Kumbhamela , the Largest Religious Congregation on
Earth
(Compilation
for a Discourse by N.R.Srinivasan,
Nashville TN, August 2015)
Kumbha means pitcher and Mela means
Fair. Vedas too speak of Kumbha –Satam kumbah asinchitam sooryah. (Thousands of pots cannot wet the
Sun). When the Asuras and the Devas
churned the milky ocean, Lord Vishnu appeared bearing the pot of nectar which
blessed all with ever- lasting life. Thus the Kumbha or Kalasa also symbolizes immortality.
Before Brahma the Creator and the creation came into being, Lord Vishnu was
reclining on Adisesha on the Milky Ocean. From his navel emerged a lotus from
which appeared Brahma and started his creation.
The water in Khumba in Hindu
Worships symbolizes the primordial water from which the entire creation
emerged. Hindus start all worship establishing a Kumbha filled with water and
invoking Sapata Sindhus or Seven Holy river spirits. We need each pot for each
step to Vaikuntha. We have to ascend seven steps to reach Vaikuntha. When egoistic four sages climbed six steps
and cursed Madhu Kaitabhas Lord did not want them to climb the seven steps and
reach Vaikuntha and Him. He came down and appeased them. Thus even for such
great rishis it was not easy to reach Vaikuntha till they wiped out their
traces of ego. Kumbha worship in our
rituals is microform of worship. Kumbhamela is the Macroform of that worship
with the participation of all humanity on an auspicious day and time, the
Greatest Show on Earth of Devotion and Dedication.
Kumbha Mela is the biggest
religious festival in the world which attracted more than 80 million people in
2013 in which Hindus gathered to bathe
in sacred rivers during the Mahaa Kumbha Mela held
once in in 144 years in
Prayag (allhabad). Kumbhamela is held every third year at one of the four
places by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayaga), Nashik and Ujjain. Thus the Kumbamela
is held at each of these four places every twelfth year. Ardha
("Half") Kumbhmela is held at only two places, Haridwar and
Allahabad, every sixth year. The five
sacred rivers of Kumbhamela are : 1) the Ganges (Ganga) at
Haridwar 2) the confluence of the
Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Sarasvati at Allahabad 3) the Godavari at Nashik, and 4) the Kshipra at Ujjain.
The Ardha Kumbhamela is
celebrated on the most auspicious day
of the festival of Makar Sankranti, every six years at Haridwar and Allahabad,
while the Purna (complete) Kumbhamela always takes place at Allahabad every twelve
years.
The Maha Kumbhamela ('Great'
Kumbhamela) which comes after twelve “Purna Kumbhamelas” that is after every
144 years is also held at Prayag (Allahabad).
The 2013 Maha Kumbhamela was
attended by around 80 million people, making it the largest gathering anywhere
in the world.
Kumbhamela is one of the hallowed festivals of India and is organized on a
grand scale with all pomp and show with Bhajans and Kirtans attracting sadhus
and half naked Fakirs. According to the scholars, it is believed that
when Gods and demons were having fight over the nectar then Lord Vishnu flew
away with the pot of nectar spilling drops of nectar at four different places;
where we celebrate Kumbhamelas; those places were Hardwar, Nashik, Ujjain and
Prayag.
The celebration of Kumbhmela depends on the position of Jupiter
(Brihaspati) and the sun. When the Sun is in Aries (Mesh Rashi) and Jupiter in
Aquarius, it is celebrated in Haridwar. When Jupiter is in Taurus (Vrishabha
Rashi) and the Sun is in Capricorn (Makar Rashi), then Kumbhmela is
celebrated at Prayag. Kumbhamela is celebrated in Ujjain when
Jupiter and the Sun are in Scorpio (Vrishchik Rashi). When the
Jupiter and the sun fall on the zodiac sign, Leo; then Kumbh Mela is celebrated
at Tryambakeshwar in Nashik.
I often wonder why this Kumbhamela should be observed on
different dates if it is based on same mythological significance! Our
Panchangams (almanacs) always differ in the celebration of festivals causing
dispute and doubt in believers. Kumbhamela at various places is no exception.
However celebrating Kumbhamela at different places on different days and
time seems to be logical because it took Mohini time to travel to
these places and she had to oblige people who were wonder stuck with her
voluptuous beauty. I wonder why she forgot Kerala where Mohini ultimately
got settled with Siva and had Hariharputra (Aiyappan) as her son who
settled the Siva-Vishnu conflict. Was her pot empty as she entered Kerala or
she had to wait for Parasurama to retrieve the land from sea? Kerala does
not celebrate Kumbhamela!
The pilgrimage is held for about one
and a half months at each of these four places: it is believed in Hinduism that
drops of nectar fell from the pitcher carried by Vishnu after the sea was
churned with the help of mountain Manthara and the rope Vasuki, the cosmic
serpent. Bathing in these rivers is
thought to cleanse a person of all sins. The festival is identified as the
"world’s largest congregation of religious pilgrimages". There is no precise
method of ascertaining the number of pilgrims, and the estimates of the number
of pilgrims bathing on the most auspicious day may vary. Approximately 80
million people were estimated to attend on 14 February 2013.
The rivers are the life-line of a
country. Vedic people in India always
looked upon its rivers not as just physical or natural resource but as
divinities, goddess of prosperity. They often
expressed their devotion and gratitude to these life-sustaining and purifying
rivers by proper invocation. They prayed meditating on the mantra aapo vaa idam sarvam; tad Brahma – Verily it is all water and that is Brahman. Their descendants even
when they emigrated from the banks of those rivers prayed to the river
goddesses present in any water which they used for their daily needs and
worship. With the simplicity of a guileless child they prayed to those liquid
divinities to be present in their own bodies through the connection of water
they used. Their thoughts were focused on merger of the Self with the Supreme. No
Hindu religious act can be ceremonially complete without invoking seven water
spirits called Sapta Sindhus in some form or other. Sindhu (Nadi in Sanskrit)
is a generic name meaning river in Sanskrit.
For many a Hindu a bath in Ganges is life time’s ambition. A few drops
of its water poured into a dying person will remove all sins. Immersion of the
ashes of a dead person’s body in it will give him liberation. A religious Hindu always keeps a sealed
pitcher (Kumbha) of Ganges water wherever he lives and in any part of the globe
to administer the sacred water to the dying person.
