sarasvati riverside where Sage Mankanaka used to live before. let us understand the origin of Saptasarasvata Tirtha and what made the sage dance there. Smilarly to that, we will recognize approximately the sage Mankanaka's sons in brief.

Those days, the Sarasvati river was referred to with seven other names in the world such as Suprabha, Kanchanakshi, Vishala, Manorama, Shurenu, Aughavati and Vimoloda. Once an extremely good Yajna of Lord Brahma was being executed at Pushkar. All of the Brahmins were present in that Yajnashala and deities were busy in the accomplishment of the yajna. That Yajna mandapa echoed with amazing Vedic mantras chanted with Punyahavachanam ritual (The process of Purifying ourselves as well as the surroundings). Lord Brahma himself took the Diksha in that Yajna. He fulfilled all people's desires thru that superb yajna. All the sages went close to Lord Brahma and informed him that his Yajna was nevertheless incomplete considering the truth that Sarasvati was not present there. After listening to this, Lord Brahma evoked great Sarasvati there and as a result, Sarasvati immediately flowed there and was named 'Suprabha'. She offered her respect to Lord Brahma. The sages were then thrilled to see holy Sarasvati there.

Many sages who used to keep their mind in Svadhyaya(Self-study and recitation of Vedic and sacred texts) continually, stayed in Nimisharanya and discussed the Vedas with each other. They once remembered Sarasvati there. On the call of the spiritual sages, Sarasvati flowed there and became named 'Kanchanakshi'.

King Gaya once carried out one outstanding yajna in the Gaya kingdom. He used to observe Vedic standards in a strict way. He once brought to his thoughts the wonderful Sarasvati there and she regarded in his Yajna and was named 'Vishala' there.

Sarasvati was also called during the yajna that was being accomplished through Saintly sage Uddalaka once. All the sages gathered at the territory of Uttar Kaushal. Sarasvati flowed there and was worshiped there by way of the sages. On the grounds that she was called there through their mind consequently, she was referred to as 'Manorama'.

While the awesome king Kuru remembered Sarasvati at Kurukshetra all through his yajna, Sarasvati arrived there and was known as 'Shurenu'. Sarasvati additionally was known as Shurenu too after she entered the yajna of Daksha Prajapati near Gangadwara.

Sage Vashistha(one of the seven superb sages known as Saptarishis) once did Yajna in Kurukshetra, in which he evoked Sarasvati. She too moved there in the name of 'Aughavati'.

Lord Brahma once more executed yajna on the Himalayas and Sarasvati entered there as 'Vimoloda'. So this was the origin of the remarkable Saptasarasvata Tirtha for having the Sarasvati River flowed in seven forms collectively.

Sage Mankanaka was born to Vayu God and Sukanya. He practiced celibacy from a young age, used to take bath in the holy Sarasvati river always. One day he observed one stunning female in that water. She was bare and taking bath there. He had an involuntary emission of semen and it fell into the water of Sarasvati. He collected his semen in a pot which separated into seven parts. Seven Mulabhuta Marut sages named Vayuvega, Vayubala, Vayuha, Vayumandala, Vayujvala, Vayuretas and Vayucakra were born from those. (With the aid of these sages' penance, forty-nine Marudganas appeared within the womb of Diti in Kalpantara. These sages all together appear as one in her womb, then got divided into forty-nine immortal beings by way of Indra through his Vajra or thunder weapon.)

One day his thumb got accidentally wounded through the sharp edge of Kusa Grass. Instead, if blood, juice of potherb started to flow from his thumb. At such incident delighted Sage Mankanaka began dancing. Consequently, the entire human beings also started out dancing. After seeing no stop in their dancing, Lord Brahma along with other deities and excellent sages asked Lord Shiva to discover a way out for putting an end to it.

Lord Shiva then took the form of a Brahmin, went close to the sage, and asked him that, "Why are you nonstop dancing? What's the motive behind your amusement? You are a non-secular Ascetic then how come you have now engaged in pleasure? "Sage answered to him that, " Oh Brahmin! do not you see the juice of potherb has started flowing from my thumb? This is why I am dancing out of pleasure."

Mahadev then touched the sage's thumb and wounded it with his little finger. Immediately Ashes started flowing from that would. The sage was ashamed. He could understand that Brahmin was no apart from Lord Shiva himself. He fell at the feet of the god and did his stuti there. After that, the sage requested Lord Shiva that, " Lord! I showed my ego via my frivolousness. I request you to forgive me. I pray you to be thrilled with me now. May additionally my asceticism not be ruined by means of such act." Mahadev became happy with him. He then told to the sage that, "I bless you to acquire asceticism hundred times greater than this. I will usually remain in this asrama alongside you. Whosoever worship me in this Saptasarasvata tirtha, will simply obtain all his desire inside Ihaloka and Paraloka as well and after their loss of life they will no doubt acquire Sarasvat Loka." After saying this, Mahadev then vanished from there.

Ref: Mahabharata book

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