Bhagavat katha Ganga flows to Ujjain, India during the Simhastha Kumbha Mela
Bhagavat In an atmosphere wafting with spirituality, thousands of sadhus, saints, sannyasis, pilgrims and devotees from various parts of the country flocked to attend Bhaishri’s Bhagavat katha at the Kumbh Mela in Ujjain in April. Hosted by Pujya Karshni Gurusharnanandji Maharaj of Raman Reti, Madhuvan, the katha was a truly unique experience for all those who attended.
More than 30 million devotees attended the month-long Kumbh Mela festival which transformed the city of Ujjain into a mini-India. Vaishvik Sanskruti Parivar members from all over the world attended the katha to be a part of this divine satsang.
During the katha, Shri Krishna Janma Utsav was celebrated with great joy and devotees danced in ecstasy to Bhaishri’s bhajans and kirtans. In the evenings Bhaishri would sit with devotees and would enjoy listening to bhajans and kirtan. In the shibir (camp) of Gurusharananandji Maharaj, there was also daily Raas Lila where actors performed in stage and acted out the various pastimes of Shri Krishna and Shrimati Radha.
Many saints and mahatmas, including Pujya Swami Satyamitranandji Maharaj and Pujya Swami Adveshanandji Maharaj, attended the katha.
2.5 million took a dip in the Kshipra River as a part of the shahi snan (royal bath) on the opening day. The presence of sadhus of different akhaaraas, monastic orders, and devotees virtually painted the city in hues of saffron and yellow. Recitation from scriptures reverberated through several makeshift accommodation made for the holy men. Bhaishri also took part in the first shahi snan at Ram Ghat and visited nearby temples.
On one occasion Bhaishri and Gurusharnanandji Maharaj performed Rudrabhishek and Shiv puja at the Mahakaaleshwar temple on the banks of the Kshipra River. Lord Mahakaal is in the form of a Shiva linga and is one of the 12 jyotir lingas. The atmosphere in the temple is of pure divinity.
Situated on the western boundary of Madhya Pradesh, Ujjain is 55 km from Indore. Literally translated ‘Ujjain’ means ‘city of victory’ and is one of the most revered cities in India. The city’s past seems to be veiled in antiquity, however, it took just one drop of nectar to change it into the place of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
The origin of the Kumbh Mela dates back to the conflict between the devatas and danavas over the possession of the ‘Amrit Kumbh’, or the pot of immortal nectar. During the tussle, some drops of the amrit splashed from the pitcher and fell at four places, which were: Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain, the sacred sites for the Kumbh Mela. Since then, when the auspicious planets align in the same position, devotees come together to commemorate this divine feature. Literally translated ‘simhastha‘ signifies the movement of the planets into the zodiac of Leo or Simha Rashi.
In this divine atmosphere of austerity Bhaishri’s katha was relayed on Sanskaar channel and millions of Indians benefited by drinking this divine nectar through their ears.
