The Kumbh held at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, India, was established in the category of Maha Kumbh by divine coincidence. Maha Kumbh, which is an example of the exact calculation and faith of Sanatan culture, in which about 60 crore devotees have bathed so far, which focuses on social harmony and goodwill and increases social unity. In Indian tradition, pilgrimage is not only a religious subject, but also a spiritual subject. On the basis of which knowledge has been propagated. From Adiguru Shankaracharya to the father of India’s ten guru tradition, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji also propagated Brahma knowledge on the basis of Vedanta philosophy on pilgrimages, in which the feeling of spiritual knowledge and harmony was prominent.
Many methods were developed by Indian great saints to preserve knowledge and pass it on to the future generation, in which philosophy played an important role. According to Sanatan culture and Yoga Sutra, there are mainly three breathing nadis in the human body – Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. For spiritual progress, by concentrating and gathering the Ida, Pingla and Sushumna nerves between the eyes and their confluence, one experiences supreme bliss, which is also called the third eye or the eye of knowledge. The confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati in Prayagraj, which is famous as the Triveni Sangam, is the physical reflection of this internal breath confluence.
In Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s Ang 974, devotee Beni ji writes in Raga Ramkali –
eiRaa pi(n)gulaa aaur sukhamanaa teen baseh ik Thaiee ||
benee sa(n)gam teh piraag man majan kare tithaiee ||
Meaning: The energy channels of the Ida, Pingala and Shushmanaa: these three dwell in one place. This is the true place of confluence of the three sacred rivers: this is where my mind takes its cleansing bath.
In the holy Gurbani of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Bhagat Pipaji writes in Raag Dhanasari on Ang 695-
Jo Brahmande So Hi Pinde, Jo Khoje So Paave. Pipa Pranvai Tatu Hai, Satguru Hoye Lakhawe.
That is, whatever happens in the universe created by Akal Purukh is also present in the human body, but there is a need to search for this element through meditation. The one who searches for this spiritual knowledge will get this knowledge by the grace of Satguru.
The first Guru of the ten Guru tradition of India, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, by traveling all over India and propagating knowledge, indicated the unity of the Indian(Bharat) nation. After Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the ninth Guru of the ten Guru tradition, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, traveled all over India and gave darshan to the Sangat who follow the teachings of Guru Nanak.
During this journey, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji reached Prayagraj Triveni Sangam, about which the tenth Guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji writes in his book Shri Dasam Granth Sahib on page 145-146 of Bichitra Natak-
Mur Pit Purab kiyas payana।। Bhaant bhaant ke tirath nahana।।
Jab hi jaat Tribaini bhaye।। Poon daan din kert bitayye।।
Tahi parkas hamara bhayo।।Patna sehar bhike bhav leyo।।
In these sentences, Guru Gobind Singh Ji writes that my father Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji prepared to go to the east to preach religion. He went to various types of pilgrimages for bathing. He reached Prayag to bathe at Triveni (Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati) Sangam and spent his days doing charity. Due to which I was enlightened in Prayagraj, hence I was born in Patna Sahib.
The third Guru of the Ten Gurus tradition, Shri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj used to bathe in the Ganges River often before assuming the Guru Gaddi. One day after taking bath, Amardas Ji met some Aghori Sanyasis who were worshipping with an instrument called Kingri. Guru Ji asked them what is the use of this instrument in worship. The Sanyasis told that after the Sushumna Nadi is awakened with spiritual advancement, musical notes are heard and also asked Amardas Ji to accept a Guru. After this, Bibi Amaro Ji introduced him to his father, the second Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji and Amar Das Ji accepted him as his Guru and started his spiritual journey, as a result of which he sat on the Guru Gaddi and adorned himself as the third Guru, Guru Amar Das Ji.
Amardas Ji writes about this in his Bani Raag Ramkali, which is recorded in Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji-
ana(n)dh bhiaa meree maae satiguroo mai paiaa ||
Satigur ta paiaa sahaj setee man vajeeaa vaadhaieeaa ||
raag ratan paravaar pareeaa sabadh gaavan aaieeaa ||
sabadho ta gaavahu haree keraa man jinee vasaiaa ||
kahai naanak ana(n)dh hoaa satiguroo mai paiaa ||
Meaning: I am in ecstasy, O my mother, for I have found my True Guru. I have found the True Guru, with intuitive ease, and my mind vibrates with the music of bliss. The jewelled melodies and their related celestial harmonies have come to sing the Word of the Shabad. The Lord dwells within the minds of those who sing the Shabad. Says Nanak, I am in ecstasy, for I have found my True Guru.
Nanak Naam Leva Sangats also took a dip at the Triveni Sangam, which is filled with the aura of Sanatan. People from Punjab as well as Dubai and Greece are included in this, which is an example for religious unity in the whole world. Out of the 13 major religious Akharas of the country, Nirmal and Udasin Akhara belong to the ten Guru tradition. Udasin Panth was established by Shri Shrichand Ji, son of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Nirmala Panth was established by Guru Govind Singh Ji. Acharya Mahant Durgadas Ji of Shri Panchayati Akhara Bada Udasin says that this Akhara carries forward the Guru-disciple tradition of India, which is an important method of Indian spirituality. Udasin Akhara was established by Shrichand Ji, son of the first Guru Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who propagates knowledge by following the path of devotion shown by Sanat, Sanandan, Sanatan and Sanatkumar. Joginder Singh Salaria is associated with Udasin Akhara and came from Dubai with his team to take the Maha Kumbh bath. Gurpyar Singh, associated with Nirmal Akhara, arrived from Greece with his entire group to take a bath in Maha Kumbh Triveni. Gurpyar Singh told that Gyandev Singh Ji is the Mahamandleshwar of his Akhara. Nirmal Akhara has been doing Sanatan and social service for hundreds of years, whose headquarters are located in Kankhal, Haridwar.
The Triveni bath, which was an attempt to string the whole society together at the social and religious level, by Jathedar Harnam Singh Dhumma Ji of Damdami Taksal from Punjab, based on the first word Ek Omkar (ੴ) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the knowledge of Gurbani, is surrounded by political and religious questions these days.
The social and religious organizations that question the bath of Nanak Naam Leva in Maha Kumbh, themselves seem to be directly against Gurbani, because the Gurbani of Guru Granth Sahib Ji itself calls the Triveni bath the root of spirituality. In Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 1372, verse 152, Bhagat Kabir Ji writes-
Kabeer ga(n)g jamun ke a(n)tare sahaj su(n) ke ghaaT।।
Tahaa kabeerai maT keeaa khojat mun jan baaT।।152।।
Meaning: O Kabir! I, Kabir’s mind, have settled on that shore where the natural state is devoid of the sounds of illusory objects, where, as it were, the waters of Ganga-Jamuna meet. All the sages keep searching for the way to reach this state.
