Vande Mataram

 

Vande Mataram - Just two words, but these two words have moved the whole nation, and continues to move the hearts of millions. Because these are not just two words, but a Mantra. The Seer of this Mantra is Sri Bankimchandra Chatterjee whose Jayanti falls in the month of June. (He was born on June 26/27, 1838). In the days of British rule in India, this Mantra inspired many to sacrifice their all including their life for the freedom of our Motherland.

India, a land protected by the grand Himalayas on the Northern side and the deep blue oceans on the other three sides has evolved as a unique land in the world. Whether in the ancient European literature or in Sinic literature, or whether in the medieval travelogues, India has fascinated the world. She has a unique character and has made great contributions to the world. We are the children of such a Motherland  --  a mother who has been the mother of the universe, a mother who is timeless and young, a mother who has nourished her children materially, culturally and spiritually for ages. The more we know about her, the more proud we become. The more we see her in the context of the world, the more her existence becomes essential. Bowing down to her and laying down the life for her becomes spontaneous. Many great warriors and saints have given their lives for the protection of this Motherland. .

The month of June was also sanctified by a few more important days. 3rd June was Maharana Pratap Jayanti. 12th June was the day of Coronation of Sri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.  A few days before,14th May was Kabir Jayanti, and 15th May, Guru Hargovind Singh Jayanti. This great land of ours is eternally guiding the humanity for its well-being. As said in the Vedas, this nation of ours is shaped by the penance of the Rishis for the well-being of the world. As her very birth is from the penance of the Rishis, her growth and enrichment, her protection and purpose her existence is also due to the penance of uncountable men and women.

Maharana Pratap is an example for how to recognize the enemy even if he is very apparently well-behaved, as was Akbar. The spirit of freedom in Maharana Pratap would not allow him to bow his head in front of Akbar even though Akbar was ready to allow Maharana to rule Chittor if he would accept the sovereignty of Akbar. But Maharana Pratap knew that though Akbar might not destroy or harass the Hindus, the later emperors might do it. Akbar's good behavior towards Hindus was no guarantee that his progeny also would be so. But if he had joined with Akbar, then he would be only strengthening in our country the hold of outside dynasty - a dynasty alien to the culture and religion of this land. It is like an MNC product which is very attractive and cheap in the beginning, but the more its market increases, more the Indians are thrown out of jobs, and India is impoverished. Understanding the repercussions of the acceptance of what is against the interest of our nation is very important. Maharana Pratap is an excellent example of that. He resisted all the overtures of Akbar. He underwent all the sufferings. He had even to lose his kingdom. Just one nod to the authority of Akbar as sovereign, and Maharana Pratap would have had all the riches at his feet. When Indian kings were competing with each other to prostrate in front of Akbar and have his favours, when they were justifying their support for Akbar in the name that Akbar is a tolerant Mughal King and he would not destroy the Hindu temples etc. Maharana Pratap stood high defying the authority of Akbar and thus he firmly held on to the idea as well as the plausibility that India belongs to Indians. He thus became the great source of inspiration for all those who worked for the freedom of our land.

When the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took place, only one person understood its implications. That was Aurangazeb. Actually, he lost his sleep. Aurangazeb knew that it was not just the fancy of Shivaji Maharaj but Shivaji Maharaj had challenged the Mughal Empire. It was then that he took the decision to lead the army personally to Deccan to destroy the flame of Swarajya - Self-rule - which Shivaji Maharaj had kindled in the minds of the people successfully. Even before Aurangazeb had reached South, Shivaji Maharaj passed away quite unexpectedly. But still, Aurangazeb had no victory. One son of Shivaji Maharaj was caught and killed brutally because he refused to give up his religion. The second son too died. There was no king to guide the war and Aurangazeb did not win. It is the only example in world history that an Emperor left his capital and stayed in the southern corner of his empire fighting unsuccessfully for 27 years. At last he died broken-hearted. But the inspiration given by Shivaji Maharaj continued to inspire men to lay down their lives for the freedom of the Motherland. That beautiful Mantra ‘Vande Mataram' which Bankimchandra gave later includes actually the legendary valour and inspiration of these great persons.

Whether the life of Kabir or the lives of the Ten Sikh Gurus - it is a commentary on the Mantra "Vande Mataram". Though brought up in a Muslim family, Kabir did not hesitate to claim the great heritage of his Motherland. He not only did not reject it but actually he made great contributions to the heritage of our Motherland. Similarly, the Ten Gurus of the Sikhs made great contributions to the philosophy as well as protection of this Motherland. Thus, the month of June this year (2026) has brought to us sacred memories of the great persons of our land whose  lives epitomized  the spirit of the great Mantra ‘Vande Mataram' even though the song Vande Mataram was composed much later. When Bankimchandra became the Seer of the Mantra "Vande Mataram", all the sacrifice and contributions made by many in the past as well as the future possibilities of this great land got encoded in these two mystic words.

