Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on Kumbha Mela during the auspicious Kaveri River Kumbha mela – February 7, 2001
The physical body, which is a great boon from Iswara, moves because of his wish.
This physical body is made up of the five elements (earth, air, water, fire and ether). Good and the Bad happens to this body because of the previous, accumulating and future Karmas.
It is the Iswara who performs the Karmas.
Iswara influences the creatures of this world through the forces of the planets.
That is why astrology indicates the movements of the planets to decide when to do a good / auspicious deed.
In the holy Vedas, we can find the information on the movements of the planets and their influence on the humans.
The names of the planets indicate their form and work.
Surya got the name “Savitha” because he causes the creation.
Likewise Saturn is also called as “Manda” (slow) because he is very slow in changing houses.
Since Jupiter influences the intellect of the living beings, he was called as Guru or Brihaspati.
Jupiter influences the water on our planet.
Since earth has much water, the influence is more on the rivers.
Brihaspati controls the power of intellect.
Good thinking is important behind any development project.
That too for those in the path of spirituality, development means proper influence on the intellect.
In a human body the increasing power is yielded by Ether, wind, Fire, water and predominantly earth principle.
To observe the subtle influences of these five principles, several prayers and rituals are prescribed.
We can observe the influence of fire principle by Homas and Yagas.
Pranayama helps to understand the air principle.
We can understand the sky principle by pondering over the power of the Paramatma (almighty)
To understand the principle of water (Jala Tattva), the scriptures have advised us to perform river bath and sea bath.
Bathing in a river, while pondering and deeply thinking about the subtle principles of the creation, brings us special feelings and experiences.
Since humans depend on gravitational force, the planet Jupiter exerts special influence on intellect when he (Jupiter) enters certain star constellations. (Entering a star sign).
This influence on the intellect can be good or bad. We cannot escape this influence. Like we use medicines to remove diseases, this influence needs to be removed with another principle.
When Jupiter planet enters the star sign Virgo, his influence causes “Jupiter waves” in Krishna River. This event is called as “Krishna Pushkara”.
Since Jupiter changes star signs exactly once a year, this Pushkara event happens once every 12 years. This event is called as “Pushkara Snaana”.
Likewise when Jupiter enters “Vrishabha Raashi (Taurus)”, The Ganga River Pushkara happens. Then the Angels from all worlds come to the Ganga River to bathe.
Mela means, “coming together or meeting”. Jupiter entering Vrishabha Raashi (Taurus) can mean that the Angels are meeting or coming together in Ganga River.
This Kumbha Mela is done the sacred town “Prayaag”. It happens once every 12 years. This once in 12 years happening when happens 12 times, it means 12 x 12 = 144 times. So, 144th Kumbha Mela year is very important. That is why it is called as “Maha Kumbha Mela” or “Purna Kumbha Mela”.
The Kumbha Melas are done in four important centers. They are (1) Haridwar, (2) Prayaag, (3) Ujjain, (4) Nasik.
The celestial being “Garutmanta” (vehicle of Lord Vishnu – eagle) while bringing the pot of Amrit (nectar) to release his mother from slavery, kept that pot of Amrit in these four places. Hence the Puranas (scriptural mythology) says that Kumbha Mela needs to be done in these four places.
We too have become slaves of our body made of the five principles. We have neglected the spiritual nature of our body. We too need release from this slavery. To get released we need to do certain acts. Going to Kumbha Mela is one such act.
In India there are many mountains. Himalayas are great among them. The other range, Vindhya, also is important. Once upon a time, it was considered that the region north to the Vindhya Mountain very pious and the region to the south, the place of demons. Hence saints and sacred people avoided the southern region.
Who to come and bless those in the south?
To help those in the south, God made the Vindhya Mountains get ego. With this the mountain started to grow uncontrollably.
Saints felt that sage Agastya was the only person who could stem the ego of the Vindhya Mountain and sent Agastya. The ego of Vindhya was curbed.
At the same time a king “Kavera” by name performed penance to get liberation.
Brahma, the creator gave the king the boon that his daughter would liberate the King Kavera.
Thereafter Kavera got a daughter, Lopa Mudra. Sage Agastya married this girl, Lopa Mudra, daughter of the king Kavera. This girl assumed the form of water.
Agastya carried her around in his kettle and once gave it to his disciple to hold the kettle for some time. This disciple could not bear the weight and dropped it and the water flowed out.
The daughter of Kavera started to flow as a river. The king Kavera took bath in this river and was liberated.
Like Ganga River took birth because of Lord Shiva, the river Kaveri was born from the powers of the God Brahma. Sage Agastya with the powers of his penance gave river Kaveri the powers of Ganga’s piety and removal of sins.
Hence Kaveri is also known as southern Ganga River.
So, the charting of Jupiter planet’s movements is observed and on special circumstances, bathing is recommended.
Hence we all have assembled here today to bathe in the sacred Kaveri river and to pray for the removal of sins and to proceed in the path of goodness and sacred.
Courtesy: Avadhoota Dattapeetham