The major event of the festival is the holy
dip at the auspicious time on the Kumbhamela
day in the river or rivers, in whichever town Kumbhmela is being held: Ganga in Haridwar, Godavari in Nashik, Kshipra in Ujjain and Sangam (confluence of
Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Sarasvati) in Prayag. Nashik on the banks of River Godavari
attracts also maximum crowd as in
Prayag.
We are all familiar with the story of
Ganges descending from heaven due to the efforts of Bhagiratha. Ganges is also called Bhaagirathi, the
daughter of Bahgiratha. In Bhagavadgita Lord Krishna identifies himself with
Ganga amongst all rivers.
Godavari has not been mentioned in
Vedic literature. Gautami and Vriddhaangana are two other names for it.
Brahmapurana says Godavari is Ganga to the south of the Vindhya Mountains and
is called Gautami. The legend goes that
the sage Gautma brought this river from the Ganga resting on the matted locks
of Siva to this Earth, near Brahmagiri. At
his request Siva also agreed to stay near his hermitage. He became the famous Tryambakesvara. Rama
lived in Panchavati on the bank of the River Godavari from where Sita was abducted. It is here Lakshmana cut the nose of Surpanaka
the sister of Ravana. Nashik inherits its name based on this Puranic incidence.
Ujjain is located on the banks of the
sacred River Kshipra or Sipra. It is
famous for Mahaakaala Temple—one of the Jyotirlingas and as the fourth place
where the Kumbhamela festival is held
once in twelve years. Lord Siva emerged out of earth here, killed the demon
Dushana and agreed to stay there itself.
Yamuna is the most celebrated river after
Ganga in Rigveda. Yamuna is the
presiding Goddess of this river. She is the daughter of Soorya and Sanjanaa devi.
Yama the God of death is her twin brother. Thus she is glorified in Puranas. It
is the famous river associated with Lord Krishna where
he spent his boyhood days with milkmaids (Gopis).
Sarasvati was the mighty river celebrated
in Rigveda that flowed from the Himalayas into the ocean almost parallel to later called Sindhu or the Indus River. It
might have been the life-line of the people up to 3000 B.C.E. Severe tectonic disturbances might have contributed
to its gradual disappearance by 2200 B.C.E.,
into a desert. The modern Rivers
Sarasavati and Ghaggar in Himachal
Pradesh may be the remnants of the ancient Sarasvati. It is
believed that the Sarasvati exists only on the ethereal or spiritual plane and
is not visible to the human eye. This holy river is mentioned many times in
Puranas also such as the Mahabharata and is said to be present at Allahabad
where it joins the Yamuna and the Ganges.
Ganges, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Godavari and
Kshipra are the celebrated rivers of Kumbhamela considered holy for taking a
dip on the prescribed day and time to wash off all sins and attain salvation.
According to Hindu belief even their seeing [Vesyaastreee (Ganga) darsanam punyam—Kalidasa] brings merits (punya) to one’s life. Other activities include religious
discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the
poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardized.
Kumbhamela is the most sacred of all the pilgrimages.
Thousands of holy men and women attend, and the auspiciousness of the
festival is in part attributable to this. The sadhus are seen clad in
saffron sheets and smeared with Vibhuti ashes (holy ash)
all over the skin in the body as per the requirements of ancient traditions.
Some, called Naga (probably comes from Hindi word nanga) saints may not wear any
clothes even in severe winter. The right to be Naga, or naked, is considered a
sign of separation from the material world with the belief Spiritual world does
not care about physical body. Digambara Jain
philosophy also supports this.
We do not know when Kumbhamela celebration
started in India. The earliest evidence
of the Kumbhamela celebration can be found in the accounts of Chinese traveler,
Hiuen Tsang or Xuanzang (602--664 A.D.) who visited India in 629 -645 CE,
during the reign of King Harshavardhana. During the 1954 Kumbhamela stampede at
Allahabad, around 500 people were killed, and scores were injured. Mass
stampede and loss of several lives is a regular feature in all these
Kumbhamelas as all people rush at the same sacred time to take a dip. People who die are believed to reach heaven
earlier than others! The confluence of India's three most sacred rivers at
Allahabad is called Triveni Sangam. The
combined sanctity of the three holy rivers, coupled with the spiritual powers
obtained from the pot of nectar of immortality, has earned Allahabad the title
of Tirtharaja (king of Pilgrim center) among all Tirthayatra places or pilgrim
centers. Every Pilgrim Center in
India is associated with a Tirtha or sacred water source and holy
pilgrimage is called Tirthayatra.
According to Paramahansa
Yogananda in his work the Autobiography of a Yogi, it was during
the Kumbh Mela in January 1894 at Prayag that his Guru Sri Yukteswar met Mahavatar Babaji for the first
time.
Sankara, the prominent Indian
saint-philosopher, popularized the Kumbha- mela among the common people, and
boosted the attendance which grew to great proportions. Sankara promoted the
concept of special importance to the opportunity of associating with saintly
persons (satsang) while at Kumbha Mela. Paying obeisance (Pranam) to saints, hearing
to their Harikathaa Kalakshepams (holy story rendering of scriptures) from
saints (sravanam) is considered as sacred as bathing (Snanam) during these
celebrations.
Kumbhamela is
celebrated at Tryambakeshwarin Nasik which is in Maharashtra. Tryambakeshwar
is a holy town of Nashik where Tryambakeshwar Jyotirlinga temple is situated,
one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and is known as Sinhasta.
According to mythological stories and verses of epics the drops of Amrita or
nectar fell at the Godavari River in Nashik when Lord Vishnu flew from Earth to Heaven after Samudra Mathana. That is the reason why the place is
considered sacred and is of great importance among Hindus. Thousands of
sadhus, holy men and Millions of pilgrims take dips in the holy
River Godavari on the specific date and at specific time in the two bathing Ghats
of Ramkund and Kushavarta. It is
customary to chant Nadisthuti during bath as given in MNU and the later
introduced sloka directing them to Sapta
Sindhus whose names are not clearly mentioned in Vedas. This sloka is chanted by those who take dip in the river seeking
salvation:
Gange cha yamune chaiva
Godaavari Saraswatee | Narmade Sindhu Kaveree jale-asmin sannidhim kuru ||
[Oh waters of Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada
and River Cauvery please make your holy
presence in these waters!]