Even after Independence, this Mantra `Vande Mataram' has a great potency to inspire us to make India such a nation that she can guide the whole world. India is our Mother. But by her very mission she has been the Mother of the whole world. The mission of the nation depends on its world vision.

Every nation has a vision for itself and for the world. Originally, the Greeko-Roman civilization, and later the West, have demonstrated their vision for the world. Their vision is based on the ‘struggle for the existence' and 'survival of the fittest'. Therefore, conquering, ruling and homogenizing the world for their supremacy over the rest either through statecraft, trade, commerce or religion has been their practice. It is this vision of the West, which implies its claim to superiority over the rest that is perceived to be leading to civilizational clashes among nations and religions. It is their world vision, which made them and even now makes them to exploit the world without any qualms. The underlying principle has always been conquering and ruling over the rest. It was only the instrumentality, which was different at different times.

The global mission of Bharat is driven not by acquisition, conquest or power. It is the other way round. The global vision of Bharat is that of a family of different nations and peoples. The global vision of Bharat is not to validate or invalidate any particular view of god or world, of life here or hereafter. Bharatiya global vision recognizes the core idea of nature that diversity is the basis of creation. Unless a view accepts this fundamental truth about nature, it cannot qualify as global vision, encompassing all views of life and after life faithfully accepted by the people of the world. Indian world vision is not the vision of global market or of enforcing homogeneity of view or faith about life or the life after. Our vision is the vision of the World as a Family — Vasudhaiva  Kutumbakam. India never commended or accepted the homogenization of the humanity based on uniformity, which has been the thrust of the West and the Abrahamic faiths. But she recognizes and stresses the underlying unity kept subtly concealed within the apparent diversity of worship, gods and goddesses, ways of life. 'There is no single universal way of life, single universal god or book, or single universal worship' is the only universal principle of human life and progress in the world and this is encapsulated in the idea of Sanatana Dharma. India is Dharmabhoomi, when Dharma is practised. The method of spreading this thought – Dharma - which just means seeing validity, legitimacy and sacredness in all thoughts about the life here and the life hereafter, is ingrained in India from time immemorial as reflected in Krinvanto Vishvamaryam (Make the world noble). This is the global mission of India. Mother does not, destroy her children because they are different from each other. But she cultures them so that they can learn to co-exist. Thus, this has been the mission of India.

India has the vision of a family of nations -- Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, and she herself played the role of a Mother in this family. She is the Mother of the universe not like the self-appointed saviours that we see around but by her purpose, practice, and her history. We see that she has really been the Mother of the world. India is the only country in the world which, in spite of her being a big and powerful country, has not invaded or destroyed any country or any culture in her whole history. That does not mean that Indians did not go to other lands. They went and spread the Indian culture but without destroying the local cultures. Actually, the contribution of India has been only to enrich the other cultures, to unify them keeping their uniqueness intact. Any serious student, whether Indian or non-Indian, of history, realizes this great contribution of India. Swami Vivekananda in his world-famous Chicago address had said, "I thank you in the name of the Mother of religions, I thank you...I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth."  Mark Twain says, "India is the cradle of the human race, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Most valuable and the most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only." Will Durant says in his book 'Story of Civilisation': "India is the motherland of our race and Sanskrit is the mother of Indo-European languages. She is the mother of our philosophy, of our mathematics, mother of ideals embodied in Christianity and mother of our democracy. Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all. ...India will teach us the tolerance and gentleness of mature mind, understanding spirit and a unifying, pacifying love for all human beings." The purpose of the existence of India is to give unifying principles to the world.

The Mantra "Vande Mataram" should impel us not only to revive India but also to make her guide the whole world. Whenever we failed in this mission or narrowed down our scope, we degenerated. As said by Swami Vivekananda, "We find that one of the causes, which led to this degeneration was the narrowing of our view, narrowing the scope of our actions... To become broad, to go out, to amalgamate, to universalize, is the end of our aims. And all the time we have been making ourselves smaller and smaller, and dissociating ourselves, contrary to the plans laid out in our scriptures... I went to America and Europe. I had to, because that is the first sign of the revival of national life, expansion. This reviving national life, expanding inside, threw me off, and thousands will be thrown off in that way." How prophetic Swami Vivekananda has been! Since his time so many Yogis and Sadhus and Sanyasis are going out to other countries, that shows the expansion of India has started; these are the signs of the great future of India ahead.

