MAHAKUMBH - 2025 (When the Whole World Becomes a Spiritual Family)

 

MAHAKUMBH - 2025
When the Whole World Becomes a Spiritual Family

 

कुम्भे कुम्भोद्भवः स्नात्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते।" (स्कंद पुराण)

अर्थ: कुंभ में स्नान करने से मनुष्य सभी पापों से मुक्त हो जाता है।

Meaning: By taking a bath in Kumbh, a person becomes free from all sins.

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Kumbh Mela is a divine and unique event of Indian culture, which is held every 12 years in Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik and has its roots in ancient religious traditions. It is believed that the drops of nectar (Amrit) obtained from the churning of the ocean between gods and demons had fallen on these holy places, due to which these places became filled with spiritual energy.

त्र्यहं कुम्भोद्भवे स्नात्वा यत्र क्वापि मरणं भवेत्। स वै मुक्तो न सन्देहो विष्णुना सह मोदते॥" (वायुपुराण)

Meaning: The person who bathes for three days during the Kumbh festival and then leaves his body anywhere, without any doubt goes to the abode of Shri Vishnu.

This fair is not just a religious festival but a symbol of self-purification, attainment of salvation and promotion of eternal traditions, where crores of devotees try to get rid of their sins by taking a holy bath. to Aquarius A spectacular gathering of spiritual power It is also said that, where saints, mahatmas, yogis, aghori and ascetics of various Akharas from India and abroad demonstrate their sadhana, yoga power and achievements. Here the renunciation of the Naga Sadhus, the mysterious practices of the Avadhuta saints, and the spiritual rituals, debates and discourses performed by various sects turn it into a wonderful spiritual laboratory. Devotees not only take bath with the desire of salvation, but also try to give direction to their lives by getting spiritual energy through the darshan, blessings and teachings of saints. Apart from this, Kumbh Mela also gives the message of harmony and unity in the society, where the boundaries of caste, creed and language disappear, and a great confluence of different communities, sects, saints and devotees is seen. The spiritual discourses, yoga practices, Vedic rituals and religious discussions held during Kumbh pave the way for spiritual upliftment, while its social and economic impact is also far reaching. It empowers the vibrancy of Indian culture and the unbroken tradition of Sanatan Dharma, where Spiritual power is not only a means of personal salvation, but also becomes a medium for the welfare and spiritual upliftment of the entire society.

The Journey: From Resolution to Achievement

My Mahakumbh journey began with a personal resolution and culminated in a spiritual encounter. I had not made any prior plans for this trip—no train tickets were booked, no accommodation arrangements were made, and no fixed itinerary was given. But when suddenly the ticket was confirmed, it came to light that the journey would have to start the very next day. The next day I left home alone, thinking in my mind that I wish I could find a companion (Sahayatri). My son dropped me to the rickshaw, Then our neighbor Raj Gupta ji (who is a stone quarry businessman) suddenly came to me in his Fortuner car. He touched my feet, took my blessings and asked the purpose of my yatra. As soon as I told him that I am going alone for Maha Kumbh, he said, "I will also reach on 18th, if for some reason you get late then I will also meet you there, don't worry, we can come back together." These words of his strengthened my faith in God even more, it felt as if God himself had sent him to boost my morale.

I thanked “BHAGWAN” and left to catch the train. When I caught the train from Kurla, I saw that 90% of the passengers in my coach were going to Kumbh. The fear of being alone is gone from the mind. The next afternoon at 3:35 my train reached Prayagraj Junction. As soon as I got down at the station, I bowed to the holy land of Tirtharaj Prayag and came out. Place to place Police, NCC cadets and volunteers were deployed, who were helping the devotees in showing the Sangam route.

