Well, we all know the cultural, sociological, ecological and economic significance of Kumbh, isn’t it? So, let’s look at the spiritual and psychological significance of Kumbh Mela. In this excerpt, you would learn about a new perspective in life. You would understand why it is such an important event to know alongside the history of Kumbh.
Sin Is Inevitable – Significance of Kumbh
Although every human is essentially pure and untainted, he knowingly or unknowingly sins at some point in his life. Later he is left with nothing but guilt during his life. This causes severe aberration in his personality, relationships, lifestyle and even one’s mental outlook. Yes, you heard that right!
No wonder, It is very difficult to erase the feeling of committing a sin. Yes, counselling, reasoning, or medical treatment can help but not everyone willingly reaches out to those areas of the mind where sin and guilt hidden in order to work on it. All in all, it is easy for rarely a few and tough for most of the people.
Sin Is Not Merely An Act – Psychological Significance of Kumbh Mela
Well, Sin is not just an act. In fact, it is a deeply rooted notion or a belief. Crime is such an act that it is has a definition in the books of law. But what about the mere thought of committing a sin in one’s life? How does one handle that? The guilt alone can be huge torture.
Often when one associates with the notion of past karma, the guilt of sin is struck to an individual. And believe it or not, but this is far more difficult to manage. It is in this area of psychological treatment that the Kumbh works wonders. Similarly, the same wonder works behind the Christian practice of ‘confession’. This practice of confession widely eradicates the feeling of guilt. You start preparing to address your sins when you decide to participate in the Kumbh Mela. You decide to act on your mistakes and seek the path to redemption. So, its the whole package. Intent to correct oneself and seek redemption is the first step. Preparing for the pilgrimage with a strong intent to correct your path and to seek reformation is the second. The experience from the whole pilgrimage and the act of cleansing at the Kumbh, the third. Charting out a new holistic path to living from thereon is the final part.
Purity Of Ganga – Spiritual Significance of Kumbh Mela
Now we will look at the spiritual significance of Kumbh Mela. People also go to the Ganga to seek forgiveness for their sins, whether they are imaginary or real. Since time immemorial, the majestic and peaceful Ganga has held the power to absorb and wash away the sins of all those who bathe in her waters. These include sins that one may commit in past lives that we are not even aware of. But they are present in the deeper layers of our consciousness in seed form as sanskaar.
The purity of Ganga absorbs all these kinds of sins whether in this life or the previous life. And it is for this reason that a dip at the Kumbh enables man to churn his karmas or perform Manthan karma. Thereby this enables the speed of his evolution fast and easy.
The Voice Of Ecologists Are In Synch With Kumbh
Today, ecologists all over the world are trying to generate awareness about the need for conserving the environment. And if we do not pay our part, it may turn into a disaster. We need to pay heed to their warnings, or else we may stand to lose many things, including the chance to live. Yes, that’s true!
The tsunami of 2005 was one such act of nature that was like a warning to mankind. It was an indication of the consequences of taking nature for granted. The tradition of Kumbh should impress ecologists as it achieves just what they are trying to do. Man does not learn through dictums and laws. In fact, he has a natural inclination to revolt against them. Believe it or not, he follows them only out of fear. And fear does not transform an individual. It only keeps his baser instincts in abeyance till such time when he can do what he wants.
The Real Heroes – Significance of Kumbh
With passing time, our rishis and munis are definitely the real heroes. They clearly understood the inherent nature of man. Since they were indeed the original ecologists who understood it long before. They gave the man a reason to worship nature by sanctifying it. They play a huge role in revealing the evolution of mankind.
From generation to generation, this belief has naturally become a part of India’s psyche and inherent faith. It is said that during the period of Kumbh, apart from all the divine beings, all astral rishis and munis assemble to bless us. Their presence, together with the planetary conjunctions, surcharges the atmosphere. And this eventually creates an energy field to redeem us from our sins.
A Place In The Guinness Book Of Records
You would remain in awe and surprise to know that the Kumbh is the largest congregation of its kind known to man. And for this very reason, it has found a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Isn’t that astonishing? Also, the mela is not just for Hindus alone. It is for anyone and everyone who desires happiness, prosperity, good health and enlightenment. It is thus a secular event for all kinds of mankind on this earth.
Connecting The Dots With Yoga
In yoga, too, we find various references to the significance of Kumbh. For example, let’s say in the practice of pranayama, there is a term with the name Kumbhakavastha. Kumbhakavastha is that state when one doesn’t draw the breath within nor does it expel it out. But the breath is thereby held in a suspension from within. This is the main part of pranayama where one transforms through the prana shakti. Or channelizes this the life force and destroys the dissipating tendencies of the mind. This is a sort of mental manthan or churning of the mind.
Vedic Literature And Ancient Civilisations’ Attribute To Mother Nature
Ancient civilizations paid obeisance to all forms of nature, including the ravens. Unfortunately, many cultures have now lost this awareness. Vedic literature is also abundant with the most beautiful prayers to rivers, trees, the air and all other life-giving attributes of Mother Nature. This is because the Vedas strongly believe that nature is not inert. It moves, it listens, it feels and it speaks. They believe that nature also has many things to tell and convey to us. Thus, directly or indirectly, Vedic Literature and ancient civilizations play a key role – another significance of Kumbh.
Creation Of Energy Fields – Psychological Significance of Kumbh Mela
But most importantly, nature creates energy fields, which we can avail of through worship, love, and care. This acknowledgement of the sentience of nature is an essential part of all Vedic and tantric scriptures. The Vedic lineage believes that man does not have proprietary rights to knowledge. Rather, he is only its guardian, that’s it. Similarly, he is the preserver and not the ultimate owner. There are certain planetary conjunctions that charge a particular area and waterbody with divine energy. This knowledge was known to Vedic seers long ago.
An Extraordinary Event
The Hindu genius had the firm belief that a bath at the Kumbh is no ordinary event. This event can remove obstacles in man’s progress towards supreme achievements in his life. But to receive the desirable result, one has to undertake the right approach. Sadly, such an approach is impractical in our present-day life where time flies faster than a jet. To wrap it up, these were some of the psychological and spiritual significance of Kumbh Mela.