Still more forcefully Swami Vivekananda had added, "It is not only that we must revive our own country; that is a small matter; I am an imaginative man and my idea is the conquest of the whole world by Hindu race. Once more the world must be conquered by India. This is the dream of my life, and I wish that each one of you who hear me today will have the same dream in your minds, and stop not till you have realized the dream. They will tell you every day that we had better look to our own homes first and then go to work outside. But I will tell you in plain language that you work best when you work for others... We must go out, we must conquer the world through our spirituality and philosophy. There is no other alternative, we must do it or die." If we as a nation do not work to influence the world, then the world is going to influence us and going to set agenda for our destruction. Therefore to spread the all-inclusive thoughts of India we would also have to confront and contain the exclusive ideologies.”

In the song ‘Vande Mataram' which Sri Bankimchandra composed, one beautiful line is, "Tvam hi Durga Dashpraharanadharinim..." This beautiful and unique Motherland of ours is the manifestation of Jagatjanani Durga herself. Durga who is carrying weapons in her ten hands. Durga as Mother of the Universe, also has to have weapons for the destruction of the evil. Only then she would be able to protect her children. India has survived so long because she as a nation has never hesitated to fight with the Adharmik-exclusive forces. And therefore she could stand the waves after waves of invasions and keep her identity. Swami Vivekananda had emphatically said, "It is the same India which has witnessed the shocks of centuries, of hundreds of foreign invasions. It is the same land, which stands firmer than any rock in the whole world, with its undying vigour, indestructible life. Its life is of the same nature as the soul, without beginning and without end, immortal; and we are the children of such a country."

A simple look at the world history will establish that India is the only country without a beginning; its history is undated, in fact, undatable. The other known ancient civilizations like Greece, Babylonian, Persian, and Roman rose to power and eminence and then became extinct. But India lives on. It has a durability attached to it, which the Divine seems to have denied to other civilizations.

An American Museum contains histogram of civilizations — giving the details of the beginning and the end of different civilizations; only the Indian civilization, and its cousin, the Confucian Civilization continue without beginning, obviously is without end. Why to go in the distant past to see intransigence of other nations? Even in the last 300 years we saw so many powers rose and fell and they are the footnotes of history today. Powers like France, Great Britain, Germany, Ottoman, USSR were on the high in the world and today these are either not existent or are insignificant. Two centuries ago, the US was irrelevant. Three centuries ago, it did not exist. Today it is a super power. This is how nations have come and gone, as Swamiji said, 'living a few of hours of exultant and of exuberant dominance and of wicked national life and then vanishing like ripples on the face of the waters'. But unlike all these roller-coaster ride of the world nations and civilizations, India lives on and lives with unprecedented steadiness and greatness inherent in her.

She is the oldest and yet young with full of promises. Every rising power tries to teach lessons to India and also boast to her, but before long that power is no more a power and in due course gets extinct. But Vande Mataram - India lives on.

It is like the story of the tree and the creeper. In one rainy season, a creeper climbs in no time on a 150 years old tree and boasts to the tree, "What is the use of your 150 years of existence? See, I have climbed in no time up to your top." The tree smiles and tells the creeper, "You are the 150th creeper that I have seen." India has seen many nations rose to power based on India's wealth or knowledge, and then declined, and become extinct. But Vande Mataram - India lives on.

India is a country, which has perhaps faced the maximum invasions in the world. Most of the invaders also tried to defile and mutilate her, tried to annihilate her identity. But today those invaders are extinct, are part of the past. But India lives on. As Swamiji had said, "Its life is of the same nature as the soul, without beginning and without end, immortal; and we are the children of such a country." "Vande Mataram" thus encompasses homage to all that is noble and lofty in our Motherland and also inspires us to work for her great future. Mananat Trayate iti Mantrah - That which protects by contemplation over it, is Mantra. The Mantra "Vande Mataram" has that potency. Contemplation on it, can inspire the young men and women to give up their life for the regeneration of their Motherland so that she can fulfil her mission of guiding the world.

                                                                                                             
                                                                                                          Nivedita Raghunath Bhide

Yoga Vasistha

 With immense pleasure, Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan Trust, Chennai, brings out its half-yearly magazine, Vivekananda Kendra Patrika for the year 2026, Volume 55 No.1, on ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’.  Broadly speaking, our scriptures have been divided into Karmakanda and Jnanakanda. One of the best scriptures that elaborates on  the Jnanamarga  is ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’. Maharshi Valmiki is credited with the authorship of the great epic, the Ramayana.  Similar to the Bhagavad Gita which was taught to Arjuna by Lord Krishna, we have a wonderful spiritual treatise called the ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’.‘YogaVāsiṣṭha’ is a separate distinct work of Sage Valmiki, and it is not found in the Ramayana. This is a life-lesson taught to Rama in his teenage of around 15 years by his Guru Vasishta. This issue of the Kendra Partika seeks to bring out the essence of the teachings of the great Sage, Vasishta, through articles written by some of the most eminent scholars.  Here are presented a few highlights from the contents giving a foretaste of the nectarian sweetness together with the exalted message of the scripture par excellence, ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’.