I told an officer that Sir, I have come from Mumbai and want to go to Triveni Sangam ghat. He said to his colleague, "He has come from Maharashtra, please guide him." Then the officer said to me in Marathi –
"इकडं जा, राईट मारून बाहेर पडा, आणि परत लेफ्ट घ्या. मग सरळ चालत रहा. मध्ये मध्ये जागोजागी उभ्या असलेल्या पोलिसांना विचारत जा, ते तुम्हाला बरोबर गाईड करतील।"

My heart was filled with joy on hearing this. I felt that this is the real India - where a Marathi officer is guiding the countrymen in the language of his state at the holy place Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Not only Marathi, but we also saw officers from many other states who knew the language. They were helping the travellers by speaking to them in their language. Seeing this scene, the feeling of unity of the nation and the grandeur of Sanatan culture became even more intense in my mind. I felt that there is no discrimination anywhere. I thanked them and moved ahead. While leaving, they also advised me that "Police are present everywhere, just contact them for any kind of help and follow their instructions." Thanking them again, I moved ahead.

In fact, it is so that the deployment of security personnel from different provinces and languages ​​during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj is the result of a well-organized administrative plan and the cooperation of the national and state leadership. Uttar Pradesh Police as well as central paramilitary forces are deployed to ensure crowd control and safety of devotees during this massive event And police units of various states are also included. Due to this, security personnel from all over the country, who speak different languages ​​and come from different provinces, become part of this event.

Unique Security and Communication System at the Maha Kumbh

I think that crores of devotees from different parts of the country come to Maha Kumbh, perhaps that is why the governments of many states send their police forces here, so that the devotees coming from their state can get better assistance. This joint police management system is an excellent example of working in coordination with each other by the security agencies of different states.

Apart from this, a multilingual communication system has also been implemented, which has made communication possible in many different languages ​​​​like Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi. Apart from providing assistance to the devotees in their mother tongue and provincial language, it makes the security system more effective.

Imagine what will be the mental state of a child if he gets lost in Kumbh and in such a situation, on the complaints made by the relatives of that child, the "Khoya Paya Center" will announce on the mic that so and so (lost) child, wherever he is, should contact such and such center, in such a situation, how will that child, who is already scared, get the consciousness to pay attention to the announcement? For that, MahaKumbh administration had designed an excellent type of announcement strategy under which instead of making the announcement themselves, they ask the mother of the lost child to make the announcement, the mother asks that I don't know what I will say. The announcer says that you should call your child as if you are in your kitchen and calling the child playing in the courtyard to eat food. And that mother calls her child on the mike in the same way in her own language "अरे बाबू, तू कुठे आहेस? तुला तुझ्या जवळ किंवा आजूबाजूला कोणी पोलिस मामा दिसतो का? तिथे जा आणि त्यांना सांग की हा माझा आई चा आवाज आहे, मग तू आनंदाने आमच्याकडे येशील."  When the child hears his mother's voice, the fear in his mind immediately goes away and he starts listening to that voice carefully and slowly tries to understand the instructions given by the mother. That is why I say that no amount of praise is given to the administrative system of the country.

Note:- I heard many such announcements in many different languages ​​when I was sitting at the station while returning to Mumbai.

अश्वमेधसहस्राणि वाजपेयशतानि च।  कुम्भस्नाने तु तत् पुण्यं कोटिभागं लभेन्नरः॥" (ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराण)

Meaning: Like the virtue of thousands of Ashvamedha Yajnas and hundreds of Vajpeya Yajnas, a Kumbh Snan gives a person more virtue than crores.