Evidently this is not a Vedic Mantra but a prayer introduced by Aagamas
or religious authorities.] Sastras say
one can take a dip
in Godavari sitting at home without a visit to Nashik with this Mantra. You
have to find out right date and time.
Nadisthuti
in Rigveda contains following mantra in which unfortunately the River Sindhu as
mentioned in the hymn above.
Imam may Gange Yamune Saraswati Sutudri Stoma(ga)m sachataa
Parushniyaa |
Asakniyaa Marudvridhe
Vitastaya-Arjakeeye srinuhyaa Sushomayaa ||
Oh Ganga, Oh Yamuna, oh Sarasvati, Oh Sutudri, Oh Marudvridhaa, Oh Aarjakeeyaa come
together and listen to this hymn of mine along with Parusni, Asakni, Vitasta
and Sushoma. [With simplicity of a guileless child they prayed to these liquid
divinities to be present in their own bodies through their daily needs of
worship.]
Students of Indian history find in Vedas (MNU) ten names of these
sacred rivers on the banks of which Rigvedic period people settled at a very
remote period. Evidently they seemed to
have just crossed present day Indus which they called just a male river but moved
away from it to the banks of its tributaries to settle down. Scholars identify Sushomaa with Sohan,
Vitastaa with Jhelum, Asakni with Chinab, Marudvridhaa with Maruwaardwaan,
Parusni with Rabi and Sutudri with Sutlej. This Sarasvati may be the namesake
river near Badrinath which is called even today so. It is strange there is no
mention of Sindhu or Indus River as such in the Mantra. The modern namesake Sarasavati and
Ghaggar Rivers in Himachal Pradesh may be the remnants of the ancient Sarasvati. It is
however strongly believed that the Sarasvati exists only on the ethereal or
spiritual plane and is not visible to the human eye. This holy river is
mentioned many times in Puranas also such as the Mahabharata and is said to be
present at Allahabad where it joins the Yamuna and the Ganges. It was there in the minds of Rishis of the Sarasvati Valley even before they had discovered them.
Nashik Kumbh Mela Dates: As Kumbhamela
is celebrated in every twelve years in Nashik; last time it was celebrated in
2003, which resulted into an incredible festive season for the people of
Maharashtra in particular and people of India in general. People get away from their routine schedules
and experience spiritual ecstasy during Kumbhamela days. This year
Kumbhamela will be held in Nashik from July 14 to September 25 in 2015.
Nashik Kumbhmela Schedule of Events in 2015
·
14th July 2015 (Tuesday): Flag hoisting of
the main ceremony at Ram Kunda
·
14th August 2015
(Friday): Flag hoisting of the Akhara at Sadhugram
·
26th August 2015 (Wednesday): Shravan
Shudha- First Holy Dip
·
29th August 2015 (Saturday): Shravan
Purnima - First Shahi Snaanam at Ram Kund
·
13th September 2015 (Sunday): Bhadrapad
Amavasya - Second Shahi Snaanam / Main bathing date
·
18th September 2015 (Friday): Bhadrapad
Shukla Panchmi (Rushipanchami) - Third Shahi Snana
·
25th September 2015 (Friday): Bhadrapad
Shukla Dwadashi - Vaman Dwadashi Snan
APPENDIX
Is Kumbhamela purely a North Indian River Festival ?
Kumbhamela ritual is not peculiar to North Indian Rivers alone. Sayana traslates Sindhu as not only rivers but any water source like ponds, wells, tanks and lakes. Vedas are called saras or lakes. Maasimaham is an annual event that occurs in the Tamil month of Maasi (February–March) during the star (Nakshatram) of Magam. Once in twelve years, when the planet Guru (Jupiter) enters Simha (Leo) sign, the Kumbhamela festival of South India is celebrated at Mahaamaham tank. Vast crowds gather at Kumbakonam to have a dip in the tank, along with saints and philosophers. All the rivers of India (particularly Sapta Sindhus) are believed to meet at the tank on this day and a purification bath at this tank on this day is considered equal to the combined dips in all the holy rivers of India. Processional mobile deities from all the temples in Kumbakonam arrive at the tank and at noon, all the deities bathe along with the devotees - it is called "Theerthavari". The purification bath after that of deities is believed to remove all sins and after the dip, pilgrims offer charitable gifts in the hope of being rewarded in the current life and subsequent lives. The temple cars of major temples in Kumbakonam come around the city on the festival night. During the Mahamaham of 1992, the number of devotees reached 1 million.
All you wanted
to know about the Kumbha Mela
- By Prabuddha Bharata
Kumbha Mela of great antiquity will be held at
Prayag [Allahabad] next month. Here is a bird’s-eye view of the significance of
the event in question-and-answer form. Questions answered are what is Kumbha
Mela, what is the tradition behind it, what is its significance according to
astrology, what do we gain by being part of it, what was Sankara's contribution
to this Mela, what are the different orders of monks that take part, what is
the importance of Prayag, what is Triveni Sangama, how many Avatars have
visited Prayag.
What is Kumbha Mela?
Mela in Sanskrit means a congregation or
gathering: people from different places assemble at a certain place on some
special occasion for some special purpose, and such an assembly is a Mela.
Melah means an astrological congregation or influence of planets. Kumbha generally
means a sacred vessel or pot-in this case one containing nectar. So Kumbha Mela
very broadly means a religious gathering at a holy place, connected with the
nectarine pot bestowing immortality, at a special time.
What is the tradition behind Kumbha Mela?