For a student of Vedanta, ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ is an essential text and it should be a constant companion too.  ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ says, a person who thinks that he is ignorant and is bound by this samsara is the one qualified to read this text. What a royal path! Sri Raghunandanji has shared three articles to cover the six prakaranas. He says, “The act of accepting the events and persons as they are, is the fundamental and mandatory step towards the Quest Divine.” “Anyone can choose this ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ “ says Swami Guruvaraananda in his article. The humble Swami Swaprabhananda, the ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ practioner, blesses everyone by asking us to follow the instructions of the Acharyas and the Shastras, practice Jnanabhyasa regularly and become a Jivan Mukta and enjoy the bliss. Life moves on by His grace. Bhoomananda Thirtha Swami assures that a spiritual quest can arise in one anywhere, any time. In the Vedic Tradition, Knowledge was viewed as a sacred transmission and not mere information. And Swami Mitrananda emphasizes that Knowledge must be earned through purity, patience, and preparedness.

Sri Padmanabhanji says that Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’s synthesis of idealism, non- dualism, realism and spiritualism provides a significant framework to those aiming for Self-realization. We have ample examples or role models like Shankara, Jnanadeva, Gadhadhar,  Naren, and Venkataraman who  have realized their mission of life very early. Our history is full of such persons who have helped us to overcome challenges by living a spiritual life which is the essence of our culture.  Dr. Prativa  provides from ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ a clear road-map for a spiritual aspirant. Vimal Sharma says that Ego is an Illusion; first destroy the Ego through Atmavichara. Muralidharan explains two types of Vairagya. The Truth heard in the satsangh should be put into practice. Atmavichara, meditation on the self, finally culminates in enlightenment says Sreekutty. Smt Kasthuri illustrates Shanti, Vichara, Santosha and Satsanga. “Past fate is eradicated by the performance of present acts” Lavanya defines. Sachit says in Life present effort can overpower past effects. In no way ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ recommends escape from action, but convinces us that calm, intense and efficient action is very much possible by identifying with the eternal, tranquil consciousness. Pranav states that “Divinity is not to be sought outside, but experienced as an inner state of awareness. Here the Upasaka, Upasana and Upasya merge into a single experience of pure awareness.”

‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ is full of stories. Smt. Gayatri has shared one famous story of Chudala and Shikidwaja. Adding to it, Professor Nagaraju has given the complete references of the stories. The rising sun, setting sun and rising moon  and the setting moon is compared to Inhalation and Exhalation. Sit quietly, have a vision in the mind Tranquillity is assured by Thangalakshmi Balasubramaniam. Shri Ramaswami Subromoni the professor quotes the latest realised soul Nisargadatta Maharaj of Mumbai and Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi as the embodiments of  the essence of ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’. ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ is not only a spiritual text but it is full of practical examples which assure that they can be practised. Chidanandamrita Chaitanya has explored the hidden gems in his article. The  point discussed in ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ is ‘Sapta Bhumika’. Rajesh says that “Self-Realisation does not happen accidentally but through discipline, enquiry, dispassion, purification, and direct experience. It is a gradual awakening, not an abrupt attainment.” Sri Seshadri explains that mind control and strong resolution are the key to attain stillness and true peace.

In response to our request, we received a number of good articles from Sastra Sangamam participants. In order to avoid the overdose of the nectar, we have compiled this Kendra Patrika with limited number articles, which otherwise would have become a Bruhat (Kendra) Patrika.  We are confident that, the essence of the six chapters of ‘Yoga Vāsiṣṭha’ that are dealt in this volume through various articles by eminent scholars, will definitely increase the self-confidence level of the youth in handling their day-to-day life by:

a) balancing their ambitions with contentment, b) having a calm and balanced mind to face failure as an opportunity for growth, c) understanding who they truly are beyond their achievements, d) living the present moment without worrying about future or regretting the past, e) realizing that happiness can be cultivated through mental awareness and proper response instead of reaction, f) valuing real-life experiences and genuine relationships without being trapped by illusions, g) creating self-respect, inner strength and stability, h) living with simplicity and purpose, and i) coming out from social media, distractions and digital dependence, etc.