The Maha Kumbh security arrangements are the result of an organised effort at the national level, with police, paramilitary forces, voluntary organisations and technical resources etc from different states working together. It also reflects the scale of the Kumbh Mela and its cultural and spiritual significance. India's spirit of "unity in diversity" is clearly reflected in this event, where the boundaries of language, region and culture are erased and the whole country comes together for a spiritual purpose. Kumbh Yatra and Family Pilgrimage Tradition Mahakumbh is organised in India every 12 years at 4 different places- Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. This means that every 3 years Kumbh is organised somewhere. The upcoming Kumbh is going to be organised on the banks of Godavari in Nashik, which will most likely start in July 2027 and we are all very excited about it. But my mother is more excited about this Kumbh than me. Her excitement is natural too, because her grandfather, i.e. my maternal grandfather, was a “Jameendaar” of his area, who built a grand temple of Janaki, Ramchandra ji and Mahadev ji in his ancestral village. After my maternal great grandfather (Parnana Ji), my maternal grandfather (Nana Ji) and grandmother (Nani Ji) became householder sanyasis (Grihasth Sanyasi) and continued to take care of this temples. In old age, my maternal grandfather (Nana Ji) took the responsibility of the temple, while my grandmother (Nani Ji) started earning Virtue by doing pilgrimage with her female friends. She had completed the journey of 12 Jyotirlingas of India, 51 Shaktipeeths (which are located in present India), four Dhams (which were founded by Adi Guru Shankaracharya) and four Dhams of Himalayas, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath-which is also included in the 12 Jyotirlingas, and Badrinath. Although, today the Uttarakhand government has made this journey more accessible keeping tourism in mind and has promoted it as "Char Dham Yatra", but in those days these journeys used to be extremely difficult. Apart from this, my maternal grandmother (Nani Ji) had also completed the pilgrimage of Panch Prayag, Panch Puri, Panch Kedar. She visited 4 Kailash pilgrimages out of Panch Kailash, Tibet Kailash was missed by her, apart from this she also completed the journey of Sapt Badri (Himalayas), Pashupatinath (Nepal), Janakpur (Nepal) and Vaidyanath Dham (Jharkhand Jyotirlinga). There is a difference of opinion about Vaidyanath Dham in the list of 12 Jyotirlingas, yet devotees go there with faith. In such a situation, it is natural for her daughter i.e. my mother to be excited about the pilgrimage, because this is the same time when I was a student of sixth and seventh class. There was no provision for education after fifth class in my ancestral village, so I had to go to my maternal grandfather's village, which was more developed than our village. In Nani village, every man is either a grandfather Nana Ji or an Mama ji for the village's daughter’s kids, so everyone loves him, all the mistakes committed by him are ignored considering him a grandson (Nati) or nephew (Bhanja) and gradually the morale of that child increases and the tendency to make mistakes increases. That is why it is said that "If you want to spoil a child, send him to his grandmother's (Nani) or uncle's (Mama) house for 6 months or a year." Since I used to walk to and from my native village to the school of my maternal grandmother, it was not possible for my maternal grandmother's village to have as much influence on me as this proverb. The development of my maternal family was probably due to the fact that coincidentally, in the same village, one of my distant uncles (Door ke Mama Ji) was a judge in the Patna High Court, apart from this many other dignitaries were highly educated and held high positions. When the number of educated people in the society increases, the development of the society is ensured, so we have a tradition that even if we have to beg, we must educate the children, so that our children can complete the work that we could not do. We were not taught to accumulate wealth, My revered spiritual master (Shyamasundar Das Ji, Vrindavan, India) always used to say, "पूत कपूत तो का धन संचय, पूत सपूत तो क्या धन संचय”.
Means:- If the son is bad (bad character or undisciplined) then there is no point in accumulating wealth for him, because he will destroy that wealth, and if the son is good (polite and cultured) then he will have the ability to earn money himself, so there is no need for him to accumulate wealth. The deeper message of this saying is that education, culture and self-reliance are more important than wealth accumulation. When a person makes his children capable, educated and self-reliant, then they do not need money, they can create their own future. This is the reason why in our society more importance was given to the tradition of becoming educated rather than wealth accumulation. During my school days, I sometimes skipped my tiffin break to visit my grandmother’s (Nani Ji) temple. Whenever she returned from a pilgrimage, I eagerly listened to her stories. She encouraged me to write about her journeys, and over time, I compiled a large collection of her pilgrimages in my writing—though finding them now would likely be difficult.
Today, whenever I visit a pilgrimage site, my first thought is of my grandmother, and I bow in her memory. I feel deeply moved, realizing that her unwavering faith and devotion to pilgrimages have instilled the same spirit within me. Inspired by her, I also remember my mother on every pilgrimage, as her strong values have further deepened my passion for these sacred journeys. This makes me believe that such profound faith is not just personal—it is a cherished family tradition, passed down through generations.

