[Posted September 14, 2008]

What 70 million people look like

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Pilgrims on a spiritual journey

Popular Pics 2007 -

Largest human gathering photographed from space

The largest human gathering ever has been photographed from space by a high resolution imaging satellite. Over 70 million people are expected to attend a Hindu spiritual event in northern India called the Maha Kumbh Mela. The pilgrims gather at a sacred location on the Ganges River, 15 kilometres from Allahabad, for more than a month of bathing rituals. The activities are intended to wash away their sins and hasten the Hindu people's progress toward nirvana. The one-metre resolution image was collected by Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite, travelling at over 6 kilometres per second, 677 kilometres above the Earth. It shows red-robed bathers at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers. [Courtesy of New Scientist] go to story

Sri Guru and Gauranga

Spiritual Fair at Prayag

purport, Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya-lila 17.149

The city of Prayaga is situated a few miles from the city of Allahabad. The name Prayaga is given due to successful sacrifices performed there. It is said, prakrishto yago yaga-phalam yasmat. If one performs sacrifices at Prayaga, he certainly gets immediate results without difficulty. Prayaga is also called Tirtharaja, the king of all places of pilgrimage. This holy place is situated on the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna. Every year a fair takes place there known as Magha-mela, and every twelve years a Kumbha-mela is also held. In any case, many people come to bathe there every year. During Magha-mela, people from the local district generally come, and during Kumbha-mela people come from all over India to live there and bathe in the Ganges and Yamuna. Whoever goes there immediately feels the place’s spiritual influence. A fort located there was constructed by the emperor Akbar about five hundred years ago, and near the fort is a place called Triveni. On the other side of Prayaga is an old place known as Pratishthana-pura. It is also well known as Jhunsi. Many saintly people live there, and consequently it is very attractive from the spiritual point of view.

Taking advantage of the assembly of spiritual persons

excerpt from conversation with Dr. Patel, Bombay, January 8, 1977

DR. PATEL: That means sat-sanga [association with saintly persons]. Instead of doing sat-sanga, people go to Kumbha Mela... [laughs]

PRABHUPADA: No. Kumbha Mela is sat-sanga. If you go to Kumbha Mela to find out a man of knowledge, then your Kumbha Mela is right. Otherwise, yad-buddhih shalile sa eva go-kharah [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.84.13: "One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass."]. If one thinks that this shalila, the water, to take bath in the water, is Kumbha Mela, he is a go-kharah [cow or an ass]. But the real motive, that "Now there are assembly of so many saintly persons. Let me take advantage of their knowledge", then he is intelligent. [break] ...of highly learned saintly persons. People should take advantage.

DR. PATEL: To bring people together on discussion there are different groups, no?

PRABHUPADA: Still, you can go to different groups of saintly persons. Different groups means brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti [SB 1.2.11: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan."]. There are some yogis, some jñanis, some bhaktas. They are of the same category, little difference. Otherwise...

DR. PATEL: By different ways they have reached the same goal.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Brahmeti paramatmeti. Some of them are brahma-parayana; some of them paramatma-parayana; some of them are bhakta. It doesn't matter. But they're all spiritual. They have no interest in this material world. Tattva-vit. Tattva-vit. They know what is truth. They say that Kumbha Mela is... That spot is very sacred because Mohini-murti brought the nectar there.

Faith in the Vedic injunctions

excerpt from conversation with guests, Bombay, January 9, 1977

GUEST (3): Swamiji, I wanted to know the importance of Kumbha Mela.

PRABHUPADA: This is the assembly of great saintly persons. That's all.

GUEST (3): No, if we people go there at Kumbha Mela time, is it good?

PRABHUPADA: Is it not good if so many saintly persons will come? The atmosphere is so nice.

GUEST (3): So many people accumulate.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Not only... Not people, but saintly persons. Yes. They have actually executed bhajana, sadhana. Brahmeti paramatmeti. Maybe somebody is brahmavadi, somebody paramatmavadi, somebody bhakta, but they're transcendental. They're not materialistic persons. So you get their association, sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83: "The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krishna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krishna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential."]. Adau shraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15: "'In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees."]. The sadhu-sanga is essential. And that is our civilization: sadhu-sanga.

GUEST (11): So many people come with one wish and the whole atmosphere is charged...

PRABHUPADA: Yes, spiritual... Sadhu-sanga ... [speaks Hindi].

GUEST (2): Sadhu-sanga, of course, is very important. Getting to take a dip in Ganges at that, during this period, has that got any particular significance apart from sadhu-sanga?

PRABHUPADA: Yes. There is. At least your faith is increased. With faith you take a dip. Faith cure. And Ganges herself is purifying.

GUEST (2): No. Is there special significance during this period? That is all the time.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. That is... The significance is sadhu-sanga, purification. Our Vedic principle is: whatever is enjoined in the Vedas, we should accept it without any argument. That is Vedic injunction. This example we give generally: just like shankha [conch shell]. Shankha is the bone of an animal. So according to Vedic system, if you touch the bone of an animal, dead body animal, then you have to take bath immediately. But the shankha is pure. Now, you cannot argue that "It is the bone of an animal. You say one place that 'Bone of animal is impure. You have to take bath; you have touched it,' and this shankha is in their Deity worship? It is contradictory." But because it is stated in the Vedas, you have to accept. This is Vedic injunction. You cannot argue. There is no question of arguing. Just like cow dung is the stool of an animal. Even if we touch my own stool, I take bath. But cow dung, it is said, it is pure. If there is anywhere impure, you smear the cow dung; it will be pure. Now, you can argue that "It is stool of an animal. How it becomes pure?" This argument will not... So Vedic knowledge means don't argue. You have to accept it. Achintyah khalu ye bhava na tas tarkena yojayet. There are many things which are beyond your perception, so you have to accept the Vedic injunction. Then you are right. So if the Vedic injunction is: "In such and such moment you take a bath in the Ganges; you become purified," you take it. There is no question of argument. That is faith. Now faith must be there. Vedo-pranihito dharmah. Dharmam tu sakshad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Everything is there. [Aside, to Pradyumna:] Can you find out this verse from the Sixth Canto?

JAGADISH: I know the verse.

PRABHUPADA: Sixth Canto, First Part. Veda-pranihito dharmah. Yamaraja's instruction... er... the Yamadutas explain what is dharma, veda-pranihito dharmah.

PRADYUMNA: [Reads:]

yamaduta uchuh
veda-pranihito dharmo
hy adharmas tad-viparyayah
vedo narayanah sakshat
svayambhur iti shushruma

PRABHUPADA: What is the translation?

PRADYUMNA: "The Yamadutas replied: That which is prescribed in the Vedas constitutes dharma, the religious principles, and the opposite of that is irreligion."

PRABHUPADA: Yes.