What exactly is the meaning of Kumbha Mela? We
all know about the famous Puranic story of the churning of the ocean. Bhagavata
(8.5-11) describes this it in the Raivata Manvantara, when the gods (Devas)
incurred a curse from sage Durvasa and became extremely weak; they suffered
terribly at the hands of the villainous demons (Asuras). So the Lord incarnated
on the earth as Ajita and decided to make the gods immortal. To make the gods
immortal, however, the celestial nectar of immortality (amrta) had to be
churned out of the depths of the ocean of milk (ksira-sagara). So He arranged
for the churning of the milky ocean in which, according to mutual consent, both
the gods and the demons participated. Mount Mandara became the churning rod
‘churning rod’ and the snake-king Vasuki became the ‘rope’ after great effort
the doctor of the heavens Dhanvantari finally brought amrta in a golden pot
(kumbha). According to Bhagavata it was the Asuras, and according to other
Puranas it was the Devas, who took away the sacred pot of immortality to drink
it themselves. In the course of carrying it, they placed the pot at four
places: Prayag, Hardwar, Ujjain and Nasik. These places thus became sacred
because, like the Malaya breeze transforming all trees into sandal wood trees,
the touch of the sacred pot made them holy.
The other version of the story is that Indra’s
son Jayanta took the pot away and carried it to the gods in heaven. It took
twelve days for him to reach heaven, and on the way he placed the sacred vessel
at the four places mentioned above, and they became places bestowing
immortality.
Therefore bathing in any of these four holy
places purifies the soul of all its impurities and makes one immortal. India is
a sacred land and, legends or no legends, its soil, waters, and the air it
self, are all holy.
What is the significance of Kumbha
Mela according to astrology?
The other very important significance of
Kumbha Mela is from the astrological point of view. Here again we have two
slightly variant versions. The first one (in the case of Prayag) is that in the
month of Pausa, when the sun and moon enter the Zodiac Capricorn (makara rasi),
and when Brhaspati enters the zodiac Scorpio (vrscika rasi), a unique stellar
combination takes place-the sun and moon together at the auspicious sign of
Makara and the guru of the gods at vrscika- and this sacred period is called
Kumnha Yoga or Puskara Yoga. The second version according to astrological
viewpoint is from the Skanda Purana:
Makarastho
yada bhanus
tada deva-gurur-yadi;
Purnimayam bhanuvare
ganga-puskara iritah.
Ganga-dvare prayage ca
koti-surya-grahaih samah.
tada deva-gurur-yadi;
Purnimayam bhanuvare
ganga-puskara iritah.
Ganga-dvare prayage ca
koti-surya-grahaih samah.
‘When both Sun and Brhaspati (guru) unite at
the Capricorn (makara) zodiac on a Sunday which is a full-moon day, the holy
river Ganga becomes puskara (nectarine) at two places on such a grand occasion:
Prayag and Hardawar. And such an extraordinary
celestial co-incidence is so sacred that it is equal to ten million solar
eclipses.’
We know that to the Hindus, celestial
occurrences like the solar eclipses are occasions for intense spiritual
practice, when bathing in sacred rivers and performing puja, japa, meditation,
etc, are considered extremely meritorious. And when a rare occasion arises once
in twelve years, which is equal to a million solar eclipses, one can imagine
how sacred it could be.
Is there any other version about the origin of
Kumbha Mela? In a beautiful article written 71 year ago in Visvavani (Bengali,
Magh 1336), Brahmachari Akshaya Chaitanya says: I believe that when Brhaspati
enters the Aquariuls zodiac (kumbha rasi), Kumbha Mela is held at Hardwar.
The same name is given to festivals held at
other three places also.’ This argument, however, doesn’t appear convincing. In
Sacred Shrines and Cities (G Natesan and Co, 1940),it is said: Once a year,
when the sun enters the sign of Kumbha there is a big festival called Mahamela
which attracts numerous worshippers. Once in twelve years there is Kumbhamela…’
In one another version, Kumbha Mela is considered a fertility festival (see
Encyclopedia Britannica, 1973). Informer time’s pots containing grains were
dipped into the holy rivers to increase their fertility during the occasion.
Considering all these points, we may define
Kumbha Mela as a unique spiritual festival held once in twelve years at
different times in four sacred places of India-Prayag, Hardwar, Ujjain and
Nasik - when certain rare celestial confluences occur. This festival chiefly
concerns ceremonial bathing in the sacred rivers of these places, which purify
the soul of its sins and bestow immortality because the sacred nectarine kumbha
has touched these places.
What will take place next month is purna
(‘complete’) Kumbha Mela, which comes once in twelve years. The divine
arrangement is such that within twelve years, at equal intervals, Purna Kumbha
Melas at Prayag and Hardwar, which come once in six years. Thus, within a
period of twelve years, there will be six Kumbha Melas in different parts of
India.
What is the history and tradition of Kumbha
Mela? To find the origin of this great event is beyond the scope of history,
but that it was being practised even during the pre-Buddhist era is known. The
only thing that can be said of its historicity is, Kumbha Mela has been talking
place since time immemorial. So far as the tradition is concerned, the main
ritual is ceremonial bathing: At the appointed hour, when the celestial kumbha
or puskara yoga occurs, people take ceremonial bath in the rivers, purifying
their souls of all impurities.
What do we gain by participating in
the Kumbha Mela?
First the holy
bath. The Matsya Purana says:
Maghe masi gamisyanti
Ganga- yamuna- samgamam;
Gavam sata- sahasrasya
Samyak-dattasya yaatphalam.
Prayage maghamase vai
Tarayagam snatasya tatphalam
Maghe masi gamisyanti
Ganga- yamuna- samgamam;
Gavam sata- sahasrasya
Samyak-dattasya yaatphalam.
Prayage maghamase vai
Tarayagam snatasya tatphalam
‘By taking bath in the holy confluence of
Ganga and Yamuna at Prayag for three days in the month of Magha, one attains
the same merit as when one donates a thousand cows ceremoniously.’
Second the ceremonial bathing apart, there are
spiritual discourses, religious meetings, scriptural readings, worship in
temples, kirtan and bhajan singing, Vedic chanting, offering oblations,
meditation, prayers, serving the poor, etc. If a sincere soul attends a Kumbha
Mela once, the whole event should bring about a great transformation in him or
her, and there should be spiritual awakening in the heart. This is because,
millions of devotees from different parts of the globe assemble at holy place,
and think of God. The air is surcharged with spiritual vibration. It is not an
ordinary occurrence at all.
Third, the Hindu ideal is that this human
birth is a magnificent blessing, since it is a steppingstone to spiritual
illumination and liberation. Immersed as we are in our daily tasks, we tend to
forget our ideals and become engrossed in the trap of delusion So we become
bound and suffer terribly. Great events like Kumbha Mela, taking place at
regular intervals at four different corners of the holy land, bring to our mind
that we are here to seek God or Truth.