Prayag Raj Station to Triveni Sangam Ghat-
Although there was a motorcycle option available at the Kumbh Mela, I found it a bit expensive, so I preferred walking. After covering a distance of several kilometers, I reached Triveni Ghat. On the way, I was amazed to see the cleanliness and decoration of the roads. When I reached the lap of Triveni Maiya at her ghat, a fear arose in my mind regarding the safety of my belongings that if I go to the lap of Mother Ganga for bathing, then who will protect it. When I looked carefully, I realized that all the electric poles have been given a number, so I sat near pole number 272. I concentrated a bit and when I opened my eyes, I found a policeman standing near me and asking if there was any problem. When I mentioned my doubt to him, he said, “This is what we have been deployed for. I will give you ten minutes, keep the number of this pillar in mind and come back here after taking a bath.” I felt as if Bhairav ​​Baba himself was standing for my safety. I immediately changed my clothes and proceeded to take a bath at the ghat.

यत्र गंगा च यमुना चैव सरस्वती च महापगा:। संगच्छन्ति महाभागास्तत्र स्नानं समाचरेत्॥" (पद्मपुराण)
Meaning: Taking a bath where great rivers like Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati confluence (Sangam), results in great virtue.

When I reached near the Triveni Ghat, I bowed down to Maa Triveni and then bowed down and touched Maa with my hands. After that I kept the lowest part of my body (feet) in Maa Triveni, then after that I bathed till the upper part of the body (stomach), then after steadying my feet, I bent my knees and waist and bathed the chest and shoulders of the body, then finally completed this divine dip by dipping the upper part of my body (head) in Maa Triveni. My Gayatri Guru used to say that this should be the order of bathing, so even while bathing at home, I first pour water on the feet, then on the stomach, then on the chest and shoulders and finally on the head. The scientific reason behind this order is that it keeps the body temperature under control and cold water has a gradual effect on the body, due to which the body does not get any shock due to sudden temperature change. When water is poured on the feet, the body gradually comes in contact with cold water, then when the water reaches the stomach and shoulders, the blood circulation happens smoothly and finally pouring water on the head cools the brain, due to which bathing gives freshness and energy. For this reason, this method of bathing is considered very suitable not only from the religious point of view but also from the scientific point of view. After bathing and performing tarpan etc., I came back. The policemen were still guarding my luggage. I thanked them and they went ahead. I thanked Yogi ji in my mind for the excellent arrangement and started changing my wet clothes. After this, I sat there and meditated for some time. Meanwhile, my mother called and said, "If you go alone, first of all ensure the safety of the luggage, and find Panda ji (our traditional pilgrimage priest). As per his instructions, keep the luggage in a safe place and then go to the Ganga for bathing etc. After this, perform tarpan etc. and also offer dakshina and religious portion to Panda ji." After this she said, "Donate the religious portion according to your capacity in all the Akharas of the Sanyasi sect and also in the ashrams of Shankaracharyas. The importance of Kumbh is not limited to bathing in the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, but it is also a confluence of the knowledge and studies of the sages coming from the Himalayan mountain ranges, Junagadh hills, Sahyadri mountains, Tibet, Bhutan, Japan, Myanmar and the mountains of other countries of the West. Therefore, visit all of them and give donations." I assured her that I would do so. Then she said, "Get the names of your ancestors as well as the newborn babies (new generation) of the family registered in the register of the Tirtha Purohit. I am saying this because if our future generation forgets our name and ever goes to any Kumbh by mistake, then the Tirtha Purohit will easily count the names of our 21 generations.

