Naresh: Happy Sankranti, brother!
Suresh: Same to you, Naresh! Do you know Sankranti actually comes every month? Today is one such Sankranti. The one we celebrate grandly is Makara Sankranti.
N: But what exactly does Sankranti mean, brother?
S: When the Sun—or any of the nine planets—moves from one zodiac sign to another, that transition is called Sankranti, Kranthi, or Karthe. Among these, the Sun is the most important for us. When He enters the zodiac sign Makara (Capricorn), the sacred period of Uttarayana begins. That’s why we celebrate this Makara Sankranti as such a major festival.
Now tell me, Naresh—where does the Makara (crocodile) appear in our Puranas?
N: Oh yes! In Gajendra Moksham, the elephant was caught by a crocodile, right?
S: Exactly. Actually, we call it Gajendra Moksham because Lord Vishnu saved the elephant from the crocodile. But think about it—the crocodile also attained liberation! It died at the hands of the Lord Himself, through His Sudarshana Chakra, and was freed from the cycle of birth altogether.
N: True. But when I think about it, something strikes me. Vishnu seems to show partiality towards the crocodile rather than the elephant! After all, the elephant is a jarayuja (born from the womb), while the crocodile is an andaja (born from an egg).
S: So what?
N: That’s exactly it! His vehicle Garuda is andaja. The serpent-bed Adi Sesha is andaja. And He even wears Makara Kundalas (crocodile-shaped earrings)!
S: That doesn’t mean anything. For Him all beings are equal. Samoham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo ’sti na priyah — “I am equally present in all beings. I have no hatred toward anyone, nor special affection toward anyone.” That’s what the Lord Himself says in the Gita.
N: Okay, let’s agree. But then the same Lord says in Bhakti Yoga:
Yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah,
Sa cha me priyah,
Bhaktimaan yah sa me priyah,
Bhaktimaan me priyo narah,
Bhaktah te ’tiva me priyah —
He says again and again: “My devotee is very dear to me!” Isn’t that partiality?
S: That’s the subtle point. Air is everywhere around us, but only when we stand under a fan do we feel it strongly, right? Similarly, the Supreme dwells everywhere equally. But bhaktānaṁ hṛdayāmbhoje viśeṣeṇa prakāśate — He shines especially in the lotus-like hearts of devotees.
To hold on to Him, you must first hold onto devotees.
That is exactly what the crocodile did. That is why it attained liberation.
N: But how? It harmed a devotee, didn’t it?
S: Think once more. Before the Lord arrived, the crocodile and the elephant fought for a thousand years. For the elephant, it was a life-and-death struggle, so it held on. But what need did the crocodile have? If it let go of that elephant, it could always find some other prey.
Just like the elephant, the crocodile probably had its own wife and children. Imagine how many times they might have come and said:
“Why are you so stubborn? For years you’ve been clinging to that elephant’s leg without food or sleep! Let it go and hunt something else!”
Yet the crocodile never gave up its grip.
Sri Babuji Maharaj often said: “Strong, unwavering grip—that is true vairagya (detachment).”
To attain devotion and knowledge, we must first possess this kind of powerful detachment.
That is exactly what this Makara Sankranti teaches us—develop the crocodile-like grip of firm detachment.
N: True, brother! Then tell me, what is the deeper meaning behind Lord Vishnu wearing Makara Kundalas?
S: Lord Vishnu’s birth star is Shravana, which falls under Makara Rashi. So they say He wears Makara Kundalas to symbolize both. But the deeper meaning is this:
“Sannyasya śravaṇaṁ kuryāt” — say the rishis.
When listening (śravaṇam), one must renounce all other distractions. Only with such detachment and firm attention will śravaṇam transform into contemplation (mananam) and then deep meditation (nididhyāsanam).
If you sit in satsang but keep watching people come and go, bite your nails, or get distracted, the teachings never enter your ears—nor your heart.
To convey this truth, the Lord adorns His ears with Makara Kundalas—symbolizing focused, unwavering listening born of detachment.
N: Thank you, brother! You beautifully explained how much firm resolve and detachment—like that of the Makara—are needed for devotion, knowledge, and for spiritual teachings to truly sink in.
Once again, wishes of Makara Sankranti to you and your family! Let us pray that our Guru grants all of us such divine detachment.