Fourth, if we can participate in all the four
Kumbha Melas within a period of twelve years, we would have covered most of the
pilgrim centers of India.
There is another view also: Perhaps there used
to be only one Kumba Mela in very ancient times, which catered to the spiritual
needs of numerous people then. But as population grew and people spread over to
different regions, the sages must have decided to hold Kumbha Melas at
different regions to benefit all people.
Fifth, this is the one festival where anyone
irrespective of caste or creed can participate. Everyone can take bath in the
river.
Sixth, we come to an important merit of
participating in the Kumbha Mela now.
What was Sankara’s contribution to
Kumbha Mela?
It is said that Sankara, the founder of the
dasanami monastic institution, called upon the monks to participate in the Mela
so that they could meet monks from different orders, take ceremonial bath,
discuss scriptural truths, teach assembled devotees the methods of sadhana and the
glory of spiritual life, and themselves become blessed. He wanted sort of a
religious parliament to take place occasionally. Monasticism is the heart of
religions, especially Hindu, and the presence of the all- renouncing monks and
nuns makes any religious event glorious. At every Purna Kumbha Mela, thousands
of monks from different orders assemble, go in procession, take ceremonial
bath, hold religious seminars and discourses, initiate aspirants into monastic
life, inspire people to lead holy lives, and bring about a spiritual fervor
everywhere.
What are the different orders of monks
that take part in the Kumbha Mela?
Of the different orders of monastics taking
part, the dasanami Sannyasins, the Vaishnava Baiaragis, the Nanakpanthi Udasis,
the Sikh Nirmalas, the yogis, the Kabirpanthis, etc, are important. The famous
Naga sadhus who roam about clad in sky belong to the dasanami group itself. It
should be noted that Sannyasubs are divided into two large groups, Paramahamsa
and Naga. ‘Naga’ has nothing to do with snakes but it is a derivative of
‘nagna’, to remain naked. The Nagasadhus, who attract attention at every Kumbha
Mela, are Advaitines like the Paramahamsas. They say that this so - called
fierce - looking and spirited Nagagroup came into being in order to face the
terror that alien rulers had created to Sanatana Dharma. The aspirants who are
intent upon becoming Naga monks are divided into two groups: Alekhiyas and
avadhutas.
The Nagas and Paramahamsas are divided into
four (sometimes seven) akhadas or associations. They are: atal, nirvani (to
which Ramkrishna Order monks belong), niranjani (worshippers of Lord
Niranjana), and juna (worshippers of Guru Dattatreya, who have nuns also within
their fold). The other three akhadas are ananda, avahan, and agan (agni).
There is a regular method in which the monks
take bath at the appointed time during Kumbha Mela. The monastics (including
Paramahamsas and Nagas) of different akhadas divided themselves into suitable
groups under a chief (mandalesvara), and go towards the river in a procession.
At Prayag, it is the nirvani akhadas that
leads the procession. They are followed by monastics from other orders, like
bairagis (who are dualists and belong to at least four schools of philosophy,
like those of Ramanuja, Nimbarka, etc), udasis (which sect was founded by Guru
Nanak’s son Srichand; udasis are chiefly non- dualists), nirmalas (whose origin
relates to Guru Gobind Singhji, and they adore Sri Guru Granth Sahib and sing
sabads), Dadupanthis, Kabirpanthis, etc.
What about certain peculiarities we notice at
such Melas? It’s a sight for the gods to see when thousands of all-renouncing
monastics go in procession, and devotees assemble in thousands to witness this.
Undoubtedly, such huge congregations are occasions for frauds, cheats and
beggars to mint money, and this is not peculiar to any one religion. However,
some westernized puritans feel uneasy at the monks of certain orders move about
and behave, especially at Kumbha Melas. These purivans wish these monks to be
dignified, with gentlemen’s behavior. To such people, we quote from Swamiji’s
famous poem, The Song of the Sannyasin:
Heed then no more how body lives or
goes
…Let one put garlands on, another kick
This frame; say naught. …Have thou no home.
What home can hold thee, friend?
The sky thy roof, the grass thy bed; and food
What chance may bring, …judge not!
…Few only know the truth. The rest will hate
and laugh at thee, great one; but pay no heed.
Without the fear of pain or search for pleasure, go
beyond them both, Sannyasin bold! Say-
“Om Tat Sat, Om!”
…Let one put garlands on, another kick
This frame; say naught. …Have thou no home.
What home can hold thee, friend?
The sky thy roof, the grass thy bed; and food
What chance may bring, …judge not!
…Few only know the truth. The rest will hate
and laugh at thee, great one; but pay no heed.
Without the fear of pain or search for pleasure, go
beyond them both, Sannyasin bold! Say-
“Om Tat Sat, Om!”
What is the importance of Prayag or Allahabad?
This time’s Kumbha Mela is being held at
Prayag (prayaga). The Bengali Visvakosa defines Prayag thus: ‘Prakrsto yago
yagaphalam yasya yasmat va, where we get the greatest fruit of our good works
or sacrifices.’ In the Matsya Purana six chapters are devoted to eulogizing the
glory of Prayag. It says: ‘ Prayagam smaramanasya yanti papani samksayam, just
by remembering Prayag a million sins are destroyed.’ There are six Prayags-
Rudra Prayag, Karna Prayag, etc-but this Prayag is the most important one.
There is a beautiful song in Bengali: ‘Prayage mudayiya matha morge papi jotha
tatha, shave your head at Prayag, O sinner, and die wherever you will.’ That
is, even the greatest sinner is saved or is freed from sins once he shaves his
head in Prayag.
What is Triveni Sangama?