 

I tried to find our traditional Teerth Purohit (Panda Ji) so that I could offer him dharmaansh and perform tarpan and puja rituals etc. under his instructions, but could not find him. After performing the rituals etc. i left from there. While walking on the road, I felt that my shoes were sinking in the sand. It seemed as if this would cause pain to the mother ganga. I took off my shoes and sat there on the sand for some time. After sitting for some time, I started feeling hungry. Bath was over, so I thought I should do some stomach puja. There was a big vehicle parked at one place, where Prasad was being distributed. As soon as I approached, the "sevadar" asked, "Do you have a dish?" I took out the dish from the bag and he put the prasad in my dish. I accepted the prasad.

Meanwhile, a call came from my mother-in-law, who was doing "Kalpa vas" Sadhana in the same Sector 9 for 1+ months. She asked, "Where did you reach?" I said, "I have taken a bath, I am going to have darshan of "Lete Hanuman ji", after that I will reach your place." So she said, “There is no need to stay in hotels etc., you can stay and rest in my Khalsa (tent).” I said, "That's fair." Then, taking advantage of seeing the Gods and Goddesses in many temples, I started on foot towards the place told by my mother-in-law (Sasu Ji). There we saw a city of many huge tents. To prevent the vehicles from getting stuck in the sand, saw a road made of mild steel sheet, on which the vehicles were able to run at a gallop. Thousands of toilets were installed. Whether there is money or not, there was no problem. If someone lost his money, many devotees came together to bear his financial burden. If someone got lost, lost and found centers were set up at various places. I asked, "My mother-in-law, who is an army widow, her Khalsa is in Sector 9, how to reach?" So he wrote directions on a letter and told me, "Show this letter to the police or volunteers standing at various places, and you will reach your destination." I did the same and reached my mother-in-law's hut safely. Had some dinner with her again at night and in the morning when the stars were shining in the constellation, I too got the benefit of taking a bath along with my mother-in-law. After coming back and having breakfast, I was taken to Sasu maa and their all female friends (Sakhi Mata) for Prayagraj darshan, where we saw many temples, a Shakti Peeth and the ashram of Bhardwaj Muni. After this we returned back to their khalsa. After reaching the hut, had evening meal etc. and on the next day again visited many sectors, where there was darshan of Shankaracharyas of two out of the four Peethas. Visited the Khalsa of Mahamandaleshwars of 13 Akharas, many Naga Sadhus, sages of many sects - Shaivya, Vaishnav, Shakta, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain etc. and got the good fortune of getting darshan and blessings and prasad etc. from their sages and ascetics. When I expressed my desire to fill Ganga water, my mother-in-law said that after taking bath in Brahma Muhurta on all the main Kumbh dates, she had collected water little by little and took 1 liter of holy Ganga water collected from it. Then she said that if you get a chance to go to Kashi, then do not collect gangajal from there as this is against the scriptures.

In all these we did not see any discrimination, casteism, apartheid, linguisticism, provincialism, big-small etc. We experienced that Triveni Maa gave equal affection to all the children, and saints and mahatmas etc. were also giving darshan and prasad to everyone equally without any discrimination of caste, language, color or region. In the entire Prayagraj, no police officer was seen with a baton in his hands nor was he seen getting angry at anyone. It is our inner wish that all the four upcoming Kumbhs continue to be like this.

Not only religious but also cultural programs are held in the Sangam fair of saints and Akharas. Bhajan-kirtan, sermons (Pravachan), story telling and various historical and spiritual dance-drama make this event even more attractive. By going to the camps of sages and saints and learning meditation and yoga, understanding the goals of life, how to balance karma and spirituality, understanding all these esoteric facts, there we found many such saints, sages, mahatmas who were Trikal Darshi. He mentioned many events that had happened in my life and would happen in the future without even looking at my hands.