See the world like a just-born baby! Total blank look, no expression (Shunya)!  Attain this state of Sakshibhava. As in the Nirvana Prakarana, even this Sakshibhava has to be dropped. Nirvana refers to the blowing off of even this inner flame which is the watching agent or the witness. Then we will become one with the Ultimate revelling in eternal bliss.    

                                                                                                           
                                                                                                            - Editorial Team

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

 SHIVAJI IN STORIES

Chhatrapati Shivaji’s coronation is being celebrated all over the country. It may be recalled that the idea of the coronation day celebration was first mooted by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1886 as a symbolic expression of the aspiration of the people for sustained freedom and in order to mark the beginning of New India's struggle for independence from what has been described as the rule of "the Mughals of the modern era."  The celebration, as then suggested, came off in April 1896 at Rajgarh and sought to stress the truly nationalist, revolutionary and anti-imperialist direction regarded as necessary for the struggle and to provide the new movement for Swaraj with the dynamic inspiration of a popular, national hero.  Lokmanya Tilak, who used to visit Sinhagad every year and stay there for some time to imbibe the spirit of Shivaji, firmly believed and declared that "The only consciousness which we, as a nation can proudly retain and foster ought to have its springs in Hindutva."  Hence he rightly saw and shared with his compatriots, the appropriateness of projecting the image of Shivaji as a symbol of the sublime sense of patriotism and nationalism and representative of the ideal of political emancipation.  He directed the people to adopt like Shivaji, every means including the use of arms, methods of warfare and military strategy in the fight against alien oppression. Tilak pointed out to them, on the occasion of Shivaji's coronation day celebration: "If thieves enter our house and we have no strength to drive them out, we should, without hesitation, shut them and burn them alive.  God has not conferred upon the foreigners the grant of the Kingdom of Hindusthan."

It was an image revealed in the archives of history and re-shaped out of legend and tradition.  It also served to bring Shivaji back to the modern peasant and worker as well as to convince the intelligentsia of the need for an organized fight for freedom.  There is nothing incongruous in an image of Shivaji, himself a ruler, the "Chhatrapati", serving as a source of revolutionary and anti-imperialist inspiration for a fight against foreign tyranny.  Shivaji had, in his own days, risen above narrow affiliations of caste and community, broken the shackles of class-consciousness and defended masses against all forms of exploitation.  We have it on record that he had even to fight his own kith and kin and the Jagirdars, Patils and Deshmukhs who were thriving on the inams granted by Badshahs.  It would not, therefore, be surprising to know that a revolutionary like Vasudeo Balwant Phadke, acclaimed as among the first to raise the banner of armed struggle in 1878 against British Imperialism in India, issued a manifesto in his name signing it as "Shivaji the Second."

It was Shivaji who made the people, the sons of the soil, re-awaken to a sense of unity, forged spontaneously by bonds of a time-honoured concept of nationalism.  The call for unity was in the name of "Hindavi Swaraj”, which implied free and un-hampered self-determination of a people with a heritage dating back to the ancient seers of the land and a culture moulded in the light of their vision and by the power of their penance.

Moghul conquest was the chief political feature about the time of the birth of Shivaji.  The trail of destruction, through fire and plunder, that the Moghul armies left behind, as they advanced in conquest, the religious discrimination by the Muslim rulers and the harassment to which the natives of the land, the Hindus, were subjected, all resulted in great discontent, social and religious.  Contemporary conditions grew so desperate and everyone was in such a state of helpless expectancy that all thoughts turned towards the advent of a deliverer.  The man of destiny was Shivaji, born in February 1630 in the hill-fort of Shivneri, where his mother Jija Bai had to be left for safety.  That is the setting into which we see Shivaji the Great, ushered as an infant.  

The tree of Hinduism is not really dead, that it can rise from beneath the seemingly crushing load of centuries of political bondage; that it can put forth new leaves and branches.  It can lift up its head to the skies," writes Jadunath Sarkar, in Shivaji and His Times.  He further points out that, "Intensely religious from his very boyhood by instinct and training alike, he remained all through his life abstemious, free from vice and respectful to holy men, passionately fond of hearing scripture readings and sacred stories and songs."  According to Vincent Smith, "Indeed, it is safe to affirm that his religious zeal was the most potent factor in arousing the sentiment of nationality which inspired his lowly countrymen to defy the Moghul Legions."  However, as Sarkar has rightly stressed, "Religion remained with him an ever-fresh fountain of right conduct and generosity, it did not obsess his mind nor harden him into a bigot."  By all accounts, Shivaji's personal life was marked by a superior standard of morality and deep spiritual fervour.  Here indeed was not only a warrior and administrator, but also one who was devoted as a son, attentive as a husband and a unique exemplar of duty as a father.  Historians, poets, novelists, bards and play-writes have painted the picture of this medieval India's outstanding hero in resplendent hues.  And the image of Shivaji is regarded today as a blend of history and legends.  The legend as it appeals to the modern mind is happily not divorced from history.