Prayag is the meeting place of three great
rivers: Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. All the three have been mentioned in the
Vedas. The river Saraswati has been called ‘the greatest of all mothers, the
greatest of all rivers, and the greatest of all goddesses (ambitame naditame
devitame saraswati).’ She has been praised in numerous hymns in the Vedas, and
most of the Vedic sages took place on its banks. Saraswaati, though not flowing
on the holy land of Bharata these days, has mingled with the other two as a
subterranean stream. The river Ganga was initially flowing in the heavens; it
was Bhagiratha who brought it down. It ran down from the top of Lord Siva’s
head. Just a drop of the river Ganga is enough to purify a person. Holy Mother
Sri Ramakrishna called the river brahmavari. Though purest, swami Vivekananda
would never the less sprinkle a drop of Ganga water on his lips to become ‘pure’
even while in the West. The river Yamuna is Krsna’s favorite river and he
played as a boy on its banks. A place where such great river unite, called
Triveni Sangama (‘triple-braid confluence’) should certainly be the holiest of
holies.
How many avatars have visited Prayag?
Prayag is holy in several other senses also.
Manu (2.17) says: The region lying between the divine rivers Saraswati and
Drsadvati has been created by the gods and is called Brahmavarta. So Prayag is
the holy Brahmavarta. The Matsya Purana affirms this: ‘Etat prajapateh ksetrain
trisu lokesu visrutam, Prayag is famous in the three worlds as the abode of
Brahma. According to the Puranas, the Hindu trinity, Brahma, Visnu and Siva,
reside in the spiritual sense in Prayag: Brahma as the Salmali tree at
Pratishthan, Siva as the undying banyan at Prayag (which was unfortunately cut
down by Jahangir; it is indeed undying because its shoots show leaves often),
and Visnu as Madhava in a temple there.
Of the avatars, Rama and Sita visited Prayag
to meet Sage Bharadvaja. Lord Krishna is said to have visited it. The Buddha
taught his message here. Samkara of course visited this place. Sri Caitanya
visited Prayag and got a great disciple in Rupa Goswami here. Sri Ramakrishna
‘bathed in the holy confluence and stayed there for three nights. Mathur and
all others shaved their heads there according to scriptural injunctions, but
the Master did not do so (as it was not necessary for him)…. (Sri Ramakrishna,
the Great Master, 1978, p. 313) Holy Mother visited Prayag and offered the
sacred hair and nair-parings of Sri Ramakrishna at the triveni. Swami
Vivekananda and other brother disciples visited the holy place.
Apart from these spiritual luminaries, the
Pandavas visited Prayag. The book Sacred Shrines and Cities gives excellent
details about the significance of Prayag or Allahabad. Emperor Asoka had
erected a pillar during the 3rd century BC at Kausumbi, which was
removed to the Allahabad fort; Jahangir is said to have inscribed something on
the same pillar. Jahangir is also famous for trying to uproot the immortal
tree, aksaya vata; the more he tried to cut it and pour molten lead, the more
its shoots sprang up. He is said to have exclaimed: Lo! The tree of Hinduism
will not die!
Incidentally, the name ‘Allahabad’ comes
from ‘llaha-bad’, derived from Akbar’s new religion, Din-I-lahi. It was at
Prayag that Akbar founded the unifying religion; he also rebuilt the city and
called it ‘Illahabad’. Hsuan-tsang visited Prayag and participated in the
Kumbha Mela. The Encyclopedia Britannica (1973) writes that he along with
Emperor Harsavardhana attended the Mela. A part from all these, Prayag is
famous for its holy men; for thousands of years now, innumerable monks has
performed great many austerities around the holy confluence. It is at such a
unique place on earth that Kumbha Mela will be held this month?
Is Kumbhamela purely a North Indian River Festival ?
Kumbhamela ritual is not peculiar to North Indian Rivers alone. Sayana traslates Sindhu as not only rivers but any water source like ponds, wells, tanks and lakes. Vedas are called saras or lakes. Maasimaham is an annual event that occurs in the Tamil month of Maasi (February–March) during the star (Nakshatram) of Magam. Once in twelve years, when the planet Guru (Jupiter) enters Simha (Leo) sign, the Kumbhamela festival of South India is celebrated at Mahaamaham tank. Vast crowds gather at Kumbakonam to have a dip in the tank, along with saints and philosophers. All the rivers of India (particularly Sapta Sindhus) are believed to meet at the tank on this day and a purification bath at this tank on this day is considered equal to the combined dips in all the holy rivers of India. Processional mobile deities from all the temples in Kumbakonam arrive at the tank and at noon, all the deities bathe along with the devotees - it is called "Theerthavari". The purification bath after that of deities is believed to remove all sins and after the dip, pilgrims offer charitable gifts in the hope of being rewarded in the current life and subsequent lives. The temple cars of major temples in Kumbakonam come around the city on the festival night. During the Mahamaham of 1992, the number of devotees reached 1 million.
Vishnu appeared before the River Sarasvati who
went on a long and hard penance and wanted to be considered as the most sacred.
He told her that it was not possible for her to be regarded more sacred than
Ganga as Ganga was already firmly established in the matted lock of hairs of
Siva. However he advised her to come to Tirupati and reside in Venkatadri in the Swami Pushkarani. Once a
year all the sacred rivers led by Ganga merge with the Swami Pushkarni (Temple
Tank) to wash off devotees’ sins. The
sacred Mukkoti or Parva day of Swami Pushkarani takes place on Dvadasi (12th
day) in the month of Dhanur when Sudarsana Chakra is taken in procession and immersed in the Swami Pushkarani,
when all the Gods bathe in the tank. A bath at the same time, it is believed
washes away all sins of people who take bath. This is an annual event of
Kumbhamela in Tirumala-Tirupati. Could it be the reason we don’t see River
Sarasvati near Indus or in Prayag today?
After visiting Kumbhmela in 1895 Mark Twain wrote: “It is wonderful, the power of a faith like that, that can
make multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail
enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys and endure
the resultant miseries without repining. It is done in love, or it is done in
fear; I do not know which it is. No matter what the impulse is, the act born of
it is beyond imagination, marvelous to our kind of people, the cold whites.”
O
ver centuries, Vedic sacrifices gradually found their way
out due to their inherent difficulties in performing them including animal sacrifices.
Their place was soon taken up by ritualistic worship, simple Homas by way of
oblation into consecrated fires associated with popular puranic deities,
religious vows called Vratas and Teerthayaatras, visit to pilgrim centers
located on sacred river banks. These
were eulogized as easy to perform, but, giving equally good and quick
results. Kumbhamela celebration was an
outcome of this development.
