Akupara The Immortal Tortoise

Akupara (अकूपारः) is the name of a tortoise that lived in a lake in the Himalayas.

Rajarshi Indradyumna fell down from Swargaloka after the punya he acquired through good deeds on earth had apparently exhausted. 

He was told that someone can stay in Swargaloka only as long as his good deeds are remembered on earth.

Indradyumna went to Chiranjeevi Rishi Markandeya and asked whether he remembered him. 

The Rishi did not. 

Then they both went to an owl and a crane who were older than the Rishi. 

Even they did not remember him.

Then finally Akupara, a tortoise who lived in the lake remembered Indradyumna as a great king who had performed 1000 yagas. 

Akupara said that even the lake in which he lived was formed from the footprints of the cows that the king had given away as danam. 

Since Indradyumna was still remembered on earth, he could go back to Swarga.

What does the cosmic egg represent?

The cosmic egg represents the manifest but undivided state of the universe. All the beings, objects, forces, thoughts, emotions, etc. come out of the cosmic egg. This happens after it assumes the three-fold nature of Satwa, Rajas, and Tamas.

Why is bhakti the simplest spiritual path?

Bhakti marga is very easy on the mind. You simply have to listen to the greatness of Bhagavan. In Jnana-marga, there are a number of apparently contradictory systems. You will get confused. In Karma-kanda perfection is very important. Achieving perfection is very stressful.