"Study the life of Shivaji and you will find him a nation-maker, instead of a marauder, as the Europeans represent him," says Swami Vivekananda, the patriot-monk of India.  We have here endeavoured to present in the form of a narrative, marked by a certain sequence of incidents (as it moves from chapter to chapter), the whole course of Shivaji's illustrious career in a brief compass.  What we have offered here is neither just history nor just legend.  It is a blend of both, so that the legends that are narrated are rooted in facts of history.

This book is compiled from Vivekananda Kendra Patrika’s “Shivaji in Stories” published in 1975.

Yatras

The Issue  of Vivekananda Kendra Patrika on ‘Yatras' is a compilation of articles, essays, comments, slokas, Vedic, Upanishadic and Puranic quotations regarding the great Saadhana of pilgrimage. The Veda says that when a man is lying down, it is Kali Yuga, when a man is sitting, it is Treta Yuga, when a man is standing, it is Dwapara Yuga, and when a man is walking, it is Satya Yuga. Therefore, the Upanishads and the Vedas glorify all human movements in search of the great world of spirituality. “Charaiveti, Charaiveti” is a great Vedic Mantra. The purpose behind the great spiritual journey is this. Man is endowed with all spiritual qualities. “Tattvamasi”, says the Samaveda - You are That, the Ultimate Reality. The Samaveda says, look at the huge prapancha, the world outside in a miniature form encrypted in your heart inside. This is what we call as the Pindanda Aikya. The individual goes around the world, to find himself in the world outside. Therefore, pilgrimage is a form of self-search, seeking the inside out, and the outside in.

Why does a man go on a pilgrimage when the Ultimate Paramatman which he searches is within his own heart? The reason is, man cannot listen to himself. The ear cannot hear itself. The tongue cannot taste itself. The eye cannot see itself. In order to enable these senses, to identify the objects of the senses, these are placed in front of him as symbols. The great Rishis like saint Madusudhana Saraswathi, say, “Baktyatartham, Kalpitham, Dwaitham, Advaithat api Sundaram”. Though the Ultimate Paramatman is within you, in order to enable the senses to see Him, the mind, the intellect and the praana, we need to search for Him/ the Ultimate. It is positioned as an object.

The places of pilgrimage are sanctified by the visits of the great Rishis of the Vedas, the Puranic saints and avataara purushas, and later-day great saints. So, the pilgrim centers that a saadhaka seeks to visit are thrice-blessed either in the Vedas, the Puranas or by the avataara purushas. Every pilgrim center finds some kind of glorification in the Puranas, Vedas or in the Upanishadic scriptures. The Upanishads themselves talk about Benaras (Kashi) as the avimukta kshetra. The Puranas describe in great detail, the places of birth of avataara purushas like Ayodhya, Mathura, and the places where the Paramatman in the form of Shiva, Rudra stays; for example, Kashi, Haradwar and Ujjain. These places are the locations where God is equally, easily found. This kind of pilgrimage has been the age-old practice in India.

Perhaps, the Saadhana of spiritual journey is as old as Bharat itself. The (Tamil) Sangam poetry talks about a man going in search of God, in search of his love, a man going out for earning money, or for a war, or delivering a political message. To carry man from place to place, different yanas, the different vehicles, are also described in our scriptures. From the Rigvedic period downwards, the great ship-building industry was flourishing in India enabling man to go to different places. The carts, the elephants, the horses are also described on which man could ride and go to different places. Palkhis (palanquins) are also mentioned in the Shaastras, carrying saints and those who cannot walk. Even today pilgrims going to Amarnath or Sabarimala are being carried there by paid employees who can carry the old and disabled people up to the temple precincts. The facility of vaahanas, development of vehicles for carrying the needy pilgrims has been a great facet of development in Indian society. Once, a minister of tourism and pilgrimage development in the Delhi Govt. told us that 90% of the tourism out of which Delhi Govt earns money is only through spiritual tourism. For the Hindus, tourism means going on a pilgrimage, a Teerthasthaana or a temple. Ordinary site-seeing has grown a little now-a-days, perhaps, as a result of further developments and modern facilities.