The
Global Mother Earth (Prithvee Kumbha)
holding water (Aapah) in her pitcher containing life sustaining Praana (Vaayu)
releases the same through the heat
(Agni) generated by Tapas to the atmosphere (Aakasa) to make its journey
further or return back if
unsuccessful. This is the philosophy of
Kumbhamela, and the purpose behind this great ritual and
worship. Water is the ruling deity in
the body around 70%, keeping the life’s flow with Praana (vayu) contained in it and the heat of the body (Agni) which when
stops its flow within flowing through millions of channels contained
within we cease to exist. It is
this that leads us to the philosophy “aapah idam sarvam tad
Brahma”—water is everything and that is
Brahman which makes us venerate ever-flowing and life-sustaining rivers guided
by the wisdom of Vedas. Why so many
Kumbhamelas? We know definitely the
pitcher we live in called Mother Earth and the solar system. Science has just discovered
its cousin recently. There may be many
such Kumbhas to match at least 12 Aadityas (Suns) mentioned in Vedas if not more satellite
systems to be steered by billions of stars.
The new Prithvee Kumbha is described as follows: “Called Kepler 452b, the planet orbits a 6
billion-year-old sun-like star about 1,400 light-years away. Kepler 452b is
about 60 percent larger than Earth, and perhaps five times as massive. With a
year lasting 385 days, it sits in the region around its star where temperatures
are just right for maintaining liquid water on a world’s surface”—National Geography
Mahakumbhamela - Sri Godavari Stotras from Brahma Puranam
(By courtesy Muralidharan Iyengar
from Singapore)
[Our friend from Singapore,
Muralidhara Iyengar has found out a Mantra on Godavari In his research engine which
will lead one to the Highway to Heaven.
But to reach Vaikunta, see the Lord and submit oneself by Saranagati to
attain Moksha needs more Sadhanas—Prayaschitta, Pavitrata, Dhyana and Saranagati.
The first Sadhana of physical and mental purification takes place in Godavari
particularly on this auspicious day if our Astrologers have not betrayed us as
to Dakshinayana Punyakala. Please enjoy and get the benefit of Godavari Mata.]
Here are 3 short hymns on
river Godavari taken from Godavari Mahatmya, Brahma
Purana. Godavari Mahatmya in Brahma Purana consists of 106 chapters
(Chapters 70 to 175 of Brahma Purana) and provides details of origin of Godavari
until its Sangama (merger) with
ocean. It provides description of hundreds (and perhaps thousands) of Tirthas available
along the path of Godavari as told by Lord Brahma to Sage
Narada. This Mahatmya also provides some interesting
snippets and historical facts along the way. Some excerpts below, as it will be
difficult to cover all in a short email.
Origin of Godavari -
The Ganga that originated from Vishnu Pada and
received at the Jathajuta (knotted
hairs) of Shiva takes two forms - as Ganga to King Bhagiratha of
Surya Vamsha and as Gautami (aka Godavari and Dakshina Ganga)
to Sage Gautama. The hymns address Godavari as Ganga itself.
· Gautami's Sanctity - Lord Brahma
as well as Lord Shiva mention that Godavari is the most sacred of all rivers.
There are hundreds of Tirthas along its path which are capable of destroying
one's accumulated Karma and bestow health, wealth and emancipation.
· Pitru Worship - Pitrus declare
that there is none more potent in satisfying than offering shraddha at the
banks of Godavari. There is also a story of King Dasharatha's soul conversing
with Lord Rama where Dasharatha mentions that he is in hell because of his
three Brahma Hatya (slaying of Brahmins), for which there is
no redemption. While Lord Rama and Sita became very sad and were wondering what
to do, King Dasharatha himself mentions that the only way he could escape from
hell is by Lord Rama offering Shraddha at river Godavari which he completes and
King Dasharatha escapes hell. Lord Rama's another hymn on Godavari (addressed
as Ganga) was shared by me a few years ago.
· Sage Agastya's Advise to Sage Apastamba on
Equality of Trinity - I had shared this before. Sage Apastamba asks
who among the trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) is the greatest and therefore
worthy of praise. Sage Agastya corroborates that there is no difference among
the Trinity and they appear different due to Guna/Karma for the benefit of
mankind. There is no redemption (prAyashchittam) for those who try to infuse
confusion among the Trinity:
BrahmA viShNuH shivashceti eka eva tridhocyate |
trayANAM
api devAnAM vedyaM ekaM paraM hi tat || 130-10 ||
Ekasya
bahudhA vyAptir guNa karma vibhedataH |
lokAnAM
upakArArthaM AkRRiti tritayaM bhavet || 130-11 ||
OdhbedI
sa ucyate || 130-12 ||
PrAyashcittaM
na tasyA .asti yashcaiShAM vyAharedbhidam ||
trayANAM
api devAnAM mUrti-bhedaH pRRithak pRRithak ||
vedAH
pramANaM sarvatra sAkAreShu pRRithak pRRithak |
nirAkAraM
ca yattvekaM tat tebhyaH paramaM matam || 130-14 ||
(Meaning: One who is
unmanifested (amUrta) appears in three forms (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) for the
benefit of mankind arising out of Guna and Karma. One who really understands
this ultimate truth (para tattva) is the real learned (vidvAn) one - not
others. One who develops and retains bheda-buddhi among the three is known as
Linga bhedi - there is no prayaschitta (remedy) for one who harbors difference
among the three ...) (Do we need to say more? In today's world,
there is abundance of educated illiterates who don't imbibe anything what they
read or learn. All of us are guilty of selective reading/listening,
unauthorized bias and a heavy dose of self-inflicted illiteracy regardless
of our paper qualifications. No prize for guessing who is the pathetic loser -
we ourselves are).
·
Lord Vishnu's Upadesha to Sage Mudgala on Karmaphala - As
you sow, so you reap:
(yAdRRishaM copyate bIjaM
phalaM bhavati tAdRRisham |
rasAlaH syAn na nimbasya bIjAj jAtvapi
kutracit || 136-20 ||
na kRRitA gautamI sevA nArcitau hari
sha~Nkarau |
na dattaM yaishca viprebhyas te kathaM
bhAjanaM shriyaH || 136-21
(Meaning : As you sow, so you reap. Never you can sow a
seed of neem tree and expect a mango fruit from it. One who does not worship
Gautami (Godavari) and perform Archana to Hari and Shankara, he does not get
any adhikara for any kind of wealth).