Prayagraj to Varanasi

On the third day, we woke up in the morning, performed religious rituals and after that started preparing for departure. We left for Prayagraj Junction from Sector 9 with my mother-in-law. After walking several kilometers with heavy luggage, we reached a designated place from where we had to take an e-rickshaw. This e-rickshaw left us after traveling a few kilometers. After this we took another e-rickshaw, which dropped us near Prayagraj station.

The rickshaw driver told us that if we go left, the station is only two minutes away, but if we go right, we will have to walk for 15-20 minutes. We tried to go to the left, but we were not allowed. Compelled, decided to go to the right side and reached Prayagraj station after a tough journey of about 20 minutes carrying heavy luggage. Some family members of the in-laws had come there to take the mother-in-law. I also accompanied him to the station platform and returned after seeing him off.

An uncertain wait

Since I had booked tickets in two trains, one at 6 pm and the other at 10 pm on the same day but the ticket was indefinite (waiting list). As soon as I came out of the station, I met a police officer, to whom I explained my situation. I had entered the station to board the train for my 75-year-old widowed mother of an army officer, but my ticket had not been confirmed yet. I asked him for help in getting out. He said that the administrative system is very strict, but considering my situation, they can arrange for me to stay in a hotel in front of the station. They accommodated me in a hotel, where I rested for an hour.

Kashi baba called me
About an hour later I got a call from my niece (Bhateeji) Pushpa, who told me that she is in Varanasi and inviting me to visit Baba Vishwanath. I got excited after hearing this. When I informed the hotel owner about this, he asked me to check out by paying Rs 300. However, we had talked about Rs 1000 earlier, so I gave him Rs 500 and came out of the hotel. When I saw police officers outside, I met him and  thanked and then went inside the station.

It was learned at the station that about 130 trains go from Prayagraj every day to the entire country and the status of passengers with waiting tickets remains uncertain. Police officials advised us to start traveling without tickets. I followed his advice and boarded the train. When I reached 55 kilometers away from Prayagraj, I was informed that one of my tickets, which was for 6 pm, had been confirmed. As soon as I heard this, I got down at the next station (Manda Road Station).

After waiting at the station, a return train came, which was going to Prayagraj. The policemen posted there made me board the crowded train. I started traveling by standing at the gate of the train, although the door of the train was closed, and I was standing near the door inside the train. Due to being without food and water the whole day, I suddenly felt dizzy and fell down.

A young couple, who were traveling for the Kumbh Mela, took care of me. When I regained consciousness, I requested him to give me some chocolate if he had any. A child gave me his lollipop, which I ate. After some time my consciousness came back.

Near Prayagraj Chheoki station, the couple advised that since my ticket was confirmed from Chheoki, I should get down there. I got down and walked to the station. When I explained my situation to the police officers, they immediately made available an empty bench, where I rested. He informed me that my train would be late by an hour. After waiting, the train finally arrived three and a half hours late. Somehow I boarded it and went to my middle berth and slept. I felt as if the couple were Shiva and Parvati in person, who had come to help me, either Janaki Ramchandra ji or Radha Krishna ji. but whoever they were, The experience of this immense kindness shown by him will always be imprinted on my mind. This experience gave me the divine message that service to any needy human being is the true path to take human life to the pinnacle of excellence. I used to walk on the same path earlier also and now I am inspired to move forward on this path more firmly in the future.

This journey taught me that one should never undertake a long journey alone in life. Difficulties can come suddenly, and having a partner makes it easier to cope with difficult situations. This journey not only tested my patience and endurance, but also taught me that help from strangers can sometimes prove to be a boon. When everything happens as per God's will then I or anyone else should not need to worry too much. But throughout my life I will definitely try to find those couples and meet them again and thank them.