Then, because of the variety of experiences, tremendous amount of literature has grown around the concept of pilgrimage. For example, Vivekananda Kendra Patrika brought out a volume years ago, titled ‘The Pilgrim Centers of India’. About each temple, there are books about how the pilgrim centers attract yatris. Coming to Itihasas, Rama’s great pilgrimage, from Ayodhya to Mithila to marry Sita and then coming back to Ayodhya, and then going to Lanka to kill Ravana was the very purpose of his Avataara. Then, how Rama journeyed from Ayodhya to Srilanka and how he returned by Pushpaka Vimana back to his capital Ayodhya have all been described in great detail. Maps have been produced and descriptions were made on what are the important places that Rama visited while going from Ayodhya to Mithila, Mithila to Ayodhya, Ayodhya to Srilanka, and Srilanka to Ayodhya again. That gives an idea of the geographic extent of India in those times. Following in the footsteps of Sri Rama, the Pancha Pandavas also went on pilgrimage. Similarly, in the Mahabharata, the Pancha Pandavas go on pilgrimage on two occasions. When they are in the Vanavaasa tenure, one of the Panchapandavas lives with Draupadi and the other four brothers go out as pilgrims. These pilgrimages are described in great detail. Then, Dharmaputra, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva have established a number of temples, from Gokarnam to Kedarnath to Kanyakumari. The pilgrim centers where the Pancha Pandavas have established Shivalingas, have been described in the Puraanas, and more in the Sthala-puraanas. When Dharmaputra was to be coronated as Chakravarti, he performed Rajasuya Yajna. Then, the four Pandavas, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva branched out to different parts of India, to earn money and collect wealth and tributes from the titular kings for the proposed Rajasuya Yajna of Dharmaputra. This also has been described in detail in the Mahabharata. All the travelogues make up a great wealth of pilgrim(age) literature. Then, following these sanctified routes, the great Rishis wandered from place to place preaching the message of Sanatana Dharma.

For example, in the year 2025 Jan. 14^th to Feb. 26^th there is going to be / there was a Mahakumbh in Prayag. Mahakumbh occurs once in 144 years. What happens when the Mahakumbh takes place? The great Rishis and saints who perform tapasya in the Himalayas, always stay in very great heights where snow does not melt; they come down once in twelve years, reach Prayag and stay in great tents and huge camps. And then pilgrims from all over the country reach Prayag. There, for 45 days, the kalpavasis, the pilgrims who come to Prayag, stay and get instructions on different aspects of Sanatana Dharma from the Himalayan saints. It will be about Vedas, it can be about spiritual saadhana, it can be about Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, it can be about different Shaastras, different types of Pranayama, herbal treatments, Ayurveda, grammar and so many other topics. Every subject, which the Vedas cover is discussed by the Himalayan saints for the benefit of the pilgrims who gather in Prayag from all over the country and all over the world. This is a kind of spiritual parliament. Such spiritual parliaments are being held once in every twelve years at Prayagraj. Countless number of pilgrims return home from the Mela refreshed and spiritually rejuvenated.

In the Kumbakonam Mahamakam, in the Tamil month of Maasi in the Maka Nakshatra (Feb-Mar.), pilgrims come and take bath where all the saptateerthas converge. “Gangecha Yamunechaiva Godavari Saraswati Narmade Sindhu Cauveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru”. All the teerthas conjoin at the Mahamakam temple pond and people take a dip there. And similarly, in the Rivers Tamiraparani, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, and Narmada, in every 144 years a Pushkara (holy assembly) is held. These are very sacred days even for the rivers themselves. People from all over the world come there to take bath in the rivers, and they get purified. Therefore, pilgrimage made to get purified of one’s past sins, or spiritually elevated, is a very very important saadhana for any common man of Hindu faith.

There is a Puranic story. Once, Parvati asked Shiva, “Is it true that when a man takes bath in Ganga during the Kumbhamela, he is purified of all his sins? If that is so, then the whole creation will come to a standstill. All the people will take bath in Ganga, and the creation will end because everybody will be absolved of all his/her sins and go to Swarga or attain Moksha, or whatever he wants”. Then Paramasiva laughed and they both descended on earth. Paramasiva was lying down as an old man and Parvati was sitting by his side. Then Paramasiva pretends that he is dead. Parvati weeps. People who came to take bath in Kumbhamela asked the woman, “Ma, why are you weeping?”. Parvati said, “My husband is dead. Whoever has not committed any sin, brings out a handful of Ganga water and pours it in his mouth, he will come back alive”. Everybody said, “Oh I am a sinner, I cannot save your husband, I cannot be of any use to you” and turned away. At last, there came a very ordinary man. He said, “Oh, I might have committed so many sins, but whatever be the kind of sinner one is, if he takes bath in Ganga, all his sins will be nullified.” Saying this, this young man, goes and takes a dip in the Ganga, brings a handful of water and pours it in the mouth of Lord Shiva, who was laying there in the manner of a corpse. Then Paramasiva comes alive and tells Parvati, “See, this is the only man who believes that the Ganga purifies man of his sins. So, it is simply not that you take bath in the Ganga, it is the question of your intense belief, that Ganga purifies your sins”. The number of such pilgrims who come to Mahaamakam will be in crores. But how many are really believing that a bath in Kumbhmela will absolve the man of his sins is what is to be seen. There is a great stress on shraddha, when you go to a pilgrim center or a place of Mela like the Kumbhmela. The history of Kumbhmela is also very important. The same story applies to Mahaamakam in Kumbakonam also, in the South.