Again, it is an introspection
point - how many of us are willing to really adhere to Lord's Upadesha direct -
we find it more convenient to divide ourselves and fight among ourselves which
have no sanction from the very texts we claim allegiance to. It is as if we
think the Lord's Upadeshas are for others - not us.
· Jyeshta's abuse of Lakshmi and Gautami's
curse on JyeShta - Jyestha Devi (elder
sister of Lakshmi and also a consort of Vishnu) scolds Lakshmi, "You leave
Bhagavan Vishnu and his true devotees and you reside with greatest sinners.
Whereas I reside with greatest Yogis and Dharmikas... ". Later Gautami
scolds JyeshTa and mentions that everything in this world is shri-rUpa.
Therefore for those who are attracted by you will never qualify for Ganga snana
to get rid of the sins".
· Enemies of GYana - Sage Pailusha
mentions that krodha as the first and foremost enemy of GYAna followed by
Asakti, suspicion, desire/lust, etc.
May we pray to Mata Gautami during
this Mahakumbhamela. May Her Grace Wash Away our sins and lead us to light! It
will be wonderful if any reference to the tirthas mentioned in the purana with
their current locations so that it will facilitate devotees to undertake
pilgrimage according to their tastes and needs.
The following is a set of short hymns on Goddess Godavari (River)
taken from various
chatpers of Gautami Mahatmya in Brahma Puranam (Chapters
75-175).
kaṇva uvāca -
namo'stu gaṅge paramārti-hāriṇī namaḥ kṣudhe
sarva-janārti-kāriṇī |
namo maheśānjaṭodbhave śubhe mahāmṛtyu-mukhād-viniḥsṛte || 85-08
||
Kaṇva uvāca -
sarva-maṅgala-māṅgalye brahmī māheśvarī śubhe |
vaiṣṇavī tryambake devī godāvarī namo'stu te || 85-12 |
tryambakasya jaṭodbhūte gautamasyā 'gha-nāśinī |
saptadhā sāgaraṁ yānti godāvarī namo'stu te || 85-13 ||
sarva-pāpa-kṛtāṁ pāpe dharma- -nāśinī |
duḥkha-lobha-mayi devī kṣudhe tubhyaṁ namo namaḥ || 85-14 ||
oṣadhya ūcuḥ -
kiṁ vā 'kariṣyan bhavavartino janā nānā'gha-saṅghābhibhavācca
duḥkhitāḥ |
na cā ''gamiṣyad bhavatī bhuvaṁ cet puṇyodake gautamī śambhukānte
||119-09 ||
ko vetti bhāgyaṁ nara-deha-bhājāṁ mahīgatānāṁ saritāṁ-adhīśe |
eṣāṁ mahāpātaka-saṅgh-hantrī tvaṁ amba gaṅge sulabhā sadaiva ||
119-10 ||
na te vibhūtiṁ nanu vetti ko'pi trailokya-vandye jagadamba gaṅge
|
gaurī samāliṅgita vigraho'pi dhatte smarāriḥ śirasā'pi yat tvām
|| 119-11 ||
namo'stu te mātar abhīṣṭa-dāyinī namo'stu te brahmamaye
'ghanāśinī |
namo'stu te viṣṇu-padābja-niḥsṛte namo'stu te
śambhu-jaṭā-viniḥsṛte || 119-12 ||
śrīrāma uvāca -
asyāḥ prabhāvāddharayo yā'sau mama pitā prabhuḥ |
sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktas tato yātas triviṣṭapam || 157-09 ||
iyaṁ janitrī sakalasya jantor bhukti-pradā muktiṁ athā'pi dadyāt
|
pāpāni hanyādapi dāruṇāni kā 'nyā 'nayā 'styatra nadī samānā ||
157-10 ||
hatāni śaśvad duritāni caiva asyāḥ prabhāvādarayaḥ sakhāyaḥ |
vibhīṣaṇo maitramupaiti nityaṁ sītā ca labdhā hanumāṁśca bandhuḥ
|| 157-11 ||
laṅkā ca bhagnā sagaṇaṁ hi rakṣo hataṁ hi yasyāḥ parisevanena |
yāṁ gautamo devavaraṁ prapūjya śivaṁ śaraṇyaṁ sajaṭāmavāpa ||
157-12 ||
seyaṁ janitrī sakalepsitānāṁ amaṅgalānāṁ api sannihantrī |
jagat-pavitrīkaraṇaikadakṣā dṛṣṭā'dya sākṣāt saritāṁ savitrī ||
157-13 ||
kāyena vācā manasā sadaināṁ vrajāmi gaṅgāṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyām ||
157-14 ||
|| iti brāhme mahāpurāṇe gautamī-māhātmye śrīgodāvarī stotrāṇi
sampūrṇam ||
|
REFERENCES:
1) Swami Vimalananda, Maha Narayanarayana
Upanishad, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.
2) Swami Harshananda, Hindu Pilgrim Centers, Ramakrishna Math,
Chennai, India.
3) Nandita Krishnan,
Balaji-Venkateshwara, Vakils, Feffer and
Simons Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, Indi.
4) Dev dutt Pattanaik, Vishnu, Vakils,
Feffer and Sin mons Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India.
5) Swami Shivanananda, Hindu Fasts and
Festivals, Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar, India.
6) Wikipedia, Various Internet sources and
Pamphlets on Kumbhamela and Maasimaham.
7) Muralidharan Iyengar, Singapore,
Contributions through personal E-mail.
8) Swami Vimalannda, Why do we do? Ramakrishna
Math, Chennai, India.
[This discourse material is a compilation from the reference above as well as other sources for a prepared
lecture for delivering at Vedanta Class of Sri Ganesha Temple which is
gratefully acknowledged. I do not claim anything as original though I have
included my explanations and comments elaborately suitably editing. Anybody is
free to download partly or fully this discourse, modify and redistribute this
as well as other discourses from the
blog Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com> for spreading the wisdom of
Vedas and scriptures further. These lectures are
posted on the blog for the benefit of those who are not able to attend
my lectures personally due to personal reasons or due to not living in
Nashville or able to go through the various sources as I have done.]
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