“स्नानेन कुंभजे पुण्यं सर्वपापक्षयाय च। नवीनं न करोम्येव पापं देहि वरं हरि॥” (संस्कृत में रचित श्लोक, संदर्भ आधुनिक परंपरा से प्रेरित)
अर्थ: कुंभ में स्नान से समस्त पापों का क्षय होता है, पर मैं संकल्प लेता हूँ कि अब भविष्य में कोई नया पाप नहीं करूँगा। हे हरि! मुझे यह वरदान दो कि मैं सदैव धर्म के मार्ग पर चलूँ।

Meaning: Bathing in Kumbh destroys all sins, but I take a pledge that I will not commit any new sin in the future. O Hari! Give me this boon that I always follow the path of religion.

Mahakumbh is not just a religious gathering; it is a great spiritual and cultural event for all followers of Sanatan Dharma. It is believed that the gods decide when Mahakumbh will happen, and this knowledge first reaches sages and saints through dreams or direct experiences. These saints then pass on the message to their disciples, and finally, the scholars and gurus of different sects prepare a Panchang (Hindu calendar), which tells the exact dates, special timings, and rituals of Mahakumbh.

Crores of people gather at Mahakumbh, following the guidance of their religious leaders. This event is not random; it is an ancient tradition that has been organized properly for thousands of years. It brings together religion, spirituality, and culture in one place.

Sanatan Dharma always prays for the well-being of the whole world. Its core belief is "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah", meaning "May everyone be happy, may everyone be healthy." Another belief, "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," teaches that the whole world is like one big family.

If someone is greedy and only wants to earn a lot of money, Sanatan Dharma teaches them the difference between right and wrong. Texts like the Garuda Purana explain that our good and bad actions decide what happens to us after death. It mentions 28 types of hell, where people suffer for their bad deeds, and heaven, where people enjoy rewards for their good deeds. This shows that Sanatan Dharma is not just about daily life but also about the soul's journey towards salvation and divinity.

The way Kumbh Mela is planned and organized proves that Sanatan Dharma is not just about faith but also has a systematic and scientific approach. This event makes people spiritually, morally, and culturally stronger. That is why Sanatan Dharma has survived for thousands of years and is still growing stronger today.

Now the thing to think about is that if such a big event can be organized efficiently at the behest of the priests, then imagine that if one day the same priests, saints and mahatmas declare that "Border expansionism is the only means of attaining salvation," then how serious its impact can be. If this happens, will any other country survive in the world or not, because followers of Sanatan Dharma will be attacking all the countries following the instructions of their priests, and the Indian border will continue to expand, due to which ultimately the entire world will come under the borders of India. This idea underlines an important point, which explains the vastness of Sanatan Dharma and the difference in thinking of other sects. Sanatan Dharma does not teach greed to appropriate the property of another person or community, but symbolizes a proper system that desires the welfare of all.

The power of Sanatan Dharma lies in the fact that our Naga Sadhus are adept in both scriptures and weapons. Along with protecting religion, it also supports peace and harmony. If a special team of Naga Sadhus is formed, which trains Border Security Force personnel, college students, high management employees of corporates to be dedicated towards their duties with a special kind of yoga and spirituality, then not only can India quickly become the world leader again, but there can be strong possibilities of ruling other planets as well.

Who are Naga Sadhus?
Naga Sadhus are the ascetic warrior monks of Sanatan Dharma, who are adept in rigorous meditation, renunciation and weaponry. They do not wear any clothes on their body, burn ashes and follow celibacy and renunciation throughout their life. The main objective of Naga Sadhus is to attain enlightenment, protect religion and spread spirituality in the society.

Where do Naga Sadhus live?
Naga Sadhus are mainly associated with Akharas and live in monasteries, ashrams and forests in the Himalayas, banks of Ganga-Yamuna, pilgrimage sites like Kashi, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik, Prayagraj. These sadhus mostly meditate in solitude, but gather organizedly during great festivals like Kumbh.