We all know the story that Devas and Asuras churned the ocean of milk with the help of Vasuki snake and Mantara mountain to get Amrita. Lord Narayana also came in the form of tortoise (Koorma avatara) to support the Mantara mountain. There were number of divine things like Uchchaisravas, the divine horse, Kalpataru, Jewel etc. emerged. Finally Lakshmi came and then Dhanvantri comes with a pot of Amrita. Then devas and asuras fought for it and Narayana in the form of Mohini, cleverly deprived the asuras of the Devaamrita and gave it all to the devas who were all restored to their original glory. That Amrita kumbha fell at a number of places. There are legendary stories, puranic instances which say that where the Kumbha fell, is the place of Kumbhamela or the place of Mahamaka. When the amrita kumbha fell near Kumbakonam, the places where the coconut, the mango leaves and the sacred thread from the Kumbha fell, became the places of pilgrimage around Kumbakonam in Tamilnadu. Thus, such pilgrim centers have got the touch of amrita, the heavenly ambrosia.  Whenever you go to such great pilgrim centers, you will find some such puranic stories, which authenticate the holiness of these places. Therefore, the yatras to Kumbhmela and the teertasthaanas link the soil of India, the air of India, the water of India, the space of India, the energy of India, the Panchaboothas of India to the puraanas and God Himself. Each teerthasthana has got a great sanctity. These pilgrims are doubly blessed because, the common man goes there to remove his sins and the saints go there to remove the sins of the teerthaas themselves, thus replenishing their sanctity.

And then, to sanctify these places, our ancients have built great temples in these places. For example, in the birth place of Dasharatha Rama, Ayodhya, a great temple has been built. Then in Puri Jagannath a great temple is built. In Ujjain, a Shiva temple is built. In the great Hrishikesh, where the Ganga descend from the Himalayas to the plains, a great temple is built. And then in Rameshwaram, where Sri Rama is said to have worshipped Shiva, a great temple is built. There are the seven Mokshapuris.  These are the places which confer Moksha on people who go there. And there are the Char Dhams in the four corners of India, namely, Rameshwaram, Puri, Dwaraka and Badrinath. These are also places which confer Moksha on the pilgrims. There has been a continuous tradition of thousands of years, of pilgrims going on specific occasions to these pilgrim centers to purify themselves.  Pilgrimages are inextricably interwoven with India’s spiritual culture.

If a metaphor could be used, life itself is a pilgrimage.  Pilgrimages are great opportunities for self-exploration, and to connect oneself with the higher levels of existence, thereby seeking fulfilment in one’s life.  This issue of Vivekananda Kendra Patrika has ‘Yatra’ as its central theme.  In the preceding passages, some puranic stories have been briefly recollected, paving the way for the rest of the journey, yatra, as could be covered within the limits of this volume. Here, yatra has been taken in its spiritual sense, as a kind of saadhana, or a mission in ones’ life, and not a mere pleasant tour or holidaying trips as is often the spirit in sabbaticals. 

An individual’s life itself is a yatra.  From the tiny tots to the aged, life is a yatra, a constant progress towards higher goals, culminating in Self-realization.  This idea has been brought out in the light of the Kendra Prayer in one of the articles titled dhyeya maargaanu yatra.  This volume seeks to celebrate the glory of yatra in a spiritual perspective.  Great unifiers of the nation like Sri Adi Shankara and other great teachers have immensely contributed to the sacredness of teerthayatras through their own examples.  Hence the tradition continues with its unflagging spirit. Yatras could be in quest of spiritual knowledge.  They could be in fulfilment of vows.  They could be undertaken as a kind of traditional sacred practice.  They have been an unshakeable unifying force in our country. Travelling through the length and breadth of the country, Swami Vivekananda internalized the essential India which is nothing but spiritual to the core, and he called himself a Condensed India.  Such was his identity with the country.  

This volume discusses the concept of yatra in an impressive manner with contributions from very knowledgeable persons.  Reading this issue itself, we hope, will give the reader the experience of performing an exhilarating and spiritually elevating pilgrimage.  All said and done, much remains to be said.  Nevertheless, what is contained in this volume, it is hoped, will claim its own worth as a sumptuous fare on the subject.  

                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                         N. Krishnamoorti