What do Naga Sadhus do?
Practice self-realization through rigorous yoga and penance To protect Dharma, they are adept in both weapons and scriptures. Provide religious and spiritual guidance to the society. Whenever there is a crisis in religion, culture or nation, they present themselves as religious warriors. They depend on donations and stay away from worldly pleasures. They do sadhana to invent new techniques of yoga and meditation etc.

How to become a Naga Sadhu?
The process of becoming a Naga Sadhu is extremely difficult and rigorous. For this, a person has to give up his worldly desires, family and material pleasures and enter the Akharas. The process of becoming a Naga Sadhu is completed in the following steps:
1) To receive initiation: Interested sadhus enter an Akhara and take primary initiation from the Guru.
2) Hard meditation and penance: Do penance, meditation, yoga and service for many years.
3) Sannyas Diksha: As per the instructions of the Guru, when it is proved that the person has become free from material attachments, then he is given the final initiation into Sannyasa, and he is called "Naga Sadhu".
4) Digambara life: Naga Sadhus leave their clothes and wear ashes, which symbolizes their complete renunciation. -I heard this from a sadhu in kumbha.

What is the purpose of Naga Sadhus?
The main objective of Naga Sadhus is self-knowledge, protection of religion and to inspire the society on the spiritual path. Along with personal salvation, they also consider protection of religion as their duty. Many times in history, Naga Sadhus have been fighting for religion and national defense, such as during the past times.

Who controls Naga Sadhus?
Naga monks are not subordinate to any individual person or institution, rather they are connected to Major Akharas of Naga Sadhus in India Akhara Parishad Come under Akhara, which is an organization of total 13 Akharas. These Akharas are led by top saints like Mahant, Mahamandaleshwar and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar. He is the one who conducts the discipline, initiation and work of Naga Sadhus.

Renaissance of Sanatan Dharma and the role of Naga Sadhus

Today Sanatan Dharma is reawakening in its true form, and its vastness and power indicate a new era. The penance, bravery and spiritual practice of Naga Sadhus are the important basis of this renaissance. We are strong because our religion and all its sects are equally effective in both scriptures and weapons. This is a very important topic, which needs more detailed thinking.

Importance of Mahakumbh in Vedas and Puranas:

 "कुम्भे कुम्भोद्भवः स्नात्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते।" (Skand Puran)

Meaning: By taking bath in Kumbh, a person becomes free from all sins and attains ultimate salvation.

 "त्र्यहं कुम्भोद्भवे स्नात्वा यत्र क्वापि मरणं भवेत्।  स वै मुक्तो न सन्देहो विष्णुना सह मोदते॥" (Vayupuran)

Meaning: The person who bathes for three days during the Kumbh festival and then leaves his body anywhere, undoubtedly goes to the abode of Shri Vishnu after being liberated.

यत्र गंगा च यमुना चैव सरस्वती च महापगा:।  संगच्छन्ति महाभागास्तत्र स्नानं समाचरेत्॥" (Padmapuran)

Meaning: Bathing where great rivers like Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet, one gets great virtue.

"आपो हि ष्ठा मयोभुवः ता न ऊर्जे दधातन। महेरणाय चक्षसे॥" (ऋग्वेद 10.9.1)

 Meaning: Water is nectar, which provides us energy and takes us on the path of salvation.

 

PRANAM
Bimlendra Jha

Note: - Those who wish to read this article in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati or any other Indian constitutional languages, they can contact me. I will try to provide them with e-copies translated in their language.

Disclaimer:

This article is written with the intent to share insights, observations, and learnings from the Maha Kumbh event. The information presented here is based on publicly available sources, personal interpretations, and traditional knowledge. It does not claim to represent any official authority, nor does it intend to challenge or dispute any established facts, scriptures, or beliefs.

Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but interpretations may vary based on individual perspectives. If any shloka, statement, or viewpoint appears different from one’s understanding, it is purely unintentional. This article respects all religious, cultural, and administrative perspectives, and it is not intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Readers are encouraged to engage with this content with an open mind and interpret it in the spirit of learning